Jinryong Pavilion boasts numerous facilities.

Since it's packed with martial artists, the ground floor of the dormitories serves as a training hall.
There’s also a massive dining hall to accommodate the large number of students, as well as a special isolation area, in case anyone needs to seclude themselves for training.

Rumor has it that monsters are bred underground for training purposes.
And, for the record, that rumor is true.
In my previous life, I had discovered the underground, and it was indeed teeming with monsters.

Behind Jinryong Pavilion lies a vast plain, a training ground for entire squads.
Each squad is composed of anywhere from ten to a little over twenty members.
This means that the plains are large enough to hold that many people comfortably.

Right now, those plains were brimming with the internal energy of martial artists.
Despite the biting cold of winter, the air was hot enough to evaporate sweat, making the surroundings feel sweltering.

Whoosh!

The sound of bodies constantly moving, friction reverberating in the air.

Over a dozen figures moved relentlessly across the plain.

At the center of it all stood the vice-captain of the Blue Dragon Division, Cheol Hwan-oh, also known as the Uicheon Blue Fist, who was singlehandedly holding off a large number of juniors.

Boom! The ground quaked.
That was the impact caused by Cheol Hwan-oh stomping the earth, which sent a junior martial artist staggering, losing his balance.
Cheol Hwan-oh didn't miss the opportunity, swinging his hand.

Thud!

"Agh!"

The sheer force of his large hand flung the junior backward, crashing into another.

Any semblance of cooperation among the juniors crumbled immediately.
Though they outnumbered him, the battlefield was utter chaos.

It wasn’t just because Cheol Hwan-oh was a formidable martial artist.
The juniors were also showing signs of inexperience.

Cheol Hwan-oh knew this would happen from the start.
In fact, he had probably intended for things to unfold this way.

Easily deflecting the barrage of attacks, Cheol Hwan-oh’s sharp eyes scanned the battlefield.

'Four show promise.'

Among the numerous chaotic waves of internal energy, four stood out, their energy more refined than the rest.

That was the number Cheol Hwan-oh had identified.

'But they're still just juniors.'

Even Cheol Hwan-oh couldn’t easily handle over a dozen first-rate juniors at once.

However, fighting against opponents who lacked experience in teamwork was a different matter.
Their lack of coordination created too many openings.
Just nudging one of those gaps was enough to cause the entire structure to collapse.

A hastily built tower is bound to fall with the slightest shock.

Even now, their teamwork was crumbling.

In the midst of the confusion, one junior broke through the chaos—a large man with black hair.

Cheol Hwan-oh recognized him.

'Pae Woo-chul.'

He was one of the four Cheol Hwan-oh had taken note of.
Despite the disorganized battlefield, Pae Woo-chul seemed to use the chaos to his advantage, closing in on Cheol Hwan-oh.

Planting his solid lower body like a lever, Pae Woo-chul twisted his waist and delivered a punch charged with internal energy. It was a clean, precise motion, showing a fair level of skill.

But.

“Not good enough.”

It was Pae Woo-chul’s mistake.

Facing an opponent with such a vast gap in power, and with no support from his fellow juniors, charging head-on was reckless.
He was too caught up in the heat of the moment to realize it.

Crack!

“!”

Cheol Hwan-oh shattered the energy in Pae Woo-chul’s punch with a mere flick of his hand.
Pae Woo-chul couldn’t even see how Cheol Hwan-oh had moved before his own internal energy dissipated.

Thud!

“Ugh!”

The impact of Cheol Hwan-oh’s counterstrike hit Pae Woo-chul’s abdomen.
The internal energy detonated on contact, sending Pae Woo-chul flying backward, rolling across the ground.

The monster-hunting training session had barely begun, but already half of the juniors lay sprawled on the ground.
The ones still standing were drenched in sweat, their eyes filled with uncertainty.

They couldn't comprehend how this was happening.
Seeing their expressions, Cheol Hwan-oh stifled a small laugh.

