Chapter 134

Chapter 134
## Chapter 134. The Black Flame Dragon Who Proves Himself (4)

Lately, Namgung Seon-hwa’s schedule had been so relentlessly packed that she found herself gasping for a spare moment.

The academy had just launched its initial round of assessments for the term. Because the testing formats differed drastically from the traditional methods she had been trained in by her own clan, she had to devote every ounce of her concentration to adapting, leaving her mind completely overwhelmed.

These academic evaluations were split into two primary categories: written examinations and practical trials.

The written portion assessed fundamental comprehension of standard martial principles, including Qi Circulation Methods and Acupoint Methods. Meanwhile, the practical portion required students to physically demonstrate what they had theoretically mastered on paper.

As an institution that had educated numerous graduates from the Namgung Clan, the academy utilized instructional strategies that weren’t entirely foreign to her family’s traditions. Even so, balancing her duties as a member of the Academy Representative Delegation alongside her heavy study schedule made her wish she could split herself in two.

If there was any saving grace, it was that the practical evaluation had been designated as a standard martial duel.

Had they been tested on topics like Emergency Treatment or Acupoint-Release Methods for their practical grade, Namgung Seon-hwa likely would have been forced to draft a lengthy, apologetic missive to her elders explaining why her academic standing had plummeted so drastically.

“I wish I could at least come up with a valid excuse. Does that man really have to be so aggravatingly perfect?”

With the examination dates looming, Jin So-un had instructed the academy staff to reduce the responsibilities assigned to the Academy Representative Delegation, taking the lion’s share of the administrative burdens onto his own shoulders.

Despite his personal workload doubling or even tripling as a result, his composure remained entirely unshaken.

When she had previously inquired whether he needed to allocate time to review for the written portion himself, he had simply offered a casual reply.

“My retention is quite exceptional, you see. The material is already completely memorized.”

It was undeniably a chivalrous gesture meant to ease her burdens, and he had delivered the line with a bright smile, yet for some reason, she found his sheer capability rather vexing.

“It feels a bit disheartening.”

Upon clearing the Regular Exam and setting foot in the academy, she had envisioned the two of them pulling all-nighters together in solidarity during midterms, absorbing the lively academic environment, and occasionally sharing drinks until dawn while conversing freely.

“Ah! Focus, Namgung Seon-hwa!”

Sapping herself out of her idealistic daydream, Namgung Seon-hwa vigorously shook her head.

Strictly speaking, her personal circumstances had improved considerably.

Her grandfather had finally achieved mastery over the Firmament Cloudless Sword Art. Furthermore, by integrating the Azure Sky Merchant Guild directly into the clan’s operations, the influence of the Collateral Line was steadily diminishing.

The material backing provided by her family was growing larger by the day, and a recent missive from her parents assured her that internal affairs had stabilized, meaning she had no cause for anxiety regarding home.

In stark contrast, Jin So-un’s external situation had grown increasingly fraught.

Friction between him and the Righteous Path Association had begun to intensify, and the Elders were viewing his actions with growing displeasure.

Whispers and unfavorable rumors regarding his character were spreading rapidly through the ranks of the Murim Alliance.

In a worst-case scenario, he wouldn’t merely be stripped of his title as representative; he risked making adversaries out of a vast portion of the Murim Alliance.

Yet, despite navigating such a treacherous path while sheltering his junior brothers and their entire circle, he never lost his easygoing demeanor or his self-assured grin.

He truly was a man cut from a different cloth.

“Sigh… I certainly can’t claim that my performance suffered because of my commitments to the Academy Representative Delegation.”

Determined not to become an embarrassment to him, Namgung Seon-hwa banished her wandering thoughts and quickened her pace toward the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository.

The Ten-Thousand-Book Repository, typically a quiet and deserted sanctuary, was currently packed with students frantically preparing for the upcoming tests.

As Namgung Seon-hwa navigated the maze of bookshelves searching for a text Jin So-un had noted would likely feature prominent exam topics, she inadvertently locked eyes with someone and immediately averted her gaze.

