On the morning of the entrance exam day, a huge crowd gathered around the Azure Dragon Academy from early morning.
"Get your rice cakes here! Freshly made rice cakes for good luck!"
"Good luck charms! Put them in your pocket before you head to the exam!"
"Young men! Have a hearty bowl of soup before you go to the exam!"
The entire city was up much earlier than usual.
Merchants set up stalls targeting the applicants of the Azure Dragon Academy entrance exam, and many onlookers came out to see the rare spectacle.
"Look over there! It's Shaolin!"
"Fool, do you think everyone with a shaved head is from Shaolin?"
"Tch. Never mind then..."
"Master! Are you perhaps from the Wudang Sect?"
"Ahem. I'm just a secular disciple..."
Even children with bright eyes, eager to see young martial artists a few years older than themselves, roamed the city chattering away.
The whole city was buzzing with a festive atmosphere.
Normally, martial artists would frown at such rude questions, but today they just laughed it off.
The children were ignorant of the martial world, and there was nothing to gain by raising their voices in front of the Azure Dragon Academy before an important exam.
The gates of the Azure Dragon Academy had not yet opened.
In front of them, martial artists about to take the exam, along with their families, friends, and acquaintances, were exchanging greetings.
Here and there, solemn, tearful, and embarrassing scenes were unfolding.
"Son! You must pass!"
"Father! I will pass and return with the Azure Dragon Badge!"
"Yes! You must pass! When I think of all the money spent to raise you as a martial artist... Ugh! Dear!"
"You say the most inappropriate things in front of the child!"
Starting with parents sharing a warm embrace with their son.
"Brother. If you leave for the Azure Dragon Academy like this, what will I do..."
"Yeonmae. Don't cry. It's not like we're parting forever."
"I'm worried you'll fall for a female student at the Azure Dragon Academy..."
"Why would I do that when I have the most beautiful woman in the world?"
"If you dare cheat with another woman, I'll come and tear you apart myself."
"Ahem. It's that fiery side of you that I fell for, Yeonmae."
Young lovers promising eternal love.
"Disciple, don't be nervous. Just show half of your skills, and you won't fail even if you want to."
"Yes! I'll be back, Master!"
Even masters encouraging their disciples by patting their shoulders.
Families, friends, masters, and acquaintances of the new applicants were exchanging greetings before the entrance exam began.
"Haha. This is nice."
Across from the Azure Dragon Academy, a young man was looking down at the academy from the highest floor of a famously expensive inn.
The man sitting opposite him asked.
"What pleases you so?"
"The faces of young martial artists pursuing their dreams are nice to see. I wonder what talented kids have come this year."
Despite his old-fashioned way of speaking, the young man looked to be in his mid-twenties at most.
If there were other people in the inn, they might have found it strange, but since they had rented the entire floor, no one was there to cast a glance.
The man sitting opposite the young man spoke.
"Half of them will pack their bags today. Half of the remaining half will pack tomorrow. In the end, only a handful will remain."
"You've always been so unromantic. Isn't it too early to talk about such realities?"
"... This year, the number of applicants for the Azure Dragon Academy is the highest ever. In other words, it means anyone could easily apply."
"Hmm."
"But this year will be different. I will change the Azure Dragon Academy."
"Yes, you should."
The young man, who had been gazing out the window, chuckled and turned to look at the man sitting opposite him.
For a moment, his gaze was chillingly cold.
"It must be so."
"... Yes."
Namgung Soo couldn't meet the young man's gaze directly and lowered his head.
At that moment, the gates of the Azure Dragon Academy finally began to open.
Rumble...
Mae Geuk Ryeom, who stood like a gatekeeper at the front gate, asked the applicants to remain quiet and orderly as they entered.
The young man watching the applicants enter the Azure Dragon Academy also stood up.
"It's about to start. If we're late, that old man No Gun Sang will nag, so let's go."
"Yes, Uncle."
The young man left the inn with his hands behind his back.
Namgung Soo followed a step behind, respectfully.
"Come to think of it, didn't you say the kids you taught are also taking the entrance exam? I remember one of them being from the main family."
"You won't be disappointed."
"Haha. Yes, that's how it should be."
Namgung Soo glanced at the sword swaying at the young man's waist and lowered his head.