'The eyes of greenhorns.'

For them, this was a new experience.
They hadn’t truly faced the martial world, nor had they ever considered the true threat of monsters.

In the distance, Pae Woo-chul was struggling to rise, clutching his abdomen.

“Ptui!”

He spat on the ground, his eyes still filled with determination.

'A rough one.'

Not bad.
A martial artist should have that kind of resilience.

But as an instructor, Cheol Hwan-oh knew it was better to crush such arrogance early on.

'The world doesn’t work that way.'

The juniors who came to Jinryong Pavilion had been pampered in their cages.
With their extraordinary talents and the backing of prestigious sects or families, they had grown up believing the world belonged to them.

That kind of thinking needed to be shattered right from the start.

That was Cheol Hwan-oh’s way.

He had served as an instructor at Jinryong Pavilion many times since reaching his thirties.
Though he hadn’t taken on the role in recent years, he had returned due to certain circumstances.

And if he was going to do this, he intended to do it right.

'This batch is promising.'

Cheol Hwan-oh thought, feeling the throbbing in his fist.
This generation was referred to as the Generation of Meteor, filled with prodigies and talents.

His own batch of juniors wasn’t an exception.

'And there’s also that one.'

Amid the swirling internal energy and the heated atmosphere, Cheol Hwan-oh’s gaze fell on someone who had remained completely still.

There was one junior, who hadn’t moved at all, merely observing the situation with interest.

'Gu Yangcheon, the True Dragon.'

The last of the Six Dragons.

He was a junior, watching the chaos unfold from a distance with a bemused look.

Despite his young age, Gu Yangcheon was one of the most notable figures, not just in this group, but perhaps in all of Jinryong Pavilion.

Even as Cheol Hwan-oh fought off the other juniors, his focus remained on Gu Yangcheon.

'Why?'

He couldn’t understand why Gu Yangcheon hadn’t made a move.

'Was his earlier arrogance just a bluff?'

Cheol Hwan-oh recalled the words Gu Yangcheon had said before the training began.

• “Can I fight alone?”

It had been a blatant provocation, one that almost made Cheol Hwan-oh lose his composure.

Even so, he had restrained himself.
After all, he was an instructor.

But as a man, he couldn’t simply let it go.
Cheol Hwan-oh had planned to make an example of Gu Yangcheon during this session.

Even the most arrogant and talented juniors like him needed to understand that they couldn’t stand up to an experienced instructor.
And only by witnessing that could the rest of the juniors come to their senses.

Moreover, there was another reason Cheol Hwan-oh had returned to the role of instructor after so many years.

'The young master had been seen spending time with the True Dragon.'

Cheol Hwan-oh had rejoined Jinryong Pavilion as an instructor after hearing reports that his young master, Cheol Ji-seon, had passed the third exam alongside Gu Yangcheon.

Despite his young master’s insistence on passing without his help, Cheol Hwan-oh had been secretly pleased by the news.

'But what’s going on with this one?'

Gu Yangcheon was still a mystery to him.

A boy who had supposedly reached the peak at such a young age.
A genius who was being hailed as the brightest star among this generation’s meteors.

And yet, all he was doing was observing his fallen comrades.

Was he frightened by the unexpected strength of the instructor?
No, that wasn’t it.

Cheol Hwan-oh could tell that wasn’t the case with Gu Yangcheon.

'He’s at the peak?'

He remembered the moment he had first surveyed the group of juniors.
When his eyes had landed on Gu Yangcheon, something strange had happened.

'I couldn’t read him.'

When Cheol Hwan-oh had filled the room with his overwhelming presence, Gu Yangcheon had remained unfazed.
He hadn’t shown any sign of distress.

'Could he really be at my level?'

Cheol Hwan-oh was a perfected peak master, standing at the brink of transcending his limits.
It had been five years since he had reached this level.

But a mere child, not even in his twenties, being on the same level?

'It seems he severely underestimated me.'

