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Chapter 8: Lotus Entrance (蓮花閣))

Chapter 8: Lotus entrance (蓮花閣))

Yeonhwagak screening was held.

The examination is divided into two parts..

Intelligence and uneducation.

In the case of Jisung, it wasn't that difficult..

This is because the subjects of the review are those under the age of majority in the first place..

Anyway, what do you expect from a child who is not even an adult?.

The most important thing in the evaluation was not academics but martial arts..

Murmur.

“Ugh, my stomach hurts..”

“Huh, they're all just useless guys..”

On the training ground prepared at Yeonhwagak.

It was crowded with the Four Great Disciples, who were as young as six or seven years old, and at most twelve years old..

The number was about a hundred people..

These many people are all young dancers who will challenge the judging..

Because he was young, it was noisy and the reactions were varied..

I felt like I was going to cry at any moment due to excessive tension, I became stiff as a stone, or I was wary of my surroundings because it was so sunny..

Joo Seocheon took a seat in an inconspicuous corner and waited for his turn..

“who is that?”

“It's an unfamiliar face”

While Joo Seo-cheon was waiting for his turn, he received a little attention that he did not want..

“I'm not too old to challenge the judging panel.?”

Thanks to cliff climbing and overflowing endurance, he has grown tremendously..

Even though he was ten, he looked like he was around fourteen..

Perhaps because of this, there were often murmurs that Yeonhwagak did not meet the evaluation standards..

“What do you care so much about? I'm the one who will fall anyway.”

someone snorted.

It was an obvious laugh.

“Potential competitors have been researched in advance..

If you look at things that aren't in your memory, it's clear that he's not a big deal..”

Yeonhwagak could be reexamined as long as the age was right..

Joong-won’s age of adulthood is fifteen..

Even if you enter the profession at the age of fourteen, it comes with many advantages..

Needless to say, I had the honor of being from Yeonhwagak, and more than anything, I was able to receive excellent training at a different level..

Even if the period was one year, it didn't matter..

As a result, the number of people preparing to enter Yeonhwagak was considerable, and their efforts were also great..

Although the judging process is different every year, we conducted thorough research on each other because competitions tend to come up frequently..

It was to find a way to win even a little bit..

In any case, there was little about Ju Seocheon within the scope of this preliminary investigation..

There was a reason why he didn't fit in with others, but it was only after a short time that he attracted attention..

“for a moment”

Someone recognized Joo Seo-cheon.

“I saw that face a while ago……

Oh yeah. He is the disciple of Soyougeom..”

Not long ago, a visitor came to congratulate Yoo Jeong-mok..

It was also present inside the volcanic wave..

Apparently, there was a disciple related to the visitor..

Some children were excited by the name Soyougeom..

“joy!”

A child with a high nose snorted..

“His reputation is well known these days, but I've never heard of his disciple being special.!”

‘Well, okay. I'll just move on..’

If he had said anything bad about his teacher, I was going to kill him right here and now, but on the contrary, since it was more of a compliment, I decided to skip it..

It didn't feel too bad.

“Instead of worrying about that guy, it's better to move your body at least a little.!”

“That's right, exactly what you said. Let's go.”

Two people who liked to chat left.

“Hmm, these are the only ones that will fall just by looking at them..

You can easily stick to it without much effort.?”

Joo Seocheon smiled as if relieved..

After exactly one examination, the four great disciples who were about to be judged were in despair..

“No, I'm screwed.!”

There were screams everywhere..

Before the judging began, the four great disciples who had been laughing at Joo Seo-cheon and talking freely also looked pale..

“how do you beat that?”

Some children lost their will to fight and gave up before even fighting..

“I knew that genius would come out someday, but……”

“Who knew it would be today?!”

The child next to him complained in a resentful voice, but trudged on with his shoulders slumped..

“next!”

The judge nominated the four great disciples who were waiting for their turn..

But most of them went back with weak steps..

“Huh”

Joo Seo-cheon also looked at the judge with a surprised face..

In the middle, there was a young, beautiful girl standing in front of the examiner..

‘Nakso Moon (落小月))!’

As one of the Four Great Disciples of the Hwasan Sect, he is nine years old, one year younger than Ju Seo-cheon..

He was also famous in his own way..

Information about Luo Xiaoyue appeared in Zhou Xianqian’s mind..

This is because she was a vividly memorable character even in the world before her return..

‘Plum blossom sword …… !’

Maehwageombong, Naksowol.

