Cheonmu Academy.
Located in the historic city of Chang’an, it is a massive educational facility established by the Murim Association.
Originally, martial arts transmission was an extremely closed process, so before the establishment of Cheonmu Academy, each sect independently trained its disciples. However, Zheng Ke Yong, the first military leader of the Murim Association, argued that to face the foreign tribes beyond the northern wall, stronger soldiers were needed than ever. This led to the creation of Cheonmu Academy, a facility for the joint education of select talents from each sect.
At first, many were skeptical about a common education system for disciples, but four years after the establishment of the academy, when the first graduating class began to emerge in the Murim, their complaints quickly fell silent.
This was because Zheng Ke Yong did not only recruit disciples from each sect.
He persuaded renowned masters who were known throughout the Murim to sit at the lectern, and some students who received their teachings improved their martial arts skills tremendously, as if they had grown wings like a tiger.
This was originally something that could not happen unless one acquired a great fortune.
Even in a teaching format where dozens of students are taught at once, the advice thrown casually by those at such high levels compared to fledglings had the potential to help them transform into true phoenixes.
As the utility of Cheonmu Academy was proven, the sects, initially reluctant to expose their talents, began to send their students to the academy one by one. As competition for enrollment increased, even a new set of entrance exams was created to prevent ne’er-do-wells from getting in.
And now, over a hundred years later, Cheonmu Academy’s entrance exam boasts terrifyingly high difficulty, with over ten thousand applicants knocking on its doors each year, yet only about 500 making it through to acceptance.
*
The next day.
Waking up at Geumsung Inn, we headed towards the Cheonmu Academy, located in the heart of Chang’an, to take the entrance exam before it was too late.
“Wow, there are so many people.”
With its vast grounds, Cheonmu Academy felt like a university, bustling with people from all over the nation for the entrance exam.
“So everyone here are martial artists?”
Tang Sosu nodded and replied.
“That’s right. From well-known large sects to secret lineage sects, and even the likes of the Shaolin monks or Wudang Taoists, all manner of people are gathered here.”
“Looking around, I see examinees of all ages.”
“Normally, the age to enroll in Cheonmu Academy ranges from 14 to 20, unless in special cases. Among them, there will likely be repeat test takers who failed in the previous or the year before’s exams.”
“Seeing this many people makes me nervous. What happens if I fail the entrance exam?”
“Then it’ll be just you, Chilbok, who has to trudge back to Sichuan alone.”
“…Just imagining it is terrifying.”
At that moment, Dokgorin, who had been listening to our conversation, spoke up.
“You don’t have to worry about such things. You’re going to do great, Chilbok.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“With your level of skill, you’re among the top ten percent of those here. You should have confidence.”
“…Am I really that good?”
Honestly, I didn’t feel it at all.
I had only been properly learning martial arts for just over two and a half years, but to think I could even compete with those who had been training since they were very young and possibly even stronger than them…
But Dokgorin wouldn’t lie, and given that Tang Sosu didn’t deny it, it seemed that I really was at that level.
‘Well, my hard work is paying off.’
Thinking back, it had indeed been a series of hardships.
For two years under Dokgorin’s guidance, I had undergone continuous basic training, and recently, I had faced another hellish training period under Tang Hochang to master the Tang-style techniques.
It seems it’s finally time to test the strength I’ve built up.
“But Chilbok.”
“Yes?”
“When are you going to stop using honorifics? If both of us get accepted into the academy, we’ll be in the same year, and using formal speech to classmates while sticking with honorifics towards me is just awkward.”
Certainly, there’s a valid point in Dokgorin’s words.
No matter how comfortable using formal speech was for me, using honorifics among fellow students instead of casual speech could create a sense of awkwardness.
“Got it. I’ll try my best to use casual speech from now on.”
“Trying isn’t enough; you have to do it.”
“…I’ll do it.”
Having heard our conversation, Tang Sosu gave an incredulous expression and said,
“Is your affectionate display done? Then let’s head over there and line up. You can only take the test if your name is on the examinee list.”
Hearing Tang Sosu’s blatant sarcasm, we followed her quietly, our faces flushed.
*
Thus, we arrived at the entrance exam registration desk.
“Please state your affiliated sect and your name.”
After hearing the staff’s words as they sat at the desk, Tang Sosu snorted and said in a haughty tone.
“Tang Sosu of the Sichuan Tang Clan.”
Immediately, the other examinees in line began to murmur.
“She’s from the Tang Clan.”
“The Tang Clan known for its poison…”
“Such a remarkable beauty…!”
