It was the third day since the entrance exam had begun.

Countless people who had come for the first exam had been eliminated after the first two tests, but hundreds of participants still remained.

Did that mean the exam was easy?

No.

It was simply because the number of late-stage geniuses in this era was overwhelmingly large.

Even more so.

‘The Xinlong Pavilion won’t even let you take the exam without a recommendation letter.’

If you didn’t have the backing of a prestigious family, a reputable institution, or the influence of an instructor or high-ranking figure from the alliance,

You couldn’t even qualify for the entrance exam at the Xinlong Pavilion.

Which meant this era was teeming with late-stage geniuses. Even if there were many, there was such a thing as too many.

How many of them have accumulated by now?

‘That’s probably why they keep going on about comets and prodigies.’

Because this era is so filled with an unprecedented number of late-stage geniuses,

Naturally, the chances of both geniuses and mediocrities being born increased.

And with such competitors, some individuals earned the title of genius by standing out,

Leading to them being called the "generation of comets" and receiving grand accolades.

It was all meaningless, really.

‘In the end,’

No matter how many geniuses gather and accumulate,

They still won’t be able to do anything against the Heavenly Demon.

‘Life in the Xinlong Pavilion should end within half a year or, at the latest, a year.’

Considering the typical education lasts two to three years,

That means cutting more than half the time.

I already have a plan.

Of course, that’s only if I complete everything I intend to do in the Xinlong Pavilion within that time.

At the very least,

I shouldn’t stay longer than a year.

‘The Heavenly Demon will emerge about four or five years from now, but…’

Given how much has been twisted,

He could appear sooner than expected.

That’s why shortening my time here is important.

‘The easiest and most effective method would be…’

If the being I encountered at the Dark Night Palace really is the future Heavenly Demon,

‘...Killing him would solve everything.’

It would prevent the bloodshed of the future,

And all the disasters that would follow would be resolved in one fell swoop.

‘But I can’t find him.’

Despite continuously gathering information and searching,

There’s been no word of him anywhere.

If he’s really hiding deep within the Demon Realm, as some might say,

How could I possibly track him down?

That’s why I couldn’t waste time chasing the Heavenly Demon of this era.

I had to deal with both sides at once.

‘That’s why I need to get what I can from the Xinlong Pavilion and get out quickly.’

I rubbed my aching forehead as I heard a voice calling from the distance.

"We will now begin the final exam. Please gather."

The final test was about to start.

For a moment, I wondered what the others were up to.

But I figured they could handle themselves just fine.

Even if I didn’t pay attention, I’d know eventually, so I decided not to worry about it for now.

The third test was that kind of exam.

At least, if my guess was correct.

And, sure enough, as I was preparing for the test,

An instructor—

The Sword Queen herself—approached me and handed over a differently colored band.

The moment I saw it, I knew what it was.

I didn’t bother asking for a reason and reached out to take it.

"Thank you..."

But it wouldn’t budge.

"Huh?"

The fabric, which should’ve been loose, felt stuck as if it had hardened.

There was no reason for the cloth to suddenly stiffen, so naturally, I looked up at the Sword Queen.

"Instructor?"

"What is it?"

"Aren’t you going to give this to me?"

The Sword Queen was holding the band tightly, not letting it go.

What is she doing?

At my confused expression, the Sword Queen gave her signature sweet smile and said,

"Oh dear, I’m sorry. I seem to have overexerted myself the other day… My body isn’t quite cooperating..."

"...."

Could she be… messing with me right now?

‘Is this because of what I did the other day?’

Of course, my conscience pricked a little.

After all, the surroundings had been wrecked because of me.

And the exam we’re currently taking had been relocated to a spot slightly further from the original site.

It had been such a disaster that continuing there was impossible.

‘Who told her to provoke me?’

If the Sword Queen hadn’t unnecessarily put me on the spot and tested me,

I would’ve just let it go.

In the end, it was the Sword Queen who pushed my buttons.

I merely responded.

Besides,

Although I might’ve gone a bit overboard, I had originally assumed she could handle it.

Of course, I hadn’t fully trusted that assumption,

Which is why I controlled myself, even at the cost of sustaining some internal injuries.

‘If I’d known she could block it that well, I should’ve gone all out.’