He was the fourth grandson of the famous Cheolhyeolmaegeom (鐵血梅劍), one of the current five elders of Hwasan and one of the highest level masters of the transcendental state..

Although her relationship with a priest is unusual, she herself is a character that cannot be ignored..

Although he was not talented enough to make an entire generation laugh, he still showed unusual qualities from a young age..

With his qualifications and efforts, and with Elder Hwasan Oh as his founder, the future was virtually guaranteed..

In fact, in her previous life, Nak So-wol grew at an incredible speed and was named a plum blossom swordsman..

Afterwards, he was recognized to the point where he was given the star title of 'Bong', the best among the later exponents of the political faction, Moorim..

Military force is also military force, but when Luo Xiaoyue was about a year old, she became the number one beauty in Wulin..

Is it called ‘Beautiful Life’?.

After the era of war began, Luo Xiaoyue was active and became a hero, but he eventually died before he reached his thirties..

The back of the hero that Joo Seocheon chased.

One of the people who showed his back was Maehwageombong Nak So-wol..

“Haha, you're out of luck……”

I tried to approach the judging with the feeling of taking a walk..

Among the examinees around me, there was no one who could be a threat..

Except for one person, Naksowol..

“next!”

“Pfft!”

It wasn't that there were no challengers at all..

Among these, there were some for whom today was the last day..

To ensure that their efforts so far were not in vain, they climbed up to the judging table and challenged Luo So-wol..

Chae-ang!

“Ouch!”

When Luo Xiaoyue swung his sword, the challengers fell like leaves in the autumn wind..

It was a natural thing..

Some of the examiners clicked their tongues and shook their heads from side to side..

I felt like there was no need to look any further..

Naksowol is the grandson of the Five Elders of Hwasan..

From a young age, I was taught excellent teachings and martial arts of ascension..

He also had great talent, so it was obvious whether he would win or lose..

Until just a moment ago, there were no various emotions such as anxiety, hope, enthusiasm, etc..

All I could see was despair.

The level of challengers was never low..

On the contrary, among the four great disciples, there were only those who belonged to the highest rank..

Yeonhwagak is an elite group before adulthood..

Since it is a place where only gifted people gather, the level of challengers naturally increases..

The opponent was just bad.

“They say heroes are different from their roots, but……”

Joo Seocheon stood up and laughed..

“next!”

The examiner looked around and raised his voice..

But no one came forward..

“This year is over... … Because there is next year ……”

“You're young... … Why is it this year?……!”

Sighs of resignation and despair were heard here and there..

I thought the review of Yeonhwagak was over like that..

“It's still there.”

But a person no one expected appeared.

‘You're Soyuken's disciple.?’

The examiner recognized Joo Seo-cheon..

“That stupid guy!”

Before Ban Shijin, the Four Great Disciples who looked down on Ju Seo-cheon laughed as if it were absurd..

It was an obvious mockery..

Win or lose is obvious.

Among these, there was no challenger who could defeat Luo Xiaoyue..

No, to be honest, the key was how long I would last regardless of whether I won or lost..

Moreover, Joo Seo-cheon was not listed as a contender to watch out for..

In fact, most judges look at Joo Seocheon and ask, 'What is that?' He said, puzzled..

“Did you go crazy because you wanted to be embarrassed??”

“No, I'm just not thinking..

They don't know much about Naksowol, so they can act like that..”

I heard whispers around me..

“Do you mind if I start right away??”

Joo Seocheon asked while looking at the examiner..

The examiner shook his head instead of answering..

“Please take care of me.”

Luo Xiaoyue greeted politely..

Even though he was only a nine-year-old child, etiquette was ingrained in him..

After Joo Seo-cheon responded to Nak So-wol's greeting with a nod, he slightly bent his knees and prepared to jump out at any time..

Apply slight pressure to the sword in your hand and look straight ahead..

There was no change in expression.

At this, Nak So-wol looked at Joo Seo-cheon curiously..

“I've never seen anyone look so calm when they see me..”

“Why are you so mature for a nine year old??”

Joo Seocheon laughed as if he was dumbfounded..

It was an ingrained courtesy, but it was amazing to hear him speak so clearly and in such a calm voice..

It has been said that children, regardless of gender, are innocent, but Naksowol did not feel that way..

“The more I look at it, the more interesting it gets..

It's like you're talking like an old man..”

“okay?”

‘Well, it's nice to see you young..’

I didn't show it on the outside, but I was disappointed on the inside..

Actually, it's not an uncle, it's a grandfather..