She attempted to feign ignorance and continue her search, but a voice called out to her from behind.

“Sister Seon-hwa.”

A sharp furrow formed between Namgung Seon-hwa’s eyebrows as she prepared to turn around.

“Are you here to review the material?”

The very individual who had looked down on her companions as if they were common beasts when they first arrived at the academy was now approaching her with a veneer of camaraderie. The hypocrisy made Namgung Seon-hwa’s skin crawl.

Recognizing the awkwardness of the interaction himself, the young man rubbed the back of his neck, though he failed to fully mask the irritation playing across his features.

‘Word is the entire family hierarchy was shaken to its core once the Firmament Cloudless Sword Art came to light.’

Initially, the factions of the Collateral Line hadn’t paid much heed to the news that the Clan Head had devised a sword style intended solely for the Direct Line. However, after witnessing Namgung San utilize the seventh-star form of the Firmament Cloudless Sword Art to utterly dismantle the Boundless Firmament Sword Art—proving it could be bested in fewer than ten exchanges—they realized far too late that their leverage was gone.

While the Boundless Firmament Sword Art remained the foundational style of the Namgung Clan, the practitioners of the Collateral Line who relied upon it were now effectively shackled by the existence of the superior Firmament Cloudless Sword Art.

She understood precisely what was driving Namgung Gi-pyo’s sudden shift in attitude, but understanding his desperation did nothing to lessen her revulsion.

“Is there something you require?”

“…Haha, must we only converse when there is a formal matter to discuss?”

“I was under the impression you were openly claiming it was only a matter of time before the Collateral Line supplanted the Direct Line, boasting that everything was already set in motion.”

“…….”

Namgung Gi-pyo let out a heavy breath, his gaze suddenly turning intense.

“The technique devised by the Clan Head is an insult to the very heritage of our family.”

“Water that sits stagnant is destined to spoil. Progressive refinement is never viewed as an insult to one’s heritage.”

The Firmament Cloudless Sword Art preserved the core tenets of the Boundless Firmament Sword Art while introducing a far more precise martial logic.

No true master within the martial world could look upon it and honestly conclude it was designed merely to degrade the Boundless Firmament Sword Art.

“If your sole purpose is to engage in this tedious war of nerves, I shall take my leave. Every minute counts when preparing for the evaluations.”

Just as Namgung Seon-hwa turned her back to walk away, his voice halted her in her tracks.

“…Sigh, if it weren’t for my father’s instructions. Do you truly intend to let that… insolent wretch act as he pleases?”

Hearing Namgung Gi-pyo’s parting remark, she had no choice but to stop.

Namgung Seon-hwa knew instantly exactly which “insolent wretch” Namgung Gi-pyo was referring to.

“What are you implying?”

“You clearly harbor feelings for him. If your intention is to introduce him into our clan…”

“Watch what you are saying!”

Because Namgung Seon-hwa had raised her voice in an uncharacteristic outburst, the surrounding students gathering inside the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository cast highly critical glances in their direction.

“Are you unaware that silence is mandatory within the Ten-Thousand-Book Repository?”

“You are hardly the person who should be lecturing anyone on propriety…”

Ignoring Namgung Seon-hwa’s exasperated expression, Namgung Gi-pyo pressed on with his point.

“I am well aware that his feud with the Righteous Path Association is spiraling out of control. But he cannot withstand the might of the Righteous Path Association on his own. Wouldn’t it be far wiser for you to ensure that insolent… humph, regardless, wouldn’t it benefit Young Master Jin to secure the patronage of the Orthodox Path Association?”

“…….”

The notion was not entirely foreign to Namgung Seon-hwa; she had pondered it herself.

However, Jin So-un’s defiance wasn’t aimed solely at the Nine Sects and One Gang; it extended to the Five Great Clans and the Twelve Peak Citadels as well.

“This animosity has been brewing for quite some time. Why are you suddenly raising this point now?”

“Because it offers him a path to survival.”

