Chapter 47: Model Answer (1)
Chapter 46 – Model Answer (1)
The third examination of the Joint Conference was scheduled for ten days later.
For the cadets, it was as if they were given a rare long period of rest.
The reason the hosts allowed that much time was because there were more injured people than expected.
For if the cadets, who were in the midst of raising their skills, overexerted themselves due to injuries, it could affect their bright futures.
Thanks to that, the injured were able to receive treatment leisurely by visiting the Medicine Heaven Hall of the Martial Alliance during the rest period.
The other cadets spent their time practicing on their own or socializing.
The hottest topic of conversation in the streets of Wuhan recently was, without a doubt, about the special-grade spiritual beast.
“Did you hear the news? They say a special-grade spiritual beast was caught for the first time since the history of the Joint Conference!”
“What? Is that true?”
“I definitely heard it. I believe Murong Gang caught it, right? A spiritual beast called the Golden Blood Rat.”
“Golden Blood Rat? What is that? It’s my first time hearing of it.”
“Would people like us know even if we heard? Anyway, what’s more surprising is they say someone took and consumed that spiritual beast’s inner dan.”
“Heavens! A spiritual beast prepared by the Martial Alliance?”
“I know, right. They say you suffer qi deviation if you carelessly consume an inner dan, but he seems perfectly fine.”
“It is not called the Murong Clan for nothing.”
Of course, the rumors were diverse.
Some speculated that Tang Wu-gi, who possessed excellent pharmacological knowledge, must have consumed it, while others even suggested that it had gone into the stomach of Hwangbo Seung, who looked like he could eat anything.
As the situation flowed this way, the Martial Alliance also paid close attention to it. In fact, a case where a special-grade spiritual beast was caught and died was a rare event in history.
Murong Gang being called to Murong Sin’s office right now was also related to that.
“Have you arrived?”
Murong Sin stood up from his office desk and looked at Murong Gang entering the doorway.
The two brothers looked slightly different, but their uniquely cold expressions made them look very similar.
Murong Gang lowered his head slightly and replied.
“Yes, Brother.”
“Come over here and sit.”
Murong Sin walked over and guided him to a table by the window.
It was a nice spot where the sunlight shone in.
It was a spot that offered a panoramic view of the Martial Alliance through the window, making one realize once again that Murong Sin’s position was by no means low.
“Have a cup of tea.”
“I am fine.”
“You are as stiff as ever, rascal.”
“What is your business in calling me?”
When Murong Gang asked straightforwardly, Murong Sin raised his teacup with a faint smile.
Regardless of Murong Gang’s answer, he ordered the maid to bring another teacup.
Taking a sip of tea, Murong Sin let out a dry voice while looking out the window.
“Must there be a business for an elder brother to see his younger brother?”
Pfft.
Murong Gang wore an incomparably cold smile.
He felt that this attitude of his brother was somewhat disgusting.
He knew.
The fact that his brother would not even spare him a glance unless there was business.
“Drink.”
Murong Sin lifted the teapot and poured tea into Murong Gang’s teacup.
Trickle.
The clear sound echoed in the room.
Just as Murong Gang was about to reach for the teacup, that desolate voice, like a biting wind, flowed out again.
“You passed.”
Hesitating, Murong Gang raised the teacup and answered.
“It was not a very difficult exam.”
“Not you.”
Murong Gang, who hesitated this time, ended up not being able to drink the tea.
Watching him put the teacup back down, Murong Sin spoke quietly as if muttering to himself.
“That child passed.”
“There was a bit of a setback.”
“Well, that can happen. Plans are always bound to go awry.”
“……”
“Why? You are not drinking.”
“I have no desire for it.”
“It is a precious tea.”
Murong Sin muttered and took another sip.
The subtle scent of tea drifted out of the window.
The scenery outside the window where the scent of tea spread was peaceful beyond measure, but for some reason, the atmosphere inside the window was as desolate as a dry desert.
“There is no need to lose heart over such a thing.”
“……”
“I heard you caught a special-grade spiritual beast. At least you saved the family’s face.”
Since his expression did not change at all while he spoke, it was difficult to tell whether he was speaking sincerely or sarcastically. Thus, it was also impossible to grasp how far his brother was aware of the facts.
“Still, splitting open the belly of the Golden Blood Rat was a bit dangerous.”
“Brother.”
“Did you digest it well? It must not have been easy.”
“Brother.”
When Murong Gang called him again, Murong Sin quietly raised his hand.
He was still looking at Murong Gang with an expressionless face.
“If you are about to say something that breaks my trust, please keep your mouth shut.”
“……!”
Trickle.
The tea filled the cup.
Although the sound of the tea was clear, Murong Gang felt a suffocating pressure.
With difficulty, he opened his mouth.
“I am sorry for disappointing you.”
He paused.
Murong Sin set down the teapot and stared blankly at him.
Murong Gang continued speaking without meeting Murong Sin’s eyes.
“I suspect the inner dan was consumed by Namgung Cheon.”
“Namgung Cheon, is it…”
Tap, tap, tap.
Murong Sin tapped the table with his index finger, then cast his gaze back out the window.
“Is the view not beautiful?”
“……”
“The reason I rose to this position is because I adhered to obeying orders from superiors.”
“I am sorry.”
Murong Gang clenched his back teeth.
Murong Sin closed his eyes gently and continued speaking.
“As a subordinate, one must stop thinking and be able to become a tool for one’s superior. Once you become such a loyal tool, you will also have such tools one day. Only then can you truly begin to think.”
“……”
“It seems you do not know how to distinguish between when you must be a tool and when you must use a tool.”
Murong Sin tightly clenched the hand resting on his knee.
