Chapter 170
Divine Strategist Jo-hyeon was in a good mood.
The sunlight streaming through the window was warm, and the tea fragrance rising from his teacup was incomparably aromatic.
'I wish every day could be like today.'
It wasn't that there were no problems in the martial world currently. Internal and external grievances were just waiting for the moment to explode.
But when has the martial world ever been different? Since the name "martial world" came into existence, there had never been a single period without conflict in the martial world.
Even places where normal people lived weren't free from troubles, so it would be stranger if there were no incidents where sword-bearing people gathered together.
Therefore, Divine Strategist Jo-hyeon didn't worry much about what was to come. He knew that whether you worried or not, what was destined to happen would happen.
Rather, the fact that the bloodbath at Nashan had been resolved thanks to Wei Yan-ho affected him more greatly.
Like dust settling after a whirlwind passes, after the great upheaval called the Nashan bloodbath occurred, the martial world had become somewhat quiet for the first time in a long while.
"Hmm."
Jo-hyeon savored the tea fragrance while looking out the window.
'It would be even better without that scene.'
From the window of the military office located in the high pavilion, he could see crowds of people gathered at the main gate all too clearly. The tent that Wei Yan-ho had set up was creating a sea of people again today.
"Mm…"
The authenticity was certain.
No, it didn't matter even if it wasn't authentic. According to the analysis results entrusted to the Orthodox Alliance's elite, it was confirmed that at least the profound insights of the Nine Sects' true divine techniques or higher were contained within.
Even if the Sword Emperor hadn't written it personally, selling such a secret manual for that price was practically the same as giving it away for free. A secret manual didn't change just because it was copied.
'Was this intentional, or did it just happen by chance… '
No matter how wise Jo-hyeon was, called the Divine Strategist, it was difficult to understand how this situation had come to this point.
If Wei Yan-ho had sold the secret manual at a reasonable price, he definitely wouldn't have made this much money.
There was a limit to the price one could pay for a single secret manual. Even if the actual value was higher, people had something called psychological resistance.
But by releasing it openly like that, competition arose.
The notable sects couldn't help but pay the expensive prices set for each sect, even while making sour faces. If the Sword Emperor's secret manual was authentic, they were anxious that competing sects might study it and dramatically raise their martial arts level.
So Wudang spent their budget, and seeing Wudang's spending, Mount Hua spent theirs, and when Mount Hua paid, even Kongtong and Qingcheng willingly paid. And hearing that Shaolin had paid, Emei also rushed down from Mount Emei in one breath to purchase the secret manual.
Various families were also secretly sending people.
If Wei Yan-ho had just sold the secret manual normally?
He could guarantee that it would have been difficult to earn even one-tenth of the money he was making now.
'He's definitely clever… '
Knowing that backlash could erupt, he deliberately made a deal to set up shop in the Orthodox Alliance's front yard, which showed he was extremely clever.
But had he really planned this whole thing out this far?
"Outstanding martial arts and amazing mental fortitude…"
He was a talent and a pillar of strength.
When the current generation retires, perhaps the next martial world would be dancing in Wei Yan-ho's palm. The boy named Wei Yan-ho was excessively outstanding to the point where Divine Strategist Jo-hyeon couldn't stop thinking about him.
"No matter how I think about it, it was well done."
Binding such a fellow to the Dormant Dragon Hall in exchange for letting him earn some money – where could you find a more profitable deal than this?
Practically speaking, the Orthodox Alliance had lost nothing.
Anyone would accept a deal where they could receive help from such a master in exchange for lending their courtyard.
'Though that's true… '
Considering all these circumstances, he had made a very successful deal and even resolved a troublesome problem in the process, so he should feel refreshed. In fact, he did… but there remained some inexplicable, subtle uneasiness.
'Is there something I haven't thought of?'
Just then, a low voice came from outside the door.
"Military Commander, it's Seok Mun-cho. May I enter?"
"Of course."
Jo-hyeon answered with a bright expression.
The door opened and Seok Mun-cho entered.
"Come in, Chief Instructor. So, is there anything unusual at the academy?"
Seok Mun-cho looked at Jo-hyeon with an unusually troubled expression.
"Actually, that's exactly what I'm here about…"
Jo-hyeon's brow furrowed slightly. He sensed from Seok Mun-cho's tone that some problem had occurred.
"…I think you need to go see for yourself."
"In person?"
Jo-hyeon tried to recall when he had last visited the Dormant Dragon Hall. Not this year, and aside from visiting to give a congratulatory speech when accepting new students last year, he didn't think he had particularly gone to the Dormant Dragon Hall.
Of course, educating the future pillars was a very important element, but he had many more important matters to attend to.
"Do you think I absolutely must go see?"
"Yes."
Seok Mun-cho answered with a confident tone.
"Because of the orders you gave, we can neither do this nor that."
With those words, Jo-hyeon decided to go to the Dormant Dragon Hall.
The recent order he had given regarding the academy was not to interfere with the educational policies of Wei Yan-ho, who would become the new instructor.
'What kind of trouble did he cause?'
Unfortunately, Jo-hyeon's thoughts were completely off the mark.
Wei Yan-ho hadn't caused any trouble.
He had simply done absolutely nothing.
"…What is this?"
"It's exactly as you see."
Jo-hyeon looked at the training ground with stunned eyes.