The only unexpected part was that the Sword Queen’s qi had been far stronger than I anticipated.

Although she claimed to be tired,

It seemed she had only suffered a speck of internal injury.

Even though I’d deliberately held back and controlled the power of my technique,

It still felt a bit unfair.

‘And now I’ve drawn all kinds of unwanted attention because of it.’

Occasionally, I could feel the gazes from the surroundings.

The kind of looks that questioned whether I was truly the True Dragon.

And now, those gazes were mixed with something else.

Admiration, perhaps?

Awe?

Or maybe fear.

It could be all three.

Whatever it was, it was still bothersome.

I tugged harder on the band the Sword Queen was holding.

Snap.

She finally released her grip, and I was able to take it.

"...Care to explain?"

I asked the Sword Queen.

I had a pretty good idea of what the exam entailed, but

It would’ve been strange if I acted like I already knew, so I asked anyway.

"...For some reason, I don’t feel like explaining it to you."

"It’s nice to see such honesty, but wouldn’t it be problematic if you don’t tell me?"

Her straightforwardness was almost funny.

Of course, I couldn’t laugh in her face.

The Sword Queen sighed lightly and then began explaining in a measured tone.

I had been given two bands,

One red and one yellow.

In addition to these two colors, there were also blue bands.

As I glanced around,

I saw that some people had been given red and blue bands, while others had yellow and blue ones.

The test was simple.

By sunset,

You needed to gather all three bands—red, yellow, and blue.

The missing bands were tied to the bodies of monsters that had been released into the forest.

You had to catch one and take the band from it.

Since Xinlong Pavilion was a training institution with a focus on swordsmanship, the final test was a battle against monsters.

‘So it’s not blue-tier monsters, but green.’

Even if it were the Kunlun Sect or the Martial Alliance,

They wouldn’t have captured blue-tier monsters just for an entrance exam.

The odds were high that they’d used green-tier monsters.

Even if they had captured a blue-tier monster,

It wouldn’t make sense to unleash it among the late-stage geniuses taking the exam.

Oh, and of course,

‘You could also just steal them from others.’

You didn’t necessarily have to get the bands from the monsters.

You could attack other candidates and take theirs.

That was the whole point of the exam, after all.

‘As for the others…’

Among those in Group 2,

There were only Gujeolyeob and Guyeonseol to worry about.

But I was more concerned about the ones in Group 1.

I figured they’d manage just fine, but still.

‘Is that why they split the exam into two different locations?’

I had wondered why they’d gone to the trouble of dividing the mountain like that.

Why go through such hassle?

‘Wait, then did Pang Ah-hee come all the way over here just to warn me about the Zhang family?’

Thinking of how far Pang Ah-hee had come to deliver her warning made me feel a bit moved.

I wasn’t sure why she went through the trouble, but still.

As I absentmindedly shook my leg, waiting for everything to settle,

I finally heard the instructor’s call.

"The third test will conclude when the sun sets."

"You will begin half a keon (7.5 minutes) after the arrow is fired."

The instructor barely finished speaking when,

Whoosh!

The late-stage geniuses around me disappeared without a trace, concealing their presence.

Half a keon to prepare.

And the arrow would signal the start, meaning

Everyone was supposed to use this time to hide and get ready.

The remaining participants, having made it to the third test, clearly understood the instructor’s words.

They hid for one simple reason.

Although this test was officially to assess how well we could adapt to situations

And hunt monsters,

Everyone knew one thing:

It was quicker to attack someone and steal their bands than it was to hunt down a monster.

‘Everyone’s quick to act.’

It seemed they all realized the third test was the real deal.

I watched quietly for a moment before

Slowly walking into the forest.

 
   
   
   ******************
   
   

Whack!

The heat around the body intensified.

He sped past the trees at an astonishing speed.

With the power of qi gathering at his feet,

Hwoosh!

His momentum increased further, propelled by the heat surrounding his body.

Clank.

As the distance closed, his target came into view.

The moment the target appeared in his sight, the young man’s hand gripped the hilt of the sword hanging at his waist.

The target, sensing his presence, attempted to flee with increased speed, but

The difference in their skills was overwhelming.

Once you were within his sight, escape was no longer an option.