“From what I gather, the Orthodox Path Association holds no more affection for Young Master Jin than the Righteous Path Association does.”

“To put it accurately, they believe it is far better for us to claim stewardship over him than to simply watch him be utterly destroyed.”

“Destroyed?”

Namgung Seon-hwa’s elegant brow twitched with concern.

“The Righteous Path Association has initiated its schemes in earnest.”

“…….”

“This goes far beyond mere political exclusion within these academy walls. For reasons unknown, the leadership of the Alliance itself views Jin So-un with profound disfavor. Systematic coercion is about to descend upon him from every conceivable angle.”

Namgung Seon-hwa harbored a strong suspicion regarding the underlying “reasons” Namgung Gi-pyo alluded to.

“If the prevailing tides turn completely hostile toward Jin So-un in an effort to break him, even a man of his talents will buckle under the weight. Look around you—how many instructors currently teaching within these walls are entirely free from the Alliance’s sway?”

“…….”

“Instead of allowing him to be reduced to a broken shell and cast aside, the Orthodox Path Association intends to offer him shelter. Surely, you have no desire to see Young Master Jin meet a ruinous end, do you?”

When Namgung Seon-hwa offered no reply, Namgung Gi-pyo turned to depart, leaving her with a final thought.

“Ponder the matter deeply. Once his practical worth is exhausted, even those who currently seek his company will vanish overnight.”

—

Following the conclusion of the written exams, the final scores were displayed publicly on the academy’s central notice board.

The tabulations, which ranked the student body sequentially from highest performer to lowest, elicited a mixture of joy and despair across the courtyard. Yet, despite the emotional turmoil, no one challenged the validity of the metrics.

Ultimately, accepting their worth based strictly on academic metrics was ingrained in them from youth, a byproduct of a lifetime spent competing and yielding to established hierarchies.

And yet.

“This is an absolute farce!”

“How can anyone credit this? A flawless score?!”

“Even the legendary Yong So-ah, celebrated as the premier genius in our annals, never achieved a perfect mark!!”

“There is foul play at work here!”

While Jin So-un capturing the absolute top spot on the written exam was a bitter pill to swallow, it was at least mathematically plausible.

Given that he had entered the institution with the highest initial qualifications, they conceded he possessed exceptional intellect.

However, not a single academy student could easily stomach the reality of an unblemished, perfect score.

The instructional staff had deliberately engineered highly obscure queries designed explicitly to trip up students and guarantee a stratified evaluation. To think he had parsed even those trap questions flawlessly was beyond belief.

“Furthermore, that individual is simultaneously managing the responsibilities of the academy representative. Is that not an administrative burden that typically requires a council of five to oversee?”

Jin So-un had refused to form a standard administrative staff and operated entirely without auxiliary assistance.

No matter how brilliant his intellect might be, managing to secure a flawless mark while splitting his focus in such a manner seemed utterly impossible.

As a direct consequence of the written exam outcomes, the student body wasn’t the only group thrown into disarray; the faculty and the academy administration itself were thrown into a state of high alarm.

Jin So-un, already viewed with immense skepticism by the council of Elders, had delivered a perfect performance, prompting an immediate executive directive to launch a rigorous inquiry into potential academic dishonesty.

“Student Jin So-un, if you confess to your methods plainly, we will take your cooperation into account and resolve this matter quietly by merely having you vacate your position as representative.”

“I fail to grasp your logic. Are you suggesting that a student who achieves exemplary marks is automatically required to resign from their representative posting?”

Standing before the gathered faculty and the venerable Murim Academy Head, Jin So-un remained entirely unawed.

“Are you prepared to claim that this unprecedented score was achieved solely through your personal merits, entirely free of illicit aid?”

“Given that no individual managed to exceed my mark, from whom could I have possibly plagiarized the answers?”

“…….”

“Or perhaps you are implying that I clandestinely infiltrated the secure archives where the test materials were stored and purloined them beforehand?”

In an environment teeming with highly capable martial artists possessing exceptional skills, it wasn’t unheard of for desperate students to contemplate stealing examination papers.

