Chapter 81: Prelude


    After causing a huge ruckus at an inn, two boys of about the same age stood facing each other, shouting. Judging by their torn clothes, split lips, and bruised faces, they must have been brawling before we got there.


    “He started it first!”


    “Don’t be ridiculous! He red at me first!”


    “How old are you to talk to me like that? Use the proper honorifics!”


    “Don’t be stupid, I’m eleven! What about you?”


    “Do you know who my father is?”


    “I don’t care! My dad is stronger! Just wait, he’ll be here soon!”


    “Not a chance! My dad will be here first! And I’ll bring my brother right after his exam!”


    “My sister is stronger than your brother!”


    Their childish bickering escted to the point of involving their entire families.


    Embarrassed by the onlookers who started to gather and stare at me, I decided to intervene and said, “Hey, you two. Calm down and let’s talk this over…”


    “Stay out of this, old man!”


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    “This is a matter of pride between men! Let’s take it outside! I challenge you to a duel to the death!”


    “Fine! Just don’t me me if there’s an ident. My sword knows no mercy!”


    I really tried to be reasonable, but these kids weren’t satisfied with just destroying the inn, they were even willing to draw weapons in public. At this point, even a saint would lose patience, right?


    “Hyung-nim, they’re just kids…”


    Seeing my expression, Ak Yeonho tried to restrain me, but I shrugged him off and strode toward the boys. <em>A duel to the death? His sword knows no mercy? How funny. Hahaha.</em>


    “You’ve drawn your swords, right? ording to Article 3, Section 5 of the Murim Alliance Constitution, any person found brandishing a weapon in public may be forcibly subdued and turned over tow enforcement by a licensed enforcer. Therefore, I, an instructor of the Azure Dragon Academy, will subdue you and turn you in. Is that understood?”


    “What the…”


    “Wait, what?”


    I was joking, they didn’t need to understand, especially after giving me the perfect excuse to teach them a lesson.


    THWACK! THWACK! THWACK!


    The sound of sharp, resounding smacks, along with the cries of young boys, “Ow! Ah! Ouch!” echoed through the restaurant.


    By the time I finished the brief but intense disciplinary session, the two were kneeling on the floor, hands raised in surrender, tears streaming down their faces.


    “We’re sorry…”


    “Please forgive us just this once…”


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    Then suddenly, their fathers burst into the inn.


    “How dare you touch my son!”


    “What have you done to my precious child?”


    Without even assessing the situation, two middle-aged men charged at me, eyes zing with wrath. I sighed and pushed Ak Yeonho forward, saying, “Yeonho, you take care of them.


    Ak Yeonho eagerly stepped forward, cracking his neck. “Look at how you raised your kids… ording to Article 3, Section 5 of the Murim Alliance Constitution, you’ve drawn weapons… So you’re dead!”


    He conveniently forgot the rest and began to beat the men senseless.


    POW! WHACK! WHAM! BAM!


    <em>Is this really the guy who tried to hold me back just now? It seems that he too badly needs to vent his pent-up frustration.</em>


    A few minutester, we tied up the two father-son pairs and dragged them to the courthouse. Cheong Cheon, looking disgruntled, took the four offenders into custody even as heined, “I’m seeing a lot of you today. How many times does this make?”


    “Three. With so many hot-headed idiots around, it’s only natural that fights will break out all the time. Good luck. We’ll probably see you again soon.”


    As we turned to leave, Ak Yeonho nudged me and asked, “Hyung-nim, is there really such aw?”


    “Whatw?”


    “Article 3, Section 5 of the Murim Alliance Constitution, about drawing weapons in public…”


    I stared at him, half amused, half exasperated. “Of course not. I made it up.”


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    “What? Then why did you lie about it?”


    “How would the kids know it was a lie? I just did it to scare them a little. Besides, it serves as an effective deterrent to other potential troublemakers in the vicinity.”


    “Wow, you really are cunning…” Ak Yeonho looked at me in awe.


    <em>It’s really no big deal</em>, I thought, but before I could say anything, someone nearby started yelling again.


    “What are you looking at?”


    “You picking a fight with me? Huh?”


    “Enough talk! Draw your sword!”


    <em>Not again…</em> I massaged my throbbing temples and groaned, “Haah…”


    “This is driving me nuts,” Ak Yeonho whined.


    It seemed like we’d be going in and out of the courthouse all day. With a collective sigh, we ran to the source of themotion, ready for another round of conflict management.


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    Wherever people congregate, disputes are inevitable, especially when many of them are armed martial artists prepared to spill blood at any moment.


    To maintain order in the city during the Azure Dragon Academy entrance exams, the government and the Murim Alliance had deployed many forces around the city, and even temporary instructors like Ak Yeonho and me were called upon to help patrol the streets.


    “I never thought it would be this bad.”


    “Not only the applicants, but also their parents, siblings and friends… What a disaster.”


    At first, we tried to mediate peacefully, but it wasn’t long before we realized how wrong we were.


    “The best way to deal with uncivilized barbarians is a good beating!”


    “Let’s make examples of the next brawling idiots who dare cross our path!”


    With stern faces, we patrolled until noon, when we grew hungry and exhausted.


    “Let’s get some food. Why should we starve because of work?”


    “Right. We work to eat and eat to live…”


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    Unfortunately, it wasn’t easy to find a restaurant that wasn’tpletely full in the crowded city. Only after a long search did we find a shabby inn on the outskirts of the city. We hastily devoured a meal of noodles and dumplings, but the usual portion wasn’t quite enough, so we ordered more food. While waiting for seconds, we finally had a moment to rx and catch our breath.


    “Ahh, I’m alive again.”