The scabbard of the sword was engraved with the characters 'Changcheon (蒼天).' There was only one martial artist in the martial world who could possess that sword.
"First, I would like to thank everyone for applying for the entrance exam of our academy."
No Gun Sang, who had stepped onto the podium, looked around at the applicants filling the grand martial arts arena.
Eyes sparkling with excitement, fear, the desire to become stronger, and dreams of the future.
Just seeing the young martial artists filled No Gun Sang with satisfaction.
However, he had no intention of ignoring reality.
"Gossips say that the Azure Dragon Academy is the weakest among the five academies. In fact, we haven't escaped the bottom rank in the Heavenly Martial Festival for ten years."
[Master! What are you saying?]
The deputy head sent a telepathic message, asking him to stop, as his words were demoralizing the applicants before the entrance exam.
Indeed, the applicants' expressions were not good.
However, No Gun Sang continued to say what he wanted without concern.
"That is our current position. Some of you may have wanted to go to the White Tiger Academy or the Vermilion Bird Academy but applied here due to practical reasons."
The keen senses of a top-level master did not miss the flinching reactions.
The largest number of applicants in history.
It sounded good, but it also meant that the threshold of the Azure Dragon Academy had lowered.
No Gun Sang's demeanor suddenly changed.
"But this year will be different."
Boom!
As the head of the Azure Dragon Academy stomped his foot, a fierce wave of energy spread out from him in all directions.
The applicants felt their hair stand on end at the overwhelming presence.
Nervous applicants swallowed dryly.
"The Azure Dragon Academy is not a second choice for those who don't have the skills to apply to the White Tiger Academy or the Vermilion Bird Academy. If you came with such complacent thoughts, you will regret it."
No Gun Sang looked at the students below the podium with piercing eyes.
Most of them couldn't meet his gaze and looked away, but a very few met his eyes confidently.
'This year, it seems I can look forward to it.'
Having many applicants had its advantages.
Although only a handful, there were gems worth picking out.
No Gun Sang raised his head and looked at the instructors in the distance.
Just then, Baek Soo Ryong was also looking at him.
"This year, the Azure Dragon Academy will be different. We will achieve different results in the Heavenly Martial Festival. I promise on my name, No Gun Sang, the Thousand-Handed Guanyin!"
The instructors were left speechless by No Gun Sang's bombshell declaration.
"Uh, uh?"
"No, what are we supposed to do if he suddenly says that..."
If the headmaster makes such a statement, what are they supposed to do? Moreover, he even staked his nickname, the Thousand-Handed Guanyin, once considered one of the top hundred masters! While everyone was flustered, Baek Soo Ryong gave No Gun Sang a thumbs-up and smiled broadly.
'Well done.'
It wasn't a telepathic message, but it felt like he heard those words.
No Gun Sang chuckled as he met Baek Soo Ryong's eyes.
'I couldn't bring myself to say we'd win.
It has to be believable, after all.'
He had no particular attachment to the nickname Thousand-Handed Guanyin.
If it could inspire the students and instructors, he didn't mind being embarrassed later.
No Gun Sang looked around at the applicants again and spoke.
"So I hope you give it your all. Those who came thinking the Azure Dragon Academy entrance exam would be easy will soon have to pack their bags!"
"Yes!"
"Understood."
"I'll keep that in mind!"
Fortunately, his intention seemed to have gotten through.
The expressions of the entrance exam applicants were now even more fired up.
That was all No Gun Sang had prepared for the applicants.
However, there was one more gift.
"Before we begin the Azure Dragon Academy entrance exam, I would like to introduce a distinguished guest. He will be joining us as a special examiner today."
A special examiner? The applicants' faces showed curiosity at the unfamiliar term.
Step.
Step.
As No Gun Sang stepped back from the podium, a young man who had been sitting behind him walked forward with his hands behind his back.
"I enjoyed listening to the Thousand-Handed Guanyin's speech. It's been a long time since I've seen him act so vigorously."
That friend? The young man looked to be in his mid-twenties at most.
It was unthinkable for him to speak so casually to No Gun Sang, who was over seventy.
Even with just the difference in generations, there would be at least a few decades between them. ...
No, there was one way such a thing could be possible.
"Could it be...?"
"That person is..."
Those quick to catch on looked at the young man and Namgung Soo, who stood respectfully behind him, with shocked faces.
