Rustle—
Fragments of stone rolled about the surroundings.
Tiny specks of dust mingled with the wind, swirling chaotically.
Even the faint heat lingering in the air was soon swept away by the winter wind.
“What…? What in the world just happened?”
Beginning with the words unconsciously muttered by an unknown clan’s heir—
The previously quiet surroundings were instantly filled with murmurs.
“They said it contained ten-thousand-year cold iron. How did that turn out like that?”
“There’s a hole in it!”
Those who had taken the test before him had.
Barely made a scratch the size of a fingernail and passed, whereas.
Someone had shattered the pillar outright.
There was no choice but for such a reaction to arise.
The person who had caused this mess, however, was hardly in a position to enjoy their amazement.
‘Should I have controlled it more?’
No, in the first place, I shouldn’t have mixed in any heat.
Even if I wasn’t going to leave a tiny scratch like the others.
Destroying it like this was going a little too far.
‘You were told to keep it reasonable, you idiot.’
No matter how much I needed to vent my anger.
This was far too excessive.
On top of that—
“Heh heh….”
Why was that woman here again?
Around the time we moved to the plain where the test was to be held.
Among the instructors checking over the schedule.
I spotted one familiar face.
‘Was this what she meant when she said I’d find out?’
The woman suppressing her laughter as she watched me cause a commotion.
Was none other than the Plum Blossom Sword Queen.
‘They said Kunlun would be managing this year’s Divine Dragon Hall.’
Then why was she here?
The fact that the Sword Queen was working as an instructor here was one thing.
‘Did the Sect Leader of Kunlun agree to this?’
Rather than the fact that an elder-level martial artist from another sect had come to help.
The surprising part was the Sword Queen’s presence.
More than the news that the Qinghai One Sword, the Sect Leader of the Kunlun Sect, would serve as the Hall Master.
The Sword Queen working as an instructor was what would attract attention.
In an age when both fame and reputation were important.
It was strange that the Qinghai One Sword had so readily accepted this.
‘There must have been some exchange between them.’
But I couldn’t know the details.
In any case—
‘…There’s another one of these, right?’
I was looking at the stone pillar I had destroyed with my own hands.
Surely they hadn’t failed to prepare spares.
This was Kunlun we were talking about. They wouldn’t have made such a mistake.
What if there weren’t any?
‘What can I do about it?’
It’ll work out somehow….
As I rubbed my face and watched the situation unfold.
The Sword Queen, who had been chuckling for quite some time.
Finally managed to suppress her laughter and spoke.
“Group Two, Gu Yangcheon. Passed.”
When my name burst from the Sword Queen’s lips, carried by internal energy—
“Gu Yangcheon…?”
Only then did the people around me begin to recognize me.
“The True Dragon, Gu Yangcheon?”
Oh… But I still wasn’t used to the title attached to my name.
Just then—
Crack.
I caught a glimpse of someone subtly scratching another stone pillar and moving on.
With a light strike, an extremely fine crack appeared.
Amid the murmuring voices.
The instructor observing this said,
“Group Two, Bi Eujin… Passed.”
Upon hearing that, Bi Eujin looked this way and smiled faintly.
‘That man?’
Bi Eujin seemed to be planning to use the commotion I had caused to quietly slip through.
What a sly bastard.
…I’d been planning to do the same thing.
‘I’ve been had.’
Who would have thought he was thinking the same thing?
‘Well, someone known as the Tyrant Venerable is past the age of wanting to stand out here.’
In a place where children who had only just begun growing body hair were playing.
What would he gain by attracting attention?
‘The man who knows that is acting like this.’
From that perspective, I was no different.
This was why one had to control one’s anger properly.
I had failed to control my emotions for no reason and caused trouble.
I turned away after looking at the fragments scattered across the ground.
I walked into the crowd amid the noisy muttering voices.
There was still a long way to go before the test ended.
As I slipped into the crowd, I thought—
‘…Since things have turned out this way.’
I had already attracted attention anyway.
Perhaps it would be better to make things perfectly clear.
******************
—I heard it from the Plum Blossom Immortal.
When the Sword Queen had faced the Qinghai One Sword.
The Qinghai One Sword’s gaze had been far from friendly.