He could see the target’s back.

The young man’s eyes gleamed.

Seeing the back meant...

‘Got him.’

It meant that the target had entered within his striking range.

Swish!

As soon as he reached the appropriate distance, the young man swung his sword.

The blade infused with qi cut through the air, shooting towards his opponent.

Sensing the force flying from behind,

The target turned in haste, trying to defend.

BANG!

"Urgh!"

With the sound of qi exploding, the target was thrown into the air and tumbled across the ground.

"Krrgh...!"

The warrior groaned as he rolled on the ground. Although he wasn’t injured,

"Huff..."

His pursuer was already standing before him.

It was over.

Realizing that the wooden sword was pressed against his nose,

The man let out a frustrated yell.

"...How can you be so persistent...? You could’ve just caught a monster! Why are you chasing me so relentlessly?"

"I’m sorry, I got a bit carried away," Gu Jeol-yeop, the wielder of the sword infused with qi, answered with an awkward smile.

"Ugh... damn it!"

Despite the man’s angry mutterings,

Gu Jeol-yeop paid no mind.

After all, over the past few years, he had endured far worse.

This level of complaining was cute in comparison.

Flick.

Gu Jeol-yeop untied the blue band from the man’s arm and put it into his pocket.

The fallen warrior gave him a pitiful look, but

Gu Jeol-yeop could only offer a small smile.

"There’s still plenty of time, so you should be fine."

"...Oh, that’s so comforting."

After the brief conversation,

Gu Jeol-yeop left in search of a hiding place.

‘I was lucky.’

As he walked, he thought to himself.

He had really been lucky.

Who would’ve thought that the warrior he encountered right after the test started would be carrying a blue band?

‘This test seems easier than I expected.’

His confidence grew a bit.

The entire exam so far hadn’t felt particularly difficult.

Not the first test, and not the second one either.

It was only now that Gu Jeol-yeop realized that among all the late-stage geniuses from prestigious families and renowned sects,

He wasn’t doing so bad himself.

‘Maybe... I’m a bit strong.’

He couldn’t help but feel his shoulders rise slightly.

The tough training he had endured hadn’t been in vain after all.

The warriors around him—

People like Geom Mu-hui, Seol Bong, and Mu Yeon—

They were all skilled, so even though he’d been growing, he hadn’t really felt it.

‘That warrior earlier... he was definitely from the Seven Stars Sect.’

Gu Jeol-yeop recognized the sect he was from.

While not one of the Nine Great Sects, it was still a prestigious sect known as the guardians of that region.

‘But he was too weak.’

For someone from such a renowned sect, the warrior had felt surprisingly weak.

Come to think of it, everyone around him during the test had given off the same vibe.

Looking back now...

‘Am I the strong one?’

Maybe it was because Gu Jeol-yeop had grown too strong.

At least compared to the other late-stage geniuses nearby.

A grin tugged at the corners of his lips.

The pride and confidence that had been beaten down through countless hardships

Were starting to rise again.

‘Does this mean I should be grateful to First Young Master?’

Gu Jeol-yeop knew that part of his growth

Was thanks to Gu Yang-cheon’s "help."

Even though he had been pushed relentlessly, beaten under the guise of training,

The process had helped him grow stronger.

But...

‘No, that’s ridiculous.’

There was no way he could be thankful to that demon.

He’d rather show gratitude to a stray dog in his village than to Gu Yang-cheon.

Crunch.

"...!"

The sound of footsteps on fallen leaves came from behind.

Sensing the presence, Gu Jeol-yeop immediately assumed a battle stance.

"...Huh?"

When he turned to face the direction of the presence,

He saw...

‘Damn it, speak of the devil and he shall appear...’

"You look like you're in a good mood."

The demon—no, Gu Yang-cheon—was standing there.

Trying to hide his dismay, Gu Jeol-yeop asked,

"Why are you here, First Young Master?"

"I’m taking the test too. Why? Does that bother you?"

"N-no, of course not..."

I’m screwed.

That thought flashed across Gu Jeol-yeop’s mind.

Of all times, why did he have to run into him now?

‘No... did I even run into him?’

It could’ve been a coincidence, but

Something told Gu Jeol-yeop that it wasn’t just a chance encounter.