“The player will yield.”

Naksowol relaxed..

“thanks.”

Joo Seocheon grinned with a bright face..

‘If possible, you must pass Yeonhwagak by following the line so as not to be noticed..’

Since the opponent is the opponent, the ramifications of winning are significant..

Then, he could have become famous even outside of Gangho..

But I couldn't lose.

That's because I'm not sure if I'll pass or not..

In that case, you should win, but make them think that they won because of their hard work, not because of an overwhelming difference in skill..

‘How did you get so screwed up from the beginning?.’

If it weren't for Nak So-wol, he would have managed to adjust his skills to match those of the registered and average students and pass without a doubt..

However, the so-called genius, Luo So-wol, came out and gave me a headache..

You could also wait a year, but there was no time for that..

“Then let's go.”

Ju Seocheon moved the flow of bets to Yongcheonhyeol..

“I think it will be over in three seconds.?”

Someone among the examiners muttered..

The reactions of other onlookers were similar..

everyone thought so.

however……

“Whoop!”

I took a breath for a moment..

My body gained strength.

The delicate thigh muscles contracted and expanded in an instant..

Joo Seocheon swung his legs as if he was pushing the ground and threw himself away..

Pa—ah!

Joo Seo-cheon's body arrived at Nak So-wol in the blink of an eye..

“ ……!”

Luo Sowol blinked his eyes in surprise at the opponent's unexpected speed..

“her!”

The onlookers who were watching were also surprised..

In particular, the expressions of the judges, who seemed bored, changed unusually..

Joo Seo-cheon used an iron sword that fit his body and performed a single strike of the plum blossom sword..

Luo Sowol quickly raised his sword and blocked it..

Je-ang!

Parr

‘tremendous internal strength)!’

Luo Sowol’s slender wrist trembled slightly..

Joo Seocheon looks older, but he still hasn't gone beyond being a boy..

Unless you are young, there is no way your pure strength would be this strong..

If so, it meant the power of inner strength..

Luo So-wol regretted giving up the player and took the next action..

Once I stepped on the steps, I quickly regressed..

‘calm down.’

The moment he took a few steps back, Luo Xiaoyue's head quickly rotated and he thought of a plan of action..

‘I wonder how he got this strength, but that's not the point..’

Luo Xiaoyue is young, but her way of thinking is already close to that of an adult..

It is often said that he is a genius..

The understanding, situational judgment, and knowledge of martial arts were also difficult to regard as belonging to a nine-year-old..

Above all, her greatest ability was that she could create many possibilities even in the short moment of clashing swords..

‘Next, you have to think about how to attack.……’

Plum sword, Yukhap sword, Nakyeong sword method, Maehwa Yeonglong sword, Five elements plum sword

These were martial arts that could be learned at the other person's age..

I don't know exactly what he was training for, but I was sure he would attack with one of these..

Luo Xiaoyue knew about these five martial arts, and drew them up in his mind in advance to respond accordingly..

but……

“……yes?”

In that brief moment, everything I had planned fell apart..

Not a single thing was right.

I didn't use the martial arts of ascension..

No, it wasn't martial arts in the first place..

“take it!”

Joo Seocheon shouted excitedly and swung his sword..

I literally swung my sword.

I didn't even use a plum sword..

It was just a random swing..

It has no formality, nor is it equipped with a sword..

Drawn diagonally from top left to bottom right.

It wasn't even a plum sword..

“What……!”

I was caught off guard..

Luo Sowol can come up with various solutions even in a split second, but on the other hand, that can also be a flaw..

To put it in a bad way, I had a lot of useless thoughts, and I became fixated on those thoughts and was embarrassed when other things came to me..

When Joo Seo-cheon unfolded a sword that was too embarrassing to call a sword technique, Nak So-wol suddenly blocked it and made a blank expression..

“Here we go again!”

Joo Seocheon shouted as if to say, “Look!”.

In the bottom battle, I recklessly increased my strength and used it..

pabababat!

The body receives internal energy and moves quickly.

Well-trained muscles gained strength from cliff climbing.

Every time the sword was drawn, a heavy booming sound erupted..

The atmosphere split and aimed for Naksowol..

But it wasn't a law either..

It was just a swing..

Chaeng!

As the sword clashed with the sword, sparks spewed out..

“Moak!”

Luo Sowol let out a faint scream..

The shock that spread from the sword to the hand and to the entire body was quite significant..

“bout!”

nettle―!

A sound that follows a short burst of energy.