Given the circumstances, that was only natural.
Even a meeting for such a purpose.
Would never have taken place if not for the Sect Leader of Mount Hua.
“You wish to come as an instructor to the Divine Dragon Hall… which is scheduled for next month?”
“Yes.”
“May I ask why?”
The Qinghai One Sword directed a cold gaze at the Sword Queen.
It was the sharp perception of one who had trained with the sword all his life.
However, the Sword Queen did not waver.
She had anticipated a situation like this long ago.
“I will not accept the pretty excuse that you wish to educate the young heirs.”
“Do you believe that isn’t the case, Sect Leader?”
“If that were the whole reason, it would be difficult to believe so readily. You know better than anyone that the world does not work that way.”
“…”
Yes.
Such tender stories.
Had vanished from the world when the Demon Realm opened.
The Sword Queen knew this better than anyone.
“You appear to want something.”
“Yes.”
Thus, the Sword Queen answered honestly. She had something she needed to do at the Divine Dragon Hall.
After hearing her answer, the Qinghai One Sword stared at her.
Then he spoke.
“It was the Plum Blossom Immortal’s request, and he told me to handle it as I saw fit. Thus, I will not refuse you outright.”
“Thank—”
“If you agree to do me a favor.”
Whoosh.
In an instant, a cool breeze filled the room.
The Sword Queen had to tense herself as she felt the wind.
The breeze filling the room at that moment.
Could turn razor-sharp at any time with nothing more than the Qinghai One Sword’s will.
“You have two choices, Sword Queen.”
“…I am listening.”
“One is to tell me your reason and grant me a small favor.”
She was to explain why she wished to come as an instructor to the Divine Dragon Hall.
And in exchange, there would be a small favor.
The Sword Queen listened quietly to the Qinghai One Sword.
“I would like to hear the second choice.”
She searched for another option.
There had to be a reason he offered two choices, even while saying he would only agree if she explained herself.
And, as expected—
“The second is to grant me a great favor without telling me your reason.”
The Qinghai One Sword gave the answer the Sword Queen had hoped for.
“…I choose the second.”
The Sword Queen selected her choice without much hesitation.
The Qinghai One Sword seemed somewhat surprised.
“It seems you are rather reluctant to tell me your reason.”
“…If there is an option that allows me not to explain myself, I simply wish to choose it.”
“Hmm…. Do you know what my favor is?”
“I will listen to that as well.”
At the Sword Queen’s seemingly unhesitating reply.
The Qinghai One Sword instead rested his chin on his hand and pondered.
Was the favor something he found difficult to ask?
The Sword Queen waited silently for him to speak.
After pondering for quite some time, the Qinghai One Sword.
Finally made his request to the Sword Queen.
“…A red Demon Realm Gate has appeared in Qinghai.”
At those words, the Sword Queen’s eyes widened like lanterns.
‘A red Demon Realm Gate.’
Time passed, and the day of the entrance examination arrived.
The Sword Queen had accepted the Qinghai One Sword’s request.
And had come to the Divine Dragon Hall in the capacity of an instructor.
But then as now.
The words spoken by the Qinghai One Sword continued to echo in the Sword Queen’s ears.
‘…A red Demon Realm Gate has appeared. And it will open before long.’
Had he said it would be around autumn of next year?
In truth, what the Sword Queen considered important about his words was something else.
If the Qinghai One Sword’s words were true.
Leaving aside the fact that a Demon Realm Gate had appeared.
Even setting aside the matter of a Demon Realm whose traces had already emerged.
And the claim that it would open in autumn.
The greatest problem, if his words were true, was something else.
The problem was the appearance of a red Demon Realm that had not emerged for a very long time.
That was the greatest issue.
‘If that is true.’
Why had the Qinghai One Sword not reported the news to the Alliance?
And why had he asked her for a favor?
Furthermore—
‘He came to serve as Hall Master in this situation?’
If this had happened in the region where Kunlun was located.
Then no matter how important the position of Hall Master of the Divine Dragon Hall was.
It could not possibly be more important than the appearance of a red Demon Realm Gate.
Green and blue creatures were said to be easily dealt with by martial artists who had reached a certain level.
