Chapter 121 - The Black Flame Dragon Who Gives an Opportunity

"What on earth are you thinking, Young Master Jin?"

The best part about being the academy representative was having servants on standby at all times, along with the quarters.

As the atmosphere in the banquet hall grew increasingly hostile, the drill instructors hurriedly ended the banquet, and our group all gathered in my quarters before heading to the dormitories.

"The tea smells wonderful. Please, have a taste."

"..."

The middle-aged servant who had forced me into these humiliating clothes brought out tea and refreshments without me even having to ask.

Namgung Seonhwa, Moyong Jaehwa, and Seong Moran didn't seem surprised, likely used to receiving this level of treatment at home, but the kids from our Taiyi Sect were so tense at the sight of the servants silently appearing that they remained speechless.

"Young Master Jin. Are you truly going to be okay?"

"Are you going to be okay, Lady Seonhwa?"

"With what?"

"I did appoint you as an officer without even asking your opinion..."

"Of course I'm fine with it. But I'm worried because the others are furious about it."

"If they're furious, it can't be helped."

Even though they could have joined the factions of the Five Great Noble Clans, they all followed me. As far as I was concerned, I had appointed the best possible staff.

"But once the academic schedule begins, if no one follows the schedule you set, Young Master Jin..."

"Then I'll simply step down from the representative position."

"Pardon?"

"I didn't come to the academy for wealth, glory, or promotion in the first place."

I would have to give up this comfortable life and lose access to the servants, but so what?

I entered the academy to protect my people in the first place, and that much was perfectly possible even without being the representative.

Soon, an incident would occur in which the vast majority of the Murim Academy would die.

Since my very first day at the Murim Academy, I had lost sleep trying to figure out how to prevent this incident.

The Corpse Mountain Blood Cult.

A branch of the Blood Demon Sect that split off from the Demonic Cult 200 years ago, establishing their own independent faction and operating in the Western Regions.

Due to the Demonic Cult's machinations, before the Orthodox-Demonic Great War broke out, the Murim Alliance's opponent would be this Corpse Mountain Blood Cult, and the very first sacrificial lambs to be ground up by them were this current batch of Murim Academy students.

"I came here to protect myself and my people. I have no interest in the position of representative or a future role in the Dragon-Phoenix Summit."

At my words, the others' gazes turned blank.

In my past life, the Demonic Cult's actions were incredibly secretive, and the demonic reach they spread throughout Jianghu was so complex that no one could detect their tricks, but now they had me, and the information I leaked was slowly spreading.

Because of that, the future had changed significantly, and perhaps there wouldn't even be a battle against the Corpse Mountain Blood Cult, nor a massacre of the Murim Academy students.

"I will simply do my best in what I can do. Nor will I ever compromise with them for my own benefit."

"... Um, by any chance, are we also Young Master Jin's people?"

Namgung Seonhwa's cautious question. I tilted my head and replied.

"Isn't that obvious?"

"... Hehe."

No matter what happens, my goal is clear.

To protect those I failed to protect in my past life.

"Furthermore, no matter what tricks they try to pull, things will not go as they wish."

And on top of that, to properly screw over those shitty bastards.

* * *

Zhuge Somyeong vehemently despised the Elder's Hall. Those who could enter the Elder's Hall in the Murim Alliance were generally politicians who were better at politics than actual competence.

Zhuge Somyeong believed the Elder's Hall was where all the Murim Alliance's deep-rooted evils gathered—a place filled with a thirst for power and steeped in a sense of privilege.

They did not follow the rules, overstepped the norms, and acted as if they were a privileged class.

That was why he firmly cut off their acts of barging into the Mantong Bureau without an appointment and blindly pushing in unqualified personnel.

However, even for someone like Zhuge Somyeong, there were times when he had to push aside all his piled-up work to meet with figures from the Elder's Hall, and that was exactly when they decided to follow 'procedure.'

"Why are they awkwardly doing things they've never done before?"

They had sent a missive a few days ago to coordinate the schedule and set a location. The one flustered by the suddenly created schedule with a figure from the Elder's Hall was actually Zhuge Somyeong.

"Just what kind of serious discussion did you intend to have to set up such an uncomfortable meeting?"

At Zhuge Somyeong's words, Daoist Myeonghyeon smiled faintly.

"Well, do we absolutely need a prior engagement to meet? We're just meeting like this to share some old stories."

Since when had he and that bastard ever shared such stories? Moreover, back when Zhuge Somyeong was making a name for himself in the Dragon-Phoenix Summit within the Murim Alliance, he didn't even know where Myeonghyeon was rolling around.