As that thought crossed his mind and cold sweat trickled down his back,

Gu Yang-cheon flashed a grin and spoke.

"You picked up something nice earlier, didn’t you?"

‘...Shit.’

At those words, Gu Jeol-yeop cursed internally.

"First Young Master... please don’t do this."

"What do you mean, 'don’t do this'? What are you going to do if I don’t?"

"Aren’t we family?"

"Family, my ass. Just because we share a surname, does that make us family? You only call me family when it’s convenient. You run away whenever I offer to train with you."

"...."

If he had to endure that kind of "training" every day, it would literally kill him.

As Gu Jeol-yeop silently grumbled to himself,

Gu Yang-cheon casually extended his hand.

"Hand it over."

In his outstretched hand were both a red and a yellow band.

Seeing that, Gu Jeol-yeop inwardly cursed him again.

"...."

But there was no choice.

Gu Jeol-yeop knew what would happen if he didn’t comply.

‘What strength... it means nothing if I can’t deal with this demon...’

His pride, which had been rising, was once again crushed.

With trembling hands, Gu Jeol-yeop handed over the blue band to Gu Yang-cheon.

It hadn’t even been half a keon since he’d gotten his hands on it.

"Krrr."

Suppressing his frustration, Gu Jeol-yeop let out a low growl.

But of course, no one cared.

Gu Yang-cheon, after receiving the blue band, silently stared at him.

Under that strange gaze, cold sweat once again dripped down Gu Jeol-yeop’s back.

"What are you doing?"

"Pardon...?"

Gu Yang-cheon asked, sounding almost offended.

"Why did you only give me one?"

"...What do you mean by that?"

"If you’re going to hand them over, you should give me all three."

"What?"

Gu Jeol-yeop’s expression twisted in confusion.

Gu Yang-cheon had just obtained all three colors—red, yellow, and blue—so he no longer needed anything, right?

Baffled, Gu Jeol-yeop asked what he meant, to which Gu Yang-cheon smirked and replied,

"Hand over all three."

"Wait...! You already have all three, why are you doing this?"

Gu Jeol-yeop’s frustration was evident in his voice. Why in the world would he need to give up everything?

It was incredibly inefficient, yet

Gu Yang-cheon responded casually.

"Since I’ve come all this way, you should at least go through some hardship, Jeol-yeop. Struggles like this will make you stronger, believe me. It’s definitely not because I find it amusing to watch you suffer."

"...."

Gu Jeol-yeop’s expression soured.

Seeing that, Gu Yang-cheon’s smile faded.

"If you don’t want to get beaten, hurry up and hand them over. Three... two..."

Terrified, Gu Jeol-yeop quickly handed over all the bands he had collected, thinking to himself,

‘Yep.

This asshole is the devil.

   
   
   ******************
   
   

Gu Jeol-yeop, who was on the verge of tears, had the bands taken from him. As I walked along, I thought to myself.

‘This kid gets cocky as soon as things start going his way.’

Just because he beat a couple of late-stage geniuses and did well in the test, Gu Jeol-yeop had been feeling pretty pleased with himself.

‘No vigilance. Just laughing and smiling.’

It just so happened that I noticed it. So I decided to follow him for a while.

It was fine that he took a band.

Originally, I wasn’t planning on taking all his bands—just the blue one.

But...

‘No vigilance at all.’

Even though I deliberately made my presence known as I approached, Gu Jeol-yeop didn’t even realize I was right behind him.

And on top of that...

‘The look on his face.’

The smug grin on his face, like he was wondering if he might actually be someone special. It was annoying to see.

It was so obvious.

Just because he earned some recognition, just because he stood out among the younger kids, he got carried away immediately.

‘Did I go too easy on him?’

Or maybe I worked him too hard, and he got used to it.

Either way, I didn’t like the look of it.

‘This is when you need to go through some hardships to get your head straight.’

I thought as I slipped the bands into my pocket.

It was going to be tough for him to gather three bands again.

Of course, I didn’t think he wouldn’t be able to get them in the end.

If he struggled too much, I would return the bands to him anyway.

‘That would just give me more of a reason to work him harder.’

That wouldn’t be so bad.

“Well, anyway.”

Now that I had all three bands, it felt like all I had to do was quietly wait out the time.