But that was not the case with the red monsters recorded in history.
The Sword Queen could not help but question why the Qinghai One Sword had left his own land to come to the Divine Dragon Hall.
She did not believe he was the sort of person who would choose honor and reputation even after seeing the danger facing Qinghai.
‘What could be the reason?’
It was not only she who had exchanged words with him.
There must have been some exchange between the Qinghai One Sword and others as well.
Otherwise.
He would never have come despite knowing his disciples would resent him.
Nevertheless.
Though countless thoughts passed through her mind.
The Sword Queen had first accepted his proposal.
He had asked her to lend a hand if the red Demon Realm Gate truly opened in the future.
From the Sword Queen’s perspective.
Even if it was another region.
If a red Demon Realm opened.
She would have gone regardless of whether such a bargain had been made.
‘So for now, it’s better to focus on this.’
The Sword Queen thought about why she had come here.
‘I have to find it quickly.’
The Plum Blossom Stone, which she expected to be somewhere within the Divine Dragon Hall.
It was an object even the Plum Blossom Immortal did not know about.
If “he” had not told the Sword Queen about it, she would never have known either.
But now that she did know, she had to find it.
If only for the sake of what was to come.
“…Group Two, Seon Uiseok. Passed.”
After announcing the final successful candidate in Group Two.
The sun had already set.
They had to finish even the second examination today.
So it seemed they would be continuing until dawn.
Afterward, the instructors gathered in one place to organize the day’s events.
From martial artists affiliated with the Martial Alliance to those from the Kunlun Sect.
Most of them possessed titles of their own, or at the very least had reached a clearly remarkable level.
Yet the gazes of nearly all of them were directed toward the Sword Queen.
The position granted by the title Sword Queen was not one that ought to have been present in a place like this.
Though all those gazes focused on her, the Sword Queen seemed unconcerned and merely finished her work.
“…Only half of them were eliminated.”
“Isn’t it surprising that so many remain?”
“Yes, this batch certainly does seem different.”
“More than a hundred under these circumstances….”
Since the number of students who could enter was fixed, this was quite a troublesome matter from the instructors’ perspective.
As they continued organizing this and that.
One instructor spoke.
“Judging by what we’ve seen so far, wouldn’t there be around ten people who are definite?”
It was a fairly convincing statement.
Most of those present nodded.
Everyone immediately thought of the ten people he meant.
“…The top candidate also seems to have been decided.”
At the instructor’s words, the gazes of many turned in one direction.
The debris that had not been properly cleared away was clearly fragments of the pillar brought from Kunlun.
Those who had witnessed the scene still remembered it vividly.
The moment someone not yet twenty had.
Toppled the pillar with a single thrust.
The words that came to mind at the same time were—
—I wonder if I could do that.
That was the thought.
Could they have truly done it themselves?
And along with it—
‘The True Dragon.’
That was when the young man’s title became engraved in the instructor’s mind.
The Sword Queen looked at them with a peculiar gaze.
‘He did strike it too hard.’
Of course, she was rather pleased by what she had seen.
It was true that the Sword Queen had come to the Divine Dragon Hall with a purpose.
But Gu Yangcheon was certainly part of that purpose.
Her disciple had gone on and on about how her elder brother would be entering the Divine Dragon Hall this time.
And she was also secretly curious about how much the boy had grown.
The Sword Queen soon thought of a young man with a fierce face.
‘If there is to be a future Number One Under Heaven, it will be that child.’
In some ways, those were audaciously weighty words.
She was saying this of a rising youth who had only just begun to grow, setting aside the current Three Venerables and the emerging new generation.
But even so.
The Sword Queen was certain.
If Gu Yangcheon continued to grow as he was.
And reached the peak of his prime.
The future Number One Under Heaven would certainly be that child.
Gu Yangcheon possessed the presence and talent to justify such a title.
At least, that was how it seemed to her.
As the Sword Queen folded the letter and slipped it into her robes.
“Did anything unusual happen with Group One?”
The instructor of Group Two asked Group One,
“An incident… There were quite a few, but….”
He chose to hold his tongue.
Group One was where the majority of the most outstanding figures had gathered.