"I only say this because you busy people went through such a bothersome *procedure* just to come here."

"Haha, we also realized many things through this recent incident. Just how important *procedures* and *norms* truly are. Thanks to that, we've gone and accepted a child colluding with the Underworld into the academy."

He knew it. Old stories, my foot. If they hadn't held a grudge over Jin Sowoon passing as the top student, they wouldn't have done something this bothersome in the first place.

"In any case, the Elder's Hall has decided to draft a new bill. We named it the 'Jin Sowoon Law.'"

"That doesn't sound like a very good name. Doesn't that make it seem as though Jin Sowoon actually committed something illegal?"

"Of course, we will give it a different name once it is legislated."

"... Even if you make a law now, you cannot expel a child who has already passed the academy exam. You know that, right?"

"Of course. We merely wish to create a detailed, flawless, and meticulous filter to ensure such an unfortunate incident does not happen again next time."

It seemed they had somewhat given up on the matter regarding Jin Sowoon, but Zhuge Somyeong still couldn't get a grasp on what Myeonghyeon's true goal was.

"Now that the academy exams are over, shouldn't we look after Jianghu in earnest?"

"My! Elder Myeonghyeon, you must be extremely busy just tending to the Alliance's affairs, yet you are even thinking about Jianghu?"

Even at Zhuge Somyeong's sarcasm, Daoist Myeonghyeon's complexion didn't change much.

"Did traces of heretical factions not appear in the northwestern exam region this time?"

"..."

"I feel that an investigation there is an urgent priority."

Zhuge Somyeong was well aware that during this exam, there had been clashes between the examinees and those presumed to be a group of heretics in the Kunlun Mountains area.

However, because of the Demonic Cult's traces that appeared in the Puyang Plains, he had been delaying the investigation day by day.

"The Mantong Bureau is also aware of the matter and is preparing an investigation."

"Is that so? Yet I haven't heard any talk of the investigation actually starting."

"We are processing things according to their relative importance."

"Haha, are you saying there is a matter more important than the appearance of heretics?"

Things that appeared to be traces of the Demonic Cult were popping up one after another all across Jianghu.

However, this was merely circumstantial evidence that only proved true when restricted to the target known as the Demonic Cult, and a more detailed investigation was needed to prove their true identity. The Alliance's investigative personnel were all focused on that.

"We will likely be able to handle it in the near future, so do not worry too much."

"Haha, I find that hard to believe. To think the Chief Strategist, who should be at the very forefront of exterminating demons and eradicating heresy, is so distracted by other matters."

"..."

Thinking that they were trying to take revenge over the Jin Sowoon incident in this manner, just as Zhuge Somyeong was about to discreetly bring up a few of Daoist Myeonghyeon's shameful secrets he had retrieved from the Simhyeon Pavilion...

"... However, I'm sure the Chief Strategist has his own difficulties."

"..."

"So I did some thinking. How about entrusting this matter to the students of the Murim Academy?"

"..."

He had heard that Jin Sowoon ultimately failed to appoint his officer staff. He had filled half the positions, but even those were all his own acquaintances.

It was a situation where all the people who should have become a source of strength for Jin Sowoon were ignoring him.

And Zhuge Somyeong suspected that the influence of Daoist Myeonghyeon, right in front of him, had played a part in that matter.

"Though they are called academy students, aren't they already at the level of Vice Captains in terms of martial arts? It would likely be a valuable experience for the students as well."

It wasn't a rare occurrence for Murim Academy students to build real Jianghu experience in place of practical exercises, but Jin Sowoon hadn't managed to gain control over the students.

'So this is how you're going to play it.'

If the students were to move in their current state, a disunified chain of command would inevitably cause problems, and those problems would hasten Jin Sowoon's impeachment.

However, the situation wasn't one where he could blindly reject Daoist Myeonghyeon's proposal when he had prepared so diligently and had a proper justification.

"I am reluctant to entrust such a large task when the students haven't even adapted yet."

"Adapted, you say? Such a thing..."

"Ah, of course, I am not saying it is impossible. The students should be capable of handling a task of that level. I am simply suggesting we give them a little time. They need some degree of structure and organization before they can mobilize, do they not?"

"..."

The only thing Zhuge Somyeong could do for Jin Sowoon was buy him time. If he didn't even do that, it was certain that Sowoon would be impeached for incompetence after going on an investigation without any chance to bring the students under control.

Ultimately, Daoist Myeonghyeon backed down at that point as well.