Nak So-wol raised his sword and blocked Ju Seo-cheon's sword..

Chae Jae-jae-chang!

These offensives and defensive actions continued..

Joo Seocheon pushed forward ignorantly with the power of his inner strength and swung his sword at random..

Luo Sowol blocked it all..

Although he was confused at first, Luo Xiaoyue was able to block the sword with his natural reflexes..

Although the random sword was irregular, it was not unstoppable..

Conversely, I rested more..

Because it was such a monotonous movement, it was like a blatant warning as there was no high-level sword path..

Would it be like a child randomly swinging a wooden sword without knowing anything?.

It felt like that.

“Wow!”

Eventually, the final scream came out..

Geomro (劍路) is clearly visible to the eye..

It was so obvious that I yawned..

I could avoid it even if I closed one eye..

But that only applies to the expected path of the sword..

The power and speed of the flying sword itself were not at all.

Even if you could predict the route, it was meaningless if your body couldn't follow it..

Truly overwhelming, ignorant prowess!

In the end, it was Nak So-wol who raised the white flag in front of that power..

“I lost… … Yes……”

Luo Xiaoyue dropped her sword..

That face wasn't bright.

There was none of the leisure that was visible just before..

“Winner, Joo Seocheon!”

The examiner raised his hand to signal the end of the dance..

But the expression wasn't very good.

“What is that!”

“Well, there's all that stuff.!”

There were boos coming from all over the place..

The boos were directed at the winner, Joo Seo-cheon, not the loser, Nak So-wol..

“Admit that shit?”

“A person worse than third-rate!”

“Are you still a disciple of Hwasan?!”

volcanic wave.

No, political factions value honor more than life..

Especially in the case of the Volcanic Sect, they were even stricter with swords..

According to his thoughts and ideology, it was natural that Joo Seo-cheon's actions would be met with boos and insults even if he won..

This is not another place, but Yeonhwagak, which boasts a long history..

There, he won in a way that would be shameful even to be called martial arts, let alone swordsmanship..

Even if it wasn't rolling on the floor, throwing dirt, or using men and women, it was an act close enough to an insult..

‘Because it was expected, well.’

Joo Seocheon ignored the jeers and curses without any hesitation..

‘It's a problem if it's too strong.’

It meant not only Nak So-wol but also himself..

It is difficult to defeat a warrior as strong as Nak So-wol using ordinary methods..

You must unfold your plum sword and show your inaction..

But then it's too strong.

No matter how hard I tried, my body, strengthened by this damn strengthening exercise, was the problem..

He even had a lot of internal strength, so even with just the basic sword technique, the Plum Sword, his power easily surpassed that of a third-rate sword..

I imagined that if I showed this, the examiners would open their mouths and report to Jang Mun-in and Hwasan Oh Elder..

However, if you lower your skills too much, you won't be able to beat Luo Xiaoyue..

So, after much deliberation, this was the method I came up with..

How to beat Luo Sowol, but prevent unnecessary rumors and evaluations of him being a genius or something like that..

Compete with only your strength and body.

If I did this, I could hide my skills and win..

“Shame on you.!”

However, there was a small price to pay for it..

‘If it weren't for the era of war, I too wouldn't have been able to raise my face in shame..’

He was also a typical political figure..

Not only would I not forgive such behavior, I would never even think of doing it in the first place..

However, after the era of war, the unique stereotypical way of thinking of political factions changed significantly..

The circumstances of Moorim were too bad to keep and insist on traditions and customs..

This is the same reason why Elder Hwasan Oh came to know about martial arts that are traditional legends such as Jahaingong and Jahageomgyeol..

The political faction became quite progressive, saying that it was unavoidable for the survival of the faction..

The era of war changed many things in Wulin, and Ju Seo-cheon was also one of the people who changed with the times..

‘No matter how much I couldn't help it, I feel uneasy because Master's reputation will suffer..’

Joo Seocheon sighed softly..

* * *

Yeonhwagak's screening was over, but it could not be said to have ended safely..

Although there were no injuries or deaths, it was due to the controversial dance..

It's about Joo Seo-cheon and Nak So-wol..

“It is not allowed..”

A middle-aged woman around 50 years old said:.

It was characterized by an impression as cold as ice..

This is Shim Ok-ryeon (深玉聯), the Hwasan Five Elder Cheolhyeolmaegum..

“Elder Shim. It's not that I don't understand, but I still need to hear the story.?”

An old man who seemed to have a kind smile that suited his small physique spoke..