They resembled each other.
While their faces weren't very similar, their aura and energy were.
There was a sense of kinship that appeared among those who had learned the same type of martial arts.
At that moment, the young man smiled gently and spoke.
"I am known by the humble nickname of the Azure Sky Sword King, Namgung Jehak."
The moment the young man mentioned his nickname and name, the grand martial arts arena was thrown into chaos.
"The Azure Sky Sword King!"
"The Ten Lords!"
"My goodness..."
The Azure Sky Sword King Namgung Jehak.
One of the ten strongest masters in the current martial world, the Ten Lords.
Competing for the title of the best swordsman in the world, he was a hero who made significant contributions when the Martial Alliance defeated the Blood Sect fifty years ago.
That Azure Sky Sword King had come to the Azure Dragon Academy!
"Haha. I'm at a loss for words at such a warm welcome. However, I don't want to cause a commotion as a guest, so could you please quiet down a bit?"
His low voice carried an irresistible internal energy.
At the overwhelming presence, the chattering applicants fell silent as if by magic.
"I came here at the invitation of the head of the Azure Dragon Academy. I will be serving as a special examiner with you all today."
Namgung Jehak was also an honorary instructor at the Heavenly Martial Academy.
Students there would even spar with each other just to attend his occasional lectures.
In other words, he was the best of the best instructors.
Namgung Jehak finished his speech with a gentle smile.
"I wish you all good fortune. Show all your skills so that you have no regrets."
The applicants' enthusiasm was hotter than ever.
"Your popularity is incredible. If I had known, I would have let you take the lead from the start."
"Aren't they still young students? It's just the empty fame of being one of the Ten Lords."
Namgung Jehak laughed heartily at No Gun Sang's envious gaze.
The two were martial artists and friends who had shared the same era.
In their youth, they often met to spar and drink together.
Although they couldn't meet as often as before due to the passage of time, they were still close friends.
"I invited you, but I didn't expect you to actually come. Aren't you busy with matters at the Heavenly Martial Academy?"
"What would I be busy with? The children of the family handle everything."
The Namgung family was not only the best sword family in the world but had also produced many instructors for the five academies for generations.
Namgung Jehak was at the pinnacle of that.
"I thought I should visit the Azure Dragon Academy at least once. It just so happened that I received a call from you after a long time."
"Thank you. Thanks to you, the students' enthusiasm has greatly increased."
Both of their gazes turned toward the grand martial arts arena where the entrance exam had begun.
"Haaap!"
"Urat-cha-cha!"
Applicants divided into twelve groups were taking tests in external skills, internal skills, and physical strength under the supervision of instructors.
No Gun Sang smiled contentedly at the loud shouts echoing from all around.
"This year's Azure Dragon Academy is different. Even you will be surprised."
"Oh. I hope so."
At Namgung Jehak's leisurely smile, No Gun Sang made a suggestion.
"You seem skeptical. How about a bet? I'll bet that you'll be surprised."
"I don't know what you're so confident about. Sure. What shall we bet?"
"At this age, what else is there but a bet over drinks?"
Namgung Jehak laughed heartily and nodded.
Namgung Jehak, accustomed to the students of the Heavenly Martial Academy, had very high standards.
The skills of the Azure Dragon Academy applicants, who were far below that, couldn't possibly satisfy him.
'Even the top student here would only be an average talent at the Heavenly Martial Academy.'
He didn't say it out of consideration for No Gun Sang's pride, but he had already roughly assessed the applicants' level.
The Azure Dragon Academy would struggle again in the Heavenly Martial Festival this year.
As Namgung Jehak leisurely surveyed the grand martial arts arena, it happened.
"Applicant number 85 from group 12!"
"Yes! Here I am!"
A certain old man, confidently stepping forward, caught his eye.
Dressed in pure white martial robes with a hero's headband tied tightly around his forehead.
Just the fact that he was an old man of a similar age to himself made him stand out, but Namgung Jehak found his face strangely familiar.
'Where have I seen him before...?'
At that moment, the old man took a disciplined stance and shouted.
"I am Gongsun Soo, a graduate of the first class of the White Dragon Hall. Please take care of me!"
At that moment, Namgung Jehak unconsciously jumped to his feet.
"Why is that person here!"
It was the Azure Sky Sword King who lost the bet as soon as it started.