“Am I… your tool, Brother?”
“Well. If you were, you would not dare to sit opposite me in this place. A tool unconditionally follows its master. It may break, but there is no such thing as failure. However, you failed. That means you are disqualified even as a tool.”
“Just what…!”
“Take this to heart.”
“……!”
In that instant, Murong Gang could not even wiggle a finger.
A massive amount of killing intent was pouring out as if to overwhelm his entire body.
A brother pouring out killing intent on his own younger brother.
Gritting his teeth, he put strength into his entire body.
Even amidst that terrifying killing intent, Murong Sin’s voice flew in only calmly.
“Our family has finally risen to become the number one family under heaven. However, some people in the world do not fully recognize it as our family’s own strength. They think we will eventually fall back down. But of all people, Namgung Cheon is standing out in particular. A protruding stone that will endanger our family. If so, should we not strike it with a chisel?”
“Next time… I will prepare so there are no setbacks.”
“You should. Keep in mind. A tool may break, but it cannot fail.”
“……”
“If it is a tool that cannot even strike a protruding stone, should it not be discarded?”
“……I will keep that in mind.”
Murong Sin nodded and looked at the teacup.
“The tea has gone completely cold.”
“I will take my leave.”
“Go safely.”
Murong Gang silently turned around and left the room.
* * *
“Haat! Haat!”
“Yeeup! Urakcha!”
Shouts of concentration rose continuously from the backyard of the detached house.
Paeng Su-hyeok, who was continuing fierce forms holding a broadsword, and Yun Jong-seung, who was repeatedly thrusting his palms into the air. And Namgung Cheon, who was leaning against a wall on one side, letting out a sigh.
“Haa.”
Namgung Cheon let out a long sigh and shook his head side to side.
They were acting like absolute fools.
No, why did they all crawl over here to make such a fuss?
Namgung Cheon, unable to watch any longer, took a step forward.
“What are you guys doing here?”
“Can’t you tell by looking? We are practicing.”
“That’s right, practicing!”
Paeng Su-hyeok and Yun Jong-seung chattered in turn.
Namgung Cheon lightly pressed his forehead.
“Get lost. This is my space.”
At that, Yun Jong-seung stealthily gauged his reaction and persisted stubbornly.
“B-but we are in the same group, so wouldn’t it be good to gather and practice together for the time being? That… unity! Yes, in the sense of unity.”
“Well said, Yun Jong-seung!”
Paeng Su-hyeok shouted loudly and continued speaking.
“I also came here for the sake of unity. I absolutely did not come here to get something like inspiration from you! I swear there is no way that a word you casually threw out became an exemplar for me, or that I achieved progress in my martial arts!”
If speaking so transparently was a talent, it must be a talent.
Namgung Cheon shook his head side to side and said.
“The blade is lying down too much. Because of your habit of excessively twisting your wrist, it will take a toll on you in a prolonged battle.”
“Huh? What? Then like this…?”
Paeng Su-hyeok stood awkwardly and bent the hand holding the broadsword slightly to the side.
Namgung Cheon shook his head and urged him.
“More!”
“L-like this?”
“Yes, relax your left arm a bit more.”
“Like this…?”
“More!”
“Now, is this it?”
“Yes, keep it in mind. The left hand is only for support.”
“I-I get it. The left hand is only for support.”
Paeng Su-hyeok repeated Namgung Cheon’s words with a serious expression and swung his broadsword.
Swish!
While the broadsword sliced through the air, Paeng Su-hyeok was certain.
‘It has changed! Clearly!’
The flow of internal energy was as natural as flowing water. On top of that, his muscles moved smoothly. To exaggerate a little, it felt like the blade and body had become one.
Whoosh.
Saber qi manifested and sliced through the empty air.
Watching that scene, Yun Jong-seung rounded his mouth and admired.
“Oh. That’s incredible.”
Paeng Su-hyeok looked down at his broadsword with a somewhat blank expression, then quickly corrected his posture.
“Good! Namgung Cheon! Now that I see, you are quite talented. Just at that moment! You said exactly what I was thinking! To add in case you misunderstand, I did not do this because I listened to your words! Just at that moment! The moment I thought I should try doing it that way, you made the exact same point. I praise you highly!”
“Ah, yeees, yeees.”
Namgung Cheon replied half-heartedly and walked away.
For a very brief moment, he thought about killing that guy, but he decided to let it go because it was too bothersome.
Let’s see.
Jong-seung still had a very long way to go.
Still, it seemed he had properly grasped the basics of the Red Lotus Palm.
With just that, he would not be treated like a pushover anywhere.
From now on, his growth speed would be incomparably faster than before.
Namgung Cheon stood tall between the two of them and casually threw out a question.
“You two, want to try attacking me?”
“What?”
“Two against one?”
Paeng Su-hyeok and Yun Jong-seung looked back with wide eyes.
Namgung Cheon nodded.
“Since you came here anyway, wouldn’t it be good to prepare for real combat?”
Well, in truth, he wanted to test the golden energy, though.
The golden energy referred to the internal energy obtained through the inner dan of the Golden Blood Rat.
Since the quality of his internal energy had become overall agile after consuming the Golden Blood Rat’s inner dan, he wanted to check how effective it would be in real combat.
However, Jin So-hong happened to appear in the backyard just then.
“I think you’ll have to postpone practice for a bit.”
“What is it now?”
Namgung Cheon asked with a disinterested expression, and an unexpected answer flowed out of Jin So-hong’s mouth.
“The Alliance is calling.”
“Who?”
“You and me.”
Namgung Cheon hesitated and narrowed his eyes.
“Who is calling?”
“The Alliance Leader.”