He is also one of the Five Elders of Hwasan..

Jigeomong (智劍翁) Haksong (學送)).

Among Yi Dae disciples, he was ranked second only to Jang Mun-in..

“It's not worth discussing, Elder Hak..

The person who insulted the sword of Hwasan is enshrined in Yeonhwagak..”

Shim Ok-ryeon spoke in a calm tone while considering each detail..

Most of them were opinions about Ju Seo-cheon's mistakes or etiquette..

Clearly, Ju Seo-cheon's actions were not very good from the standpoint of the Hwasan faction, or rather, the political faction..

“Just as Elder Shim said.”

Among the people present at the court, the middle-aged man with the tallest height nodded in agreement to Shim Ok-ryeon's claim..

Likewise, it was the same Hwasan Oh Elder, Myeongsuak Jo Muyang..

For reference, the Five Elders of Hwasan do not use the title of death penalty unless they share the same teacher..

Even if the Hyangryeol is different, it is because the status of the Hwasan Five Elders themselves is given priority and respected..

However, in the case of Haksong, it was an exception because it was very old and ranked among the disciples of Lee University..

“Hehehe, both of you, please don't embarrass Elder Hak too much..

I want to hear the story too.”

Woo Il-moon looked away while stroking his white beard..

“And maybe we should listen to the other two's opinions as well.?”

Haksong looked grateful for Jang Moonin’s help..

“As I heard, I received a report that a student of Soyougeom had taken an elixir. Is that true??”

Pharmacist Youngjin’s eyes sparkled..

Movements shown by Joo Seocheon in the judging room.

That was absolutely not something a nine year old could have done..

Power and speed come from internal energy..

At that speed, it had to be at least twenty years of endurance..

There was no way the warriors who were the judges of the Hwasan Sect did not know that, so of course they reported it as is..

There was also questioning of Joo Seo-cheon..

Accordingly, Ju Seo-cheon confessed to the truth by mixing up lies about Suryeong Shingwa..

In the past, when Yoo Jeong-mok went to a regular meeting, he sneaked out and enjoyed deviant behavior and said that he discovered it by chance..

Anyway, when you enter Yeonhwagak, unlike Suwon-dong, the bridge head attaches itself to each and every person and takes care of them..

True veins were naturally included among them, and if that happened, it was inevitable that the internal strength of slightly over half a pack would be discovered..

However, in this case, it was not mentioned as a big problem..

It may have been an elixir belonging to the Volcanic Sect, but since I took it without an owner, it was difficult to judge right or wrong..

I wouldn't have known it if I had heard rumors about Susu Shin-gwa in advance and ordered that if discovered, not to take it and to report it immediately..

This made me feel like there was nothing I could do about taking the elixir..

Instead, he was punished for sneaking out and enjoying deviant behavior when Yoo Jeong-mok was away..

Even though the punishment was not that great, it was just that I got to do chores like cleaning the toilet for about a month..

“I can't take out the elixir from its stomach, but I still want to know what effects it has..”

The intention was to place it in Yeonhwagak and observe it..

As can be seen from his title, Yeongjin is a military doctor and a doctor who manufactures herbal medicine..

There were two votes in favor and two votes against this..

Everyone's eyes naturally turned to one place..

Wijigyeol, Plum Blossom Swordmaster)

Hwasan Oh Elder.

No, in the volcano group, there is a nickname that has been passed down from generation to generation, like Beihai Palace Lord..

A person who can move twenty-four moves independently alongside Jang Mun-in..

The position itself was a special rank, Maehwageomjang..

His name was special among the Five Elders of Hwasan and he had strong external authority..

“Put him in office.”

“swordsman.”

Shim Ok-ryeon’s eyebrows trembled..

Wijigyeol continued without blinking an eye..

“A child who is only ten years old has a wonderful spirit..

No matter what your qualifications are, if you teach them hard enough, it will be enough..

There may be a lot to say, but it's not so much that I can't handle it..”

The Five Elders of Hwasan also have their own fields and are given authority accordingly..

When appointing elite groups such as Yeonhwagak or Maehwageomsu, the authority of Maehwageomjang takes priority..

Even if there are two votes in favor and three votes against, if the Maehwa Swordsman raises his hand, that side will have more power..

match!

Woo Il-moon raised his hand and attracted the attention of the audience..

“Well then, I'll end the meeting with this..

The people who entered Yeonhwagak were Ju Seo-cheon and Nak So-wol. There are at least two people..”