    “By the way, Hyung-nim, how do you think the students you taught will do? You said you’d get ten thousand silver taels if the old man passes,” Ak Yeonho asked with sparkling eyes.


    Come to think of it, since Shadow had requested a ban on outside visitors for a month to ensure the elder’s safety, neither he nor any of my fellow teachers had ever visited the White Dragon Manor.


    “Well…”


    I thought of Gongson Su, who was probably just finishing his morning exam. Over the past month, I had done my utmost to help him, but the most effective things were the removal of umted toxins from his body, the digestion of the medicinal herbs he had ingested over the years, and most importantly, his innate talent and diligent effort.


    Though he had never practiced martial arts before meeting me, he now looked quite proper in his martial arts uniform.


    <em>If he had trained systematically from a young age, he might have be quite the master.</em>


    If you′re seeing this, you are at the wrong ce.


    Despite his frail body, Gongson Su possessed the insight and determination to ovee all odds. Had he been born into a wealthy family or a prestigious n, he might have be a renowned martial artist.<blockquote>


    “I’ll definitely pass and bring back the Azure Dragon Emblem.”</blockquote>


    Remembering how Gongson Su had gripped his sword with calloused hands this morning, I smiled and said, “By my standards, he’s already passed.


    “…So he could still fail the exam?”


    I gave Ak Yeonho an incredulous look. “What are you talking about? My standards are very high… Oh, the food’s here!”


    I eagerly grabbed the new dish the waiter brought out, and Ak Yeonho followed suit.


    “What about the other one? Wiji Cheon? The rumors about him are unbelievable.”


    “Cheon? Don’t worry about him. With his abilities, he’ll definitely be the top student.”


    <em>…Although he’s still emotionally unstable, that will improve with time. Still, I can’t help but be a little worried.</em>


    The inner demons created by his encounter with qi deviation were a double-edged sword. In the process of oveing his trauma, Wiji Cheon could either fall back into qi deviation and turn into a mad demon, or he could achieve enlightenment and transform his heart’s sword into a divine de.


    “…And he’ll be the best swordsman in the world one day,” I added smugly.


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    “Yeah, yeah. Your love for your students is something else.” Ak Yeonho shook his head, thinking I was exaggerating.


    <em>Just you wait, one day, you’ll be begging him for an autograph.</em>


    After we finished eating, we got up to leave.


    “If we’re lucky, we can still watch thete afternoon spars. I think we’re supposed to change shifts soon.”


    “Only if we’re lucky… Hmm?” Suddenly, I spotted a familiar face outside the window.


    <em>Shadow? What’s she doing over there?</em> Gongson Su, Wiji Cheon, or Hyonwon Kang weren’t with her. Instead, a middle-aged man with an ordinary appearance but an unusual gait and a stiff right arm walked silently beside her.


    I habitually analyzed the stranger and observed his surroundings. <em>He’s a master assassin trained in the same martial arts as Shadow, and his right arm is a prosthetic.</em>


    “Hyung-nim? What are you staring at? Did you spot a pretty girl? Is it the one in ck?” Ak Yeonho pointed at Shadow.


    <em>Did this kid always have such shockingly good instincts?</em> Not wanting him to get involved, I said, “Yeonho, go patrol by yourself for a bit.”


    “What?”


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    “I need to check something.”


    “Where are you going all of a sudden?”


    Shadow and the stranger were disappearing into the crowd. I quickly stood up and patted Ak Yeonho’s shoulder, saying, “I’ll be quick. Just checking something.”


    “If the Headmaster catches you cking… Hyung-nim? Hyung-nim!”


    I waved goodbye to Ak Yeonho and hurried after Shadow and the stranger, following them from a distance.


    <em>I have a bad feeling about this.</em>


    Fortunately or unfortunately, my instincts were never wrong in these situations, and unsurprisingly, the suspicious duo entered a building connected to an underground passage.


    SWOOSH!


    Just as I wondered how I would keep following them, ten top-ss assassins appeared out of nowhere and quickly surrounded the building.


    <em>Damn it, are they having a secret meeting in there? From the looks of it though… I don’t think they’re Shadow’s friends.</em>


    “It’s been a while.”


    “Yes, Master,” Shadow replied respectfully. The man sitting opposite her had taught her martial arts and was once her direct superior. Nobody knew his real name, and he was usually referred to by the codename “Shadowless”.


    “Has the Prime Minister informed you of the contents of the secret letter?”


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    “Yes, I heard that the Skyshadows will be responsible for escorting the Elder back to the Imperial Pce.”


    The Skyshadows were an intelligence organization within the Royal Guard. They were responsible for infiltration, assassinations, VIP protection, and all the dirty work that couldn’t be documented. Until a few years ago, Shadow had been a part of it.


    “We move tomorrow. Are you ready?”


    “Yes.”


    “With your skills, I’m sure you’ve done everything perfectly. I won’t need to check.” Shadowless smiled faintly. “You know, your face has be much more expressive now.”


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    “That’s thanks to the Elder,” Shadow said, lowering her head, a little embarrassed.


    “Hahaha!” Reminiscing about his former protégé, Shadowlessughed. She possessed talent that surpassed her master’s, and had sessfullypleted countless difficult missions.


    <em>That’s why I had to spend so much time and effort nning for this day.</em>


    “You were the best assassin I ever trained, but right now, you are a failure as an assassin. However, since you are no longer part of the Skyshadows, I won’t hold that against you,” he said.


    “Thank you.”


    “But I never expected you to be so dull.”


    “…What?” Sensing that something was amiss, Shadow tensed up.


    Wearing a huge grin that did not reach his eyes, Shadowless whispered, “We have decided to kill the Prime Minister.”