But there was one thing that was bothering me.

“Why are you following me...?”

I glanced to the side and muttered.

From the moment the test started,

There had been someone following me the entire time.

I had noticed who it was early on.

Among the late-stage geniuses,

The only person who could track me like this was someone I knew well.

Honestly, I wanted to run away.

But in my current state, it was impossible to escape from that person.

“Do you have any business with me...?”

Bam!

Just as I was about to ask why,

A loud explosion erupted in the distance.

The sound of qi detonating.

Something was flying toward me at high speed.

‘It’s fast.’

It was much faster than I expected.

A dark figure shot toward me, grabbing my neck and dragging me along the ground.

Boom!

“Urgh!”

I groaned as I was scraped along the ground.

Heavy.

I had already drawn my qi in anticipation of a situation like this.

‘This crazy...’

The force was far stronger than I expected.

As my mind raced to figure out what to do,

“I have a question.”

The person who had half-pinned me down spoke.

Despite the overwhelming strength, the voice was calm, devoid of any emotion.

I met his eyes, circulating my qi within.

Those dark, pitch-black eyes were unsettling.

That damned gaze was as bottomless as ever.

“You.”

It was Paejon Biju.

Also known as Turyong Bi-eujin.

The man who had ambushed me.

“What is your true identity?”

“What... are you... talking about...?”

Attacking out of the blue was fine—it was part of the test, after all.

But the question? It was completely out of left field.

“The power you showed that day... there’s no way that could come from someone who’s just at the pinnacle level.”

He was referring to the time I detonated the Flame Jade.

‘Is that what this is about?’

I had displayed a lot of power then, sure.

But I didn’t think it would be that big of a deal.

“That’s why I’m curious. Was it truly overwhelming talent? Or something else?”

Creak.

His grip on my neck tightened.

He was serious.

This madman seriously intended to break my neck.

‘Is he insane?’

The test explicitly prohibited killing.

Had I underestimated the situation?

Then again, someone like Paejon wouldn’t care about that.

‘Damn it.’

I grabbed Paejon’s wrist as it squeezed my throat.

And then,

Whoosh!

I channeled all my qi.

Throb.

My dantian, already injured, protested as I pushed my qi beyond its limits.

But if I hesitated now, I really would be done for.

‘I should’ve run when I had the chance.’

Even though Paejon had been observing me for days,

I hadn’t sensed any hostile intent from him.

Maybe he had been waiting for this moment all along?

That was possible.

As I gathered heat throughout my body,

Grit.

I concentrated it into a single point.

“...!”

Paejon seemed to realize what I was about to do, but

I was faster.

Boom!

I unleashed the heat outside my body.

I could feel my energy draining, but

There was no other choice.

The recoil sent Paejon flying.

Thud!

I heard a crash in the distance.

“Cough... cough.”

Finally, I managed to get up and steady my breathing.

‘So his body really was damaged by that technique.’

How much had he recovered?

The pressure I felt from him, even for a brief moment, was no joke.

What the hell is going on?

Was I being punished for messing with Gu Jeol-yeop?

No way I’d stop that. It was too fun.

Rumble.

The gust of wind whipped up dirt and dust all around.

Even though I had only managed to send him flying for a moment,

I frantically looked around, trying to find an escape route.

One thing had become clear the moment he grabbed me.

In my injured state, I couldn’t beat him.

‘Time to run.’

I should’ve run earlier when I first noticed him following me.

But I had foolishly stuck around and paid the price.

Just as I was about to gather my qi and flee,

“Not bad.”

“Damn it...”

Paejon’s voice came from behind me, not from where I had thrown him.

“I can’t let you slip away.”

Before I knew it, Paejon had reappeared behind me.

‘So this is what Gu Jeol-yeop felt like?’

It was terrifying.

Just as I considered whether I should use up the rest of my strength to escape,

“You.”

Paejon asked,

“Do you have a master?”

“...What?”

What the hell is he talking about?

I instinctively glanced at him, puzzled, but

His next words were even more absurd.

“If not, how about my master? He happens to be looking for a disciple right now.”

“...”

Wait, is this guy

suffering from senility due to the side effects of his technique?

For a moment, I genuinely wondered if that was the case.