"Dealing with bastards who've spent their whole lives rolling their petty tricks around is giving me quite a headache."

Zhuge Somyeong pressed hard on his temples as he returned to the Mantong Bureau.

He felt like his insides would be completely refreshed if someone could just deal with all those slippery old foxes in his stead.

The one guy whose brain worked fast enough for that currently had his own neck on the line at the academy.

"Eheheh... You stupid bastard, I'll make you cling to my pant legs and beg. Eheheh."

"..."

Maeng Ju-won had been living like a corpse without any energy for the past few days, muttering, 'My youth... my rabbit-like wife... my fox-like kids...', but now his eyes were lit up as he furiously worked on something.

"What is that guy doing?"

A passing bureau member let out a small sigh and pointed at the rulebook Maeng Ju-won was holding onto.

"Didn't the Murim Academy's representative delegation ultimately fail to form its officer staff?"

"Yeah."

"Anyway, as soon as he heard the news, he started creating work like that, saying his chance to get married again has come."

By the looks of it, he planned to inflate the paperwork sent by the Murim Alliance to several times its usual amount.

It was a strategy to create a situation where Jin Sowoon, who currently couldn't receive help from the officers or students, would have no choice but to desperately need Maeng Ju-won's help.

"Should I stop him?"

"Leave him be."

"Pardon?"

The bureau member couldn't hide his surprise at Zhuge Somyeong permitting this, as he normally would never forgive such antics from Maeng Ju-won.

"Jin Sowoon is in desperate need of someone's help right now anyway. Even if you walk sideways, as long as you reach Jiangnan, that's all that matters."

Furthermore, if Jin Sowoon ended up getting involved with the Mantong Bureau thanks to Maeng Ju-won, it seemed like things would become a lot easier for him as well.

* * *

The academy students were divided into a total of ten classes based on their grades.

Classes were restricted to no more than three morning sessions, keeping time open for the future classes of the academy's representative delegation, and giving the students ample time for individual cultivation.

"What is martial prowess?"

I was the only one in our group assigned to the Gap-class, and right now was the first class of that Gap-class.

"In the end, martial prowess is just one type of strength. No matter how mighty a martial artist is, they cannot overcome the power of the state, and even absolute authority cannot be maintained for ten years compared to the power of wealth. However, the power of wealth is ultimately indirect, so it has no choice but to tuck its tail in the face of martial force."

"I have a question."

The drill instructor, who had been lecturing, looked at the student who raised his hand.

"Are those three the only forms of power? I believe there is another power as well."

"Another power?"

"Yes. I say this because among our peers this time, there is someone who achieved excellent grades thanks to his outstanding human power."

"Human power?"

"Yes, I'm talking about the one who passed the exam by widely spreading his connections all the way into the Underworld."

"... Puhahahaha."

"Khahahaha."

A burst of uproarious laughter erupted among the previously quiet academy students. And naturally, their gazes zeroed in on me.

"..."

The drill instructor was no different. He laughed until his sides hurt, and only then did he recover his expression and speak.

"Tsk! You shouldn't look down on a comrade you'll be fighting alongside in the future like that."

"I don't know, I would feel rather anxious. Who knows when he might defect and stab us in the back?"

"Pfft, right. Then, what do you think about your friend's words?"

Ultimately, the drill instructor singled me out.

I stood up from my seat and looked at the one who had asked the question.

"Well. If you think I took a good grade merely through human power, it makes me think you lack the intellect needed to learn martial arts. I certainly see now that the Murim Academy does not test for intelligence."

"..."

I merely joined in on their joke with a joke of my own, but they looked as if they had seen a dead body.

'This is so petty I can't even stand it.'

"Are you saying you possess enough of the other powers as well?"

"I'm not sure if it's enough, but the threshold of a place like the academy is far too high to enter through human power alone, isn't it?"

"Hmm... True. From what I hear, you aren't receiving recognition from the other academy students?"

"I suppose I am lacking in many areas."

"I will make an opportunity for you to prove yourself. Don't you at least need to show that you aren't lacking in martial force?"

"Are you telling me to have a sparring match?"

"Well, do you think laying out martial theory is going to measure anything?"

"..."

The drill instructor looked at the one who had asked the question.

"You must have been prepared for this much when you ran your mouth so carelessly, right?"

"Of course!"

The drill instructor looked at me again.

"How about it? Will you do it?"

"I think it would be a bit difficult to prove myself with just that."

Mockery colored the faces of the academy students, and chuckles leaked out from here and there.

Whether they did so or not, I stepped forward and spoke.

"I think I would need at least five of them to prove myself."