However, the notion that a standard student could breach the academy’s secure inner vault—a facility boasting defenses on par with Sim Hyeon-gak, the primary high-security archive of the Murim Alliance—was absurd.

With that possibility ruled out, only one logical course of action remained to verify his true capability.

“In that case, you should have no objection to sitting for a secondary examination, correct?”

The administrative rationale seemed ironclad.

The assembled instructors nodded in collective agreement, but Jin So-un merely canted his head in amusement.

“I find that proposition entirely lacking in merit. Am I to understand that I am subject to a retest simply as a penalty for performing too well?”

“…….”

The faculty member who had proposed the solution faltered when Jin So-un so easily flipped the common-sense narrative back upon them.

“…The data before us is undeniably irregular.”

Detecting their underlying unease, a mocking smile played across Jin So-un’s lips.

“Let us speak plainly. Is this scrutiny not driven entirely by my affiliation with the Taeul Sect?”

“What did you say?”

“Had I entered these halls as a disciple of the Wudang Sect or the Shaolin Temple, this preposterous skepticism would never have been raised, would it? It seems the Murim Academy is far from a bastion of pure merit, operating instead as a mere tool designed to flatter entrenched factions.”

SLAM!

“Mind your tongue!”

An instructor roared out in fury, releasing a surge of palpable Fighting Spirit into the chamber.

The man’s countenance flushed crimson with indignation as if he had been personally slandered. Yet, when confronted with Jin So-un’s absolute, icy composure, a seed of self-doubt took root, leaving him paralyzed and unable to press the issue further.

“…….”

The Academy Head, who had maintained a detached silence throughout the exchange, rested his chin upon his intertwined fingers, his gaze bearing down with a frosty intensity.

“…I am well aware that you are not a foolish boy who throws tantrums out of juvenile arrogance. In fact, nearly every action you have taken thus far has been executed with calculating precision.”

Ever since the incident involving the Soul-Destroying Formation, the Academy Head had entirely abandoned his initial perception of Jin So-un as merely a fortunate youth riding a wave of luck.

There were simply too many anomalies that defied any alternative explanation.

“You have deliberately stoked my ire and provoked the faculty because there is a specific concession you wish to extract from me, is that not the case?”

The surrounding instructors looked entirely bewildered by the unfolding dynamic.

From an administrative standpoint, if a student’s performance was suspect, was it not the absolute right of the institution to demand a re-evaluation?

Unable to find their bearings in the conversation, the instructors remained silent, training their eyes intently on Jin So-un.

True to form, without displaying even a flicker of discomfort, Jin So-un addressed the room, a smirk widening across his face.

“I have caught wind that your personal martial style is exceedingly rare, Academy Head. I find myself eager to acquire it.”

“…….”

“…….”

The temperature within the grand chamber seemed to plummet instantly, as though a torrent of freezing water had suddenly saturated the air.

The Academy Head was hardly a mercenary wanderer peddling standard techniques for coin, yet a student was casually demanding to be taught his personal style.

Furthermore, the Academy Head’s personal martial arts were so profoundly esoteric that their distinctiveness eclipsed standard Daoist arts, recognized throughout the Alliance as an irreplaceable treasure.

“Are you suggesting that you desire to be granted the True Inheritance of the Three Pure Ones Peerless Sword?”

“Whatever gave you that impression? I am already an initiated disciple of the Taeul Sect.”

“…….”

Just as the Buddhist tradition revered the Dharma Tendon-Changing Classic, the Daoist world held the Three Pure Ones Peerless Sword in identical high esteem.

It represented a pinnacle of martial achievement that captured the absolute core of the Three Pure Ones.

Hearing Jin So-un propose that such a legendary art be wagered on the outcome of a simple academic dispute made the instructors break into a nervous sweat, fully realizing that if this escalated, the political fallout would be immense.

“What is your decision? Are you willing to enter into a wager with me? If you decline, I shall simply refuse to take any secondary examination.”