His internal energy began to rise.
As the other juniors shrank back in response, Cheol Hwan-oh called out.

“Gu Yangcheon.”

“Yes.”

Gu Yangcheon responded casually, still watching with interest.

“Why are you just standing there, watching your fellow juniors struggle?”
“Is that a problem?”
“The purpose of this training is to hunt monsters. Are you just going to watch your comrades fall?”
“Well, the monsters I know don’t talk. This is strange, you're doing such a good job.”

Grit

Cheol Hwan-oh nearly lost his composure at that moment.

'What an insolent brat.'

So this was the younger brother of the famed Swordmaster.
They were indeed cut from the same cloth.

“Are you mocking your instructor, junior?”
“No, I’m just being considerate.”
“Considerate?”
“Yes.”

Gu Yangcheon’s lips curled into a smile.
It wasn’t just a smile; it was a sneer, and everyone could see it.

It was a smile dripping with emotion, clear for all to see.

“I mean, if I joined, the training would be too easy.”

“…Ha.”

Still so arrogant.
Cheol Hwan-oh had seen plenty of juniors like this.

But it seemed that Gu Yangcheon, with all the attention he had garnered as the True Dragon and the youngest to reach the peak, had picked the wrong opponent today.

'I need to correct that arrogance now.'

There was no need to wait for the next six months.
This had to be dealt with immediately.

“Junior.”
“Yes, Instructor.”
“Do you think the world revolves around you? You’re acting like a frog at the bottom of a well.”
“Ribbit, ribbit.”
“…”
“That wasn’t very good, huh? My apologies.”

Even though Gu Yangcheon apologized, it didn’t matter to Cheol Hwan-oh anymore.

“Junior Gu Yangcheon.”
“Yes.”
“Since you’re so confident, how about we make a bet?”
“A bet?”
“Yes, a bet.”
“What kind of bet are you suggesting?”

For the first time, Gu Yangcheon seemed genuinely intrigued.
Cheol Hwan-oh raised three fingers.

“I’ll give you three chances.”
“Oh?”
“If, within those three chances, you can land a hit on me, you win.”
“Wait a minute.”
“Why? Are you scared?”
“No, I just wanted to ask, will you be attacking or countering during those three attempts?”
“…?”

What was he talking about?
Cheol Hwan-oh had clearly said he’d be giving him three chances. What did he mean by this?
Seeing Cheol Hwan-oh’s confused expression, Gu Yangcheon continued.

“Ah, sorry. I’ve been in situations where people say they’ll give me three attempts and then attack me in the middle of them. I just wanted to make sure.”
“…I see.”

It was a strange reaction.
What kind of madman would offer a challenge and then attack in the middle of it?
At least, no one from the righteous sects would ever do such a thing.

As Cheol Hwan-oh was pondering this, Gu Yangcheon spoke again.

“I understand the conditions, but since this is a bet, what do I get if I win?”
“Not that it’ll happen, but what do you want?”
“Hmm…”

Gu Yangcheon seemed to ponder for a moment before quickly finding an answer.

“In that case, can you exempt me from morning training?”
“…Ha.”

Cheol Hwan-oh let out a breath of disbelief.
A martial artist, a junior at Jinryong Pavilion, was asking to be excused from training.

It was absurd.

“For the half-year that you’re in charge of this group, please excuse me from morning practice.”
“…You really must think nothing of me.”
“It’s not that, but you did say this was a bet, right?”
“Fine. But if I win….”
“You can make any demand you want. I’ll accept whatever it is.”

Clack

Gu Yangcheon’s casual tone finally pushed Cheol Hwan-oh over the edge.
His expression twisted in frustration.

Gu Yangcheon’s attitude was nothing short of a complete disregard for him as an instructor.

'Fine. If you’re so eager for death, I’ll show you the true difference in our levels.'

Whoosh!

Cheol Hwan-oh’s energy surged, far heavier and more oppressive than before.
The juniors who were still conscious retched at the overwhelming force.