The Dormant Dragon Hall could be defined in various ways. A place that created a stage where the future pillars who would lead the next generation of the martial world could recognize each other, build friendships, and compete at the same time, and a place where the various sects, busy tearing at and fighting each other, could at least interact through their children to ease their hostility.
But more than anything else, what had to be considered first was that the Dormant Dragon Hall was an educational institution. Teaching the talents who would lead the future of the martial world and guiding them on the right path could be said to be the true purpose of the Dormant Dragon Hall's existence.
But…
Now, before Jo-hyeon's eyes, perfect freedom was unfolding.
Carefully selected and gathered talents. Among them, the talents who had been selected and re-selected through examinations were scattered randomly across the Grand Training Ground, fooling around.
"H-how did this happen?"
On one side, he could see people gathered in groups of three to five, chattering and giggling. But even that was relatively tame. The female students visible over there were all taking out their mirrors and applying makeup, and in the deepest area, people sitting on blankets spread on the floor had taken out gambling tiles and were betting money.
"Gambling tiles?"
Gambling tiles in the sacred hall of education!
Those looked like one-nyang chips too!
At least on the other end, there were some people who had drawn their weapons and were training, but it would be more consistent if they weren't there at all.
It was said that in the beginning there was chaos, and this place was exactly that chaos.
"What on earth has the instructor been doing to let things reach this state?"
"If you look over there…"
Jo-hyeon's mouth gradually fell open as he looked where Seok Mun-cho was pointing. On the platform was a large bed, and on that bed was a giant grub.
No.
Looking closer, it wasn't a grub but a person wrapped up in blankets.
"Why is there a bed there?"
"He asked us to put it there."
"…What is he doing on the bed right now?"
"He seems to be sleeping."
"Do I look like I'm asking because I don't know that?"
Jo-hyeon rolled up his sleeves. Regardless of dignity or face, he needed to hear why this class, which gathered only the top talents in the academy, had become like this!
Jo-hyeon walked briskly toward the platform.
"Who is it?"
"It's the Military Commander! The Military Commander is here!"
"Eek!"
Those who discovered Jo-hyeon's appearance hurriedly cleaned up the scene. Blankets flew up into the air, and gambling tile pieces scattered in all directions.
'You might as well just keep doing what you were doing, you damn brats!'
Jo-hyeon ground his teeth, grind, grind. Still, exercising maximum patience, he avoided making eye contact with the flustered students. If he made eye contact, he felt like profanity would come out of his mouth, making all his years of cultivation meaningless.
Having approached the platform, he called Wei Yan-ho in a rough voice.
"I say, Young Master Wei Yan-ho!"
Wiggle.
The grub turned its butt.
"It's me! Jo-hyeon! What on earth are you doing right now!"
The grub's head area stirred, and black hair popped out from the blankets.
'At least wash and live properly!'
Wei Yan-ho, with his disheveled hair, opened his puffy, sleepy eyes drowsily and answered.
"What's wrong?"
Jo-hyeon's heart was crumbling.
* * *
"…Divine Strategist Jo-hyeon, you say?"
"That's right."
Guangqushen chuckled as if he found his own thoughts amusing.
"He was a hero of the age who achieved brilliant military accomplishments in the great war against the Demonic Cult and suppressed the Western Region martial chaos with strategy. But unfortunately, in his later years, he encountered Wei Yan-ho."
"It's incomprehensible."
"What is?"
Guangqushen tilted his head at Sa-ga's words.
"I've studied Divine Strategist Jo-hyeon extensively. His wisdom was said to reach the heavens. But why couldn't such a wise person predict that situation?"
"Good question."
Guangqushen nodded repeatedly.
"I had the same thought."
"Pardon?"
"When I later entered the Orthodox Alliance, I heard that such a thing had happened. I had the same thought at the time. So after pondering it in my own way, I reached a conclusion."
"Please tell me. Why was that?"
"First, the primary cause was Gong Mu-jin, that gentleman."
"…The Plum Blossom Sword Ghost?"
"Mm, he probably thought he was explaining things as they were… but since he had affection for Wei Yan-ho, he seems to have added some seasoning to the parts that seemed too harsh. Thanks to that, he knew that Wei Yan-ho had done something outrageous, but he didn't think the cause was Wei Yan-ho's laziness."
"I don't quite understand…"
"Think about it, what would Gong Mu-jin have said? An incredibly strong kid beat up the Twin Demons of Guido, got his hands on a secret manual, and then sold it off. He also beat down those who opposed him. Hearing this, what kind of person does Wei Yan-ho seem like?"
Sa-ga had no choice but to nod.
If you shortened the story like that, Wei Yan-ho would become a very strong but eccentric young man.
"The key point was missing."
"Right. But Master Gong Mu-jin might feel a bit wronged too. He probably did explain it, doing his best. But…"
Guangqushen grinned and said.
"Have you ever seen a human with wings?"
"No."
"That's the thing."
"So please explain in more detail…"
Guangqushen chuckled and said.
"It's Divine Strategist Jo-hyeon we're talking about. He's a gentleman and a strategist. Would such a person have ever imagined even once that a human as lazy as Wei Yan-ho could exist in this world?"
"…"
"Not knowing that 'because the instructor is lazy' could exist as a reason why classes weren't running properly was Master Jo-hyeon's fatal