"That person? Are you talking about the old man in the white robe over there? Is he someone you know?"
Fortunately or unfortunately, Nogunsang seemed unaware of the old man's identity.
"That is..."
Namgung Jehak suddenly realized his mistake.
'If he's deliberately hiding his identity...'
He shouldn't carelessly reveal the old man's identity and risk offending him.
Quickly organizing his thoughts, Namgung Jehak cleared his throat and spoke.
"I must have been mistaken. He just looks so much like my late grandfather that I was surprised."
"Grandfather?"
At Namgung Jehak's hasty excuse, Nogunsang squinted his eyes and said.
"I've known you for over 50 years, and this is the first time I'm hearing about your late grandfather."
"He passed away about 60 years ago. Haha! My grandfather was very fond of me..."
"Am I supposed to believe that? Tsk. Fine. It seems there's more to this, so I'll pretend I didn't hear anything."
"... Thank you."
Namgung Jehak felt grateful for Nogunsang's attitude of not probing further.
However, Nogunsang's words didn't end there.
He chuckled slyly and patted Namgung Jehak on the shoulder.
"Anyway, since I won the bet, I'll reserve the most expensive tavern in Namchang, so be prepared."
"Ugh... Alright."
Namgung Jehak nodded with a reluctant expression.
He didn't mind the money, but losing the bet left him feeling uneasy.
But the events that would shock the world-renowned Sword King of the Heavens were just beginning.
The entrance exam for the Blue Dragon Academy was divided into morning and afternoon sessions.
In the morning, applicants had to demonstrate their basic physical strength, internal energy, and external martial arts skills in front of the instructors.
In the afternoon, there was a written test and practical sparring with senior members of the student council.
"Haaap!"
With a shout, Gongsonsu kicked off the ground and spun in the air.
Swish, swish, swish, swish!
He thrust his sword in all directions—east, west, south, and north—before gracefully landing on the ground like a crane.
"Whew..."
Taking a deep breath, Gongsonsu slowly sheathed his sword.
He had completed the demonstration of the final technique he had prepared.
Standing upright, Gongsonsu respectfully cupped his hands towards the examiners.
"... That is all."
"Thank you for your effort."
The expressions of the two examiners were unreadable, neither good nor bad.
They scribbled something on the papers in front of them and whispered to each other.
Gongsonsu, looking a bit anxious, spoke up.
"Um, examiners. I accidentally skipped one technique earlier. If you give me another chance, I can demonstrate it now..."
"That won't be necessary. Next applicant, please come up!"
"..."
Coming down from the stage, Gongsonsu wiped the sweat streaming down his forehead with his sleeve and sighed deeply.
"Whew... It's not easy."
He barely passed the physical test by the skin of his teeth.
He was confident in his internal energy, having consumed elixirs like meals for a long time.
Even Teacher Baek had said this:
- Your internal energy is among the top tier of the applicants.
The internal energy test involved overflowing a water jar with internal energy, and Gongsonsu made it overflow several times more than the average student.
But the problem was the final external martial arts test he had just taken.
'If only I had a little more time...'
Unless one had exceptional talent, a month was too short to perfectly master the forms of various techniques.
And Gongsonsu was no genius.
'Huh.
Did I become arrogant after winning that duel?'
He had recently won a duel against Jomaksaeng by cleverly using the principle of "softness overcoming hardness," but that was a result of a preemptive strike and psychological warfare, not because Gongsonsu's martial arts were exceptional.
Moreover, the swordsmanship taught to Gongsonsu by Baek Suryong was soft and flexible, making it seem somewhat plain compared to other students' techniques.
"Ugh. I said I'd pass confidently, but if I fail, it'll be embarrassing... No, I shouldn't think like this."
Gongsonsu slapped his own cheeks to shake off the anxious thoughts.
The morning exam was almost over.
Teacher Baek was busy, and since he was in a different group from Wijicheon, Gongsonsu was alone for a while.
With some free time, he decided to watch other students taking their exams.
"Haaap!"
"Tahaat!"