The bloodlust infused into his energy was too much for their bodies to handle.

If it were any other junior, Cheol Hwan-oh would have held back.
But after Gu Yangcheon’s blatant disregard, he had no intention of restraining himself.

Let him understand.
That not all peak-level masters were the same.

That there was a whole other world beyond his arrogance.

“Come.”

Cheol Hwan-oh’s eyes gleamed, but Gu Yangcheon stood still, watching with an unreadable expression.

“Why are you just standing there? Are you scared?”

It was only natural that someone so young, despite having reached the peak, would hesitate against someone of Cheol Hwan-oh’s level.
As Cheol Hwan-oh began to smirk, he said:

“If you realize your mistake and apologize now, I might let this slide….”
“I think this should be good enough. It’s cutting it close.”
“…?”

Gu Yangcheon’s calm words interrupted him.
Just as Cheol Hwan-oh was about to question him further, Gu Yangcheon raised his hand and whispered softly.

“Flame Jade.”
“…!”

That stance, those words.

It was the technique that had caused a sensation among the instructors during the recent exams.
The True Dragon of the Gu family’s hidden art.

There were stories circulating about how the entire test site had been turned upside down.
They said that the power Gu Yangcheon had displayed during the exams was something that shouldn’t have been possible at the peak level.

'No way.'

Just as the thought crossed Cheol Hwan-oh’s mind, flames erupted, surging outward in a wave of heat.

His previously oppressive aura and killing intent were instantly sucked in by the flames.
Into Gu Yangcheon’s palm.

The crackling flames twisted and roared, gathering all the surrounding energy into a single point.

'This…this is impossible!'

The sheer amount of energy made Cheol Hwan-oh realize the mistake he had made.
This was no ordinary peak-level martial artist.

'Is he planning to release it all at once?'

Cheol Hwan-oh had completely forgotten about the three chances he’d offered.
If Gu Yangcheon let loose with this attack, there would be no stopping it.

'I can’t block this!'

Even if Cheol Hwan-oh used his full strength, he couldn’t protect the juniors from the aftermath.
He surged his energy to his legs, preparing to stop the attack.

Boom!

The ground shook as Cheol Hwan-oh launched himself forward, closing the distance between him and Gu Yangcheon in an instant.
But to Cheol Hwan-oh, that moment felt like an eternity.

'Can I stop it?'

Calculations raced through his mind.
What would the explosion’s range be?
How much would the backlash affect Gu Yangcheon?

There were no answers to be found.
If worst came to worst, Cheol Hwan-oh was prepared to use his own body to shield the juniors.

He reached out.
His qi-covered arm shot forward, moving at incredible speed.

But.

Whoosh!

“…What?”

His hand passed through empty air.
Gu Yangcheon had dodged, moving out of the way.

Cheol Hwan-oh’s eyes widened.
How could he react at that speed?

But there was no time for amazement.
Cheol Hwan-oh’s own momentum had left him slightly off balance, slowing his movements.

Gu Yangcheon took full advantage of the opening.

With a swift motion, he raised his flame-covered palm, bringing it close to Cheol Hwan-oh’s face.

Clench

He clenched his fist, the surrounding air vibrating with the pressure.
Cheol Hwan-oh’s hair fluttered in the resulting shockwave.

Gasp!

Expecting an explosion, Cheol Hwan-oh clenched his eyes shut, raising his energy to try to contain the blast.

But.

“…?”

Nothing happened.
There was no fiery surge, no devastating explosion.

Instead, a soft breeze brushed against Cheol Hwan-oh’s skin.

Then, he felt a light touch on his chest.

Looking down, he saw Gu Yangcheon’s fist gently pressed against his chest.

Cheol Hwan-oh’s mouth slowly fell open in shock.
Gu Yangcheon, seeing his reaction, simply smiled.

“I caught the monster.”

He said with a satisfied grin.