The Tang Clan’s Poison Phoenix.
The Murong Clan’s Snow Phoenix.
The daughter of the Peng Clan.
Even the Nangong Clan’s Sword-Dance Beauty.
The daughters of the Four Great Families had all gathered there.
Along with the Huangfu Clan’s blood relatives.
Even the Alliance Leader’s son.
The only unusual thing was that the Thunder Dragon had given up on entering the academy because of matters concerning his clan.
Looking at this,
most of the mainstays who would lead the martial world in the future had gathered in Group One.
And yet, absurdly enough,
nothing had happened that could surpass what Gu Yangcheon had done.
If one were to mention something that had stood out a little,
it would be that the Sword-Dance Beauty, famous for her beauty,
had appeared wearing a veil,
then, perhaps because she was tired, lightly carved a shallow cross into the pillar before disappearing.
And that Shin Seong had left behind one long sword mark.
On top of that—
“Is that true? That the Sword Venerable’s descendant is here?”
The first descendant of one of the current Three Venerables of the martial world had appeared.
“…It is.”
The Sword Venerable’s descendant.
It had already become a widely discussed topic from the moment that woman appeared and wielded her sword.
That breathtaking aura and those movements—
they were unmistakably the characteristics of the Moon Immortal Dance Sword created by the Sword Venerable.
If the True Dragon had not shattered the pillar to pieces,
the talk would have been filled entirely with the Sword Venerable’s descendant.
Among them, Jo Wi-seok, the instructor of Group One, quietly kept his thoughts to himself.
‘Shin Seong was the top-ranked one? What a ridiculous assumption.’
He was embarrassed that he had tried to reach a conclusion after seeing only the surface.
He also had to swallow hard as he recalled the performances of the young talents belonging to Group One.
The Sword-Dance Beauty, who had left after placing a shallow sword mark,
was by no means at such a light level.
Despite her leisurely, careless movements, the sword line she drew had been sharp and clear.
It was impossible to guess how formidable she would have been had she truly exerted herself.
The Snow Phoenix had been somewhat disappointing,
but unlike what he had heard, the Poison Phoenix was at a considerable level.
The others as well—
when compared to the young talents of his own generation,
they were on an entirely different level.
And the one they called the Sword Venerable’s descendant—
‘She was the One Sword.’
When it had been nearly the final turn,
she had cut the pillar in half and made her presence unmistakably known.
The clean cross-section he had seen while clearing away the pillar
showed just how perfectly she had swung her sword.
The moonlit aura the woman had displayed at the time,
which had captivated everyone,
was certainly the martial art of the Sword Venerable.
There were monsters everywhere.
Jo Wi-seok had to truly feel it.
Was this the generation of shooting stars?
If so,
this year’s Divine Dragon Academy would clearly not be peaceful.
‘Strangely enough….’
Truly, strangely enough,
an overwhelming number of blazing stars had gathered here.
******************
And so, when the second examination began,
Gu Yangcheon had to frown deeply.
He had already been irritated from the long waiting period,
and after hearing what the examination involved, he found it even more absurd.
The content of the test was one thing.
What was even more absurd than that was—
“Pleased to meet you.”
“Let me ask you this first.”
At the beautiful voice reaching his ears, Gu Yangcheon replied curtly.
He had good reason.
While everyone else was dealing with people who were practically dog bones,
for some reason, the opponent he alone had been matched with was far from ordinary.
“…This really was a random assignment, wasn’t it?”
“Of course. Naturally.”
The woman answered Gu Yangcheon with a radiant smile,
but he did not believe her in the slightest.
Rustle.
Along with the sound of flower petals falling from somewhere,
the fragrant scent of plum blossoms drifted through the air.
Of course—
Shing…
unlike her lovely atmosphere,
the killing intent imbued in her sword was anything but gentle.
Whether she knew what was going on inside Gu Yangcheon or not,
the woman looked at him and whispered,
“Let’s have some fun.”
Looking at that smile, Gu Yangcheon spoke in hollow disbelief.
“This isn’t right…. Seriously.”
The one standing before Gu Yangcheon, sword raised and poised,
was—
‘…Why the hell is it always me?’
—the Plum Blossom Sword Queen.