There had never been a moment when he envied the young men swinging their swords with sweat more than now.
Elastic muscles, strong joints, and a healthy body were blessings from the heavens.
"I'm envious. So envious. If only I were thirty years younger..."
A moment later, Maegukryeom, who was overseeing the entrance exam, shouted with internal energy.
"With this, the morning exam is concluded! Applicants, please take a break for one shichen and gather here again!"
A break of one shichen was given.
The applicants who had finished the morning exam all went outside to meet their waiting family or friends.
Gongsonsu also hurried to leave the Blue Dragon Academy.
He had promised to have lunch with his fellow White Dragon Hall members.
They planned to review the exam and discuss the practical sparring that would take place in the afternoon.
[Seungsang.]
If it weren't for the voice transmission he heard as soon as he stepped out of the Blue Dragon Academy.
Gongsonsu's expression hardened, and he stopped in his tracks.
"Who...?"
Voice transmission itself wasn't a particularly difficult skill, something even Gongsonsu could use, but he couldn't even guess the direction it came from.
This meant the person was a master capable of hiding their energy flow.
[May I have a word with you? Please enter the alley on your left.
I have no intention of causing harm.]
After a moment of hesitation, Gongsonsu did as the voice instructed.
The voice seemed very cautious.
"Who called for me?"
As Gongsonsu entered the alley and spoke, a young man emerged from the shadows.
It was Namgung Jehak, the Sword King of the Heavens.
"I am Namgung Jehak. We've met once before, do you remember?"
A scene that would have left martial artists who saw it in shock.
In terms of status, fame, and skill in the martial world, there were no more than five people to whom the Sword King of the Heavens would show such courtesy.
However.
"Ah, Namgung Daehyeop. Of course, I remember. I recognized you earlier at the grand martial arts arena... Haha. I hope you understand why I couldn't acknowledge you."
Gongsonsu accepted Namgung Jehak's attitude as a matter of course.
It was only natural if the other person knew his true identity.
"Ha! So you really are Seungsang."
Namgung Jehak's expression was one of astonishment, as if he had seen a ghost.
"How are you here? I heard you were recuperating due to poor health..."
There is a saying that martial artists do not interfere with each other's affairs, but the Namgung family had connections even with the imperial palace.
They maintained close relationships with various powerful figures through their formidable martial prowess and financial resources.
But even the Namgung family dared not touch Gongsonsu.
'The Emperor's teacher...'
Though he had retired from the front lines, Gongsonsu was once the Seungsang, a position of unparalleled authority.
He had served the current emperor for over twenty years, guiding him in both academics and spirit since he was a child.
- Seungsang is like a father to me, having raised me in place of the late king.
Everyone should know this.
The emperor spoke so openly about it, so there was no need to further explain the deep trust he had in Gongsonsu.
Political rivals had attempted to assassinate him multiple times, but he survived each time and brought them down, earning a reputation as a ruthless chancellor.
'I heard he was recuperating somewhere due to poor health...'
Seeing Namgung Jehak's puzzled expression, Gongsonsu let out a hearty laugh.
"It just happened that way. Actually, this is my hometown."
"Why are you taking the Blue Dragon Academy exam..."
At Namgung Jehak's question, Gongsonsu gave an embarrassed smile.
"It was a childhood dream. I wanted to challenge it once before I die. Haha. I know it's foolish, but please don't scold me too much."
"How could I dare scold Seungsang? But, if I may ask, how is your health..."
There are those with brilliant minds but weak bodies, prone to accumulating negative energy.
Gongsonsu was such a person, and the emperor had personally summoned the Divine Doctor of Life and Death to administer acupuncture and prescribe medicine for his health.
'Even with all that, I heard his health was deteriorating, and he wouldn't live much longer...'
Look at that face full of vitality.
Doesn't it seem like he could live another twenty years in good health?
"Returning to my hometown brought peace to my mind and body, and I naturally became healthier. Hahaha!"
"Haha..."
It was an unbelievable story, but Namgung Jehak could only laugh.
He couldn't question someone like Gongsonsu.