Perhaps because she heard the last comment, Tang Sosu’s expression turned even prouder.
It seemed that due to Dokgorin being right next to her, she hadn’t had many opportunities to be complimented on her looks lately.
Well, if she kept her mouth shut, she’d clearly be a beauty.
“Next, please.”
Immediately after, it was our turn.
“Dokgorin of the Dokgo Clan.”
As Dokgorin revealed her name, half her face hidden by a black scarf, the surrounding people buzzed again.
“The Dokgo Clan that reportedly faced extermination not long ago…”
“Was there a survivor?”
“I never imagined a descendant of the sword clans was still alive.”
It seemed the news regarding the destruction of the Dokgo Clan two months ago had spread throughout the Murim.
However, Dokgorin maintained a poker face, showing no particular reaction, so while everyone murmured, no one readily approached her.
While everyone’s attention was on the two cousins, I spoke to the staff.
“Uh, I don’t have any sect or clan, just Ichilbok.”
“So you’re an unaffiliated swordsman?”
“Technically, yes.”
“Understood. I’ll record it that way.”
My turn passed by much more easily compared to the two preceding individuals.
In any case, I didn’t want any more attention, so after taking the entrance exam, we escaped from that place as if fleeing.
*
“Phew, that was tough to get out of.”
“Right?”
“Sorry. Didn’t mean to draw attention.”
Dokgorin spoke up first, apologizing, but I hurriedly waved my hands.
“N-no, you didn’t do it on purpose. I completely understand.”
As I said this, I quickly gave Tang Sosu a look, and she nodded in agreement.
“Exactly. The ones who mentioned that incident were the rude ones, right? You did nothing wrong.”
Dokgorin looked at Tang Sosu with a peculiar eye.
It seemed she found it surprising that Tang Sosu, who she knew didn’t like her, was standing up for her.
Anyway, since the entrance exam was set to begin at 1 PM, we decided to kill some time at a nearby teahouse.
“Three orders of green tea and set up some snacks, please.”
“Sure!”
After casually placing our order with the staff, we returned to our original table only to find an unexpected person sitting in my seat.
“Ah! It’s been a while! Chilbok!”
“…Namgoong Ruby?”
It was none other than Namgoong Ruby, whom I hadn’t seen since the birthday banquet of the Murim leader, Weijichun, nearly two years ago.
*
Namgoong Ruby.
Honestly, from a modern perspective, her name is quite confusing.
A name with Chinese characters and then an English name.
In any case, she left a very strong impression on our first meeting; being the result of a mix between a western barbarian and a central plains person, she has the distinctive appearance of blonde hair and red eyes.
Because of that, it seems she was ostracized within her family when she was young, but her overwhelming swordsmanship seems to have made that a distant memory.
And after about two years, Namgoong Ruby had grown immensely, just like Dokgorin.
Specifically, her previously short limbs had lengthened, and her once flat chest had developed quite nicely.
At the very least, she outmatched Tang Sosu, who had apple-sized breasts, and looked slightly smaller compared to Dokgorin, who had abnormally large attributes.
As my instincts unconsciously scanned Namgoong Ruby’s body from bottom to top, I realized something.
There was a massive sword hanging from her back, its size completely absurd.
It raised doubts in my mind if she could even wield such a weapon with those slender arms.
Perhaps noticing my gaze, Namgoong Ruby cheerfully said, “Ah! Is that what you’re curious about?” as she readily unsheathed the sword to show me.
With one hand, no less.
“This is one of our clan’s treasures, the Song of Heaven Sword. I’ve heard it’s incredibly sturdy, made of adamantine.”
Namgoong Ruby said that while grinning confidently, and I stared at the mysterious patterns on the blade of the Song of Heaven Sword as if I were bewitched.
It looked less like a practical weapon and more like a piece of art, and even as someone unfamiliar with swords, I could tell it was an extraordinary treasure.
“Alright, enough looking.”
With that, she sheathed the sword back onto her back and, with a cat-like smile, said, “More importantly, you two didn’t forget what I said last time, right?”
“Promise? What promise?”
“I promised I would definitely be friends the next time we met.”
“Ah.”
I had completely forgotten about that.
“This is fate since we’re meeting again; let’s become friends this time!”
With that, she extended her right hand towards me and Dokgorin.
But Dokgorin simply stared at Namgoong Ruby’s extended hand and then swatted it away with a soft thud, saying,
“Sorry, but I’ll have to pass.”
I don’t need friends aside from Chilbok.