"But when did you start learning martial arts? If you had told me earlier, the Namgung family could have..."
"Haha. I was fortunate to meet an excellent master and am learning from them."
At the mention of an excellent master, Namgung Jehak's eyebrows twitched.
"May I know the name of this master..."
It was then.
"I told you, Grandpa went into that alley!"
"Really?"
Hearing voices from afar, both men turned their heads simultaneously.
Gongsonsu, with a troubled expression, spoke to Namgung Jehak.
"Namgung Daehyeop. I'm sorry, but could you step aside for a moment? Those kids don't know my identity."
"... Who are those kids?"
"Haha. They're my fellow disciples under the same master."
"What?"
"Grandpa!"
The voices grew closer.
Gongsonsu, looking urgent, spoke quickly.
"Let's meet again next time, Namgung Daehyeop. Please keep today's meeting a secret."
With a gentle yet firm gaze that couldn't be considered a request, Namgung Jehak nodded.
"Of course. You needn't worry about that."
"Haha. Then take care."
Just before unfamiliar presences entered the alley, Namgung Jehak disappeared from Gongsonsu's sight.
Swish.
Though he hadn't learned any stealth techniques, for a master like Namgung Jehak, hiding his presence was a simple task.
However, Namgung Jehak didn't leave immediately.
He was curious about who Gongsonsu's fellow disciples were.
A moment later, a young man entered the alley.
"Grandpa! You were here after all."
It was Heonwon Kang.
Gongsonsu, pretending to adjust his pants in front of the wall, played along.
"Haha. I just came in because I urgently needed to relieve myself. I was just about to leave."
"What? You came in to pee? I was worried because you went into the alley and didn't come out."
"Why would you be worried?"
"... How do I know there won't be another thug like Jomaksaeng?"
Gongsonsu chuckled and patted Heonwon Kang's back as he pouted.
"I'm grateful to have a reliable senior like you."
"Damn it. I've told you several times, it's Kang (강), not Won Kang!"
Heonwon Kang growled with a fierce expression.
At his arrogant tone, Namgung Jehak, who was watching from hiding, widened his eyes.
'He's insane.
Unless he wants his entire family wiped out, how dare he be so arrogant and disrespectful to Seungsang...
Hmm?'
At that moment, Namgung Jehak's eyes widened for a different reason.
Seeing Heonwon Kang's solid physique up close, he couldn't help but be impressed.
Though not yet fully developed, he sensed tremendous potential.
'Huh.
In terms of talent alone, he's a rare find even in the Heavenly Martial Academy.'
Namgung Jehak's astonishment didn't end there.
A little later, Wijicheon entered the alley.
"Grandpa, are you okay?"
The moment he saw the kind-faced boy, Namgung Jehak trembled as if struck by lightning.
'!!'
No, even if lightning had struck right in front of him, it couldn't have shocked the Ten Masters as much as this.
'How can this be...!'
He was so surprised that he almost lost his stealth and embarrassed himself.
The moment he saw Wijicheon, Namgung Jehak thought of a sword.
'He already holds a sword in his heart.'
He wanted to tell the boy to wield a sword right then and there.
If Gongsonsu hadn't been there, he would have done so.
"Haha. Cheon, you came too. Did you come because of me?"
"Senior Kang suddenly ran ahead..."
"Kang! I said it's Kang!"
"I'm sorry for worrying you unnecessarily. You must be hungry, so let's go quickly."
"But where's Sister Heukyeong?"
"I sent her to meet someone. She'll be back before the afternoon exam. Come on, let's go."
Gongsonsu hurriedly pushed the two boys out of the alley.
And a little later,
Swish.
Namgung Jehak reappeared in the spot where the three had left, muttering with a dazed expression.
"Those three are fellow disciples?"
The Emperor's teacher.
A rare talent in martial arts.
A boy who holds a sword in his heart.
And they all have the same master.
"Who on earth... is their master?"
Namgung Jehak resolved to uncover their master's identity.
At that moment, Baek Suryong was overwhelmed with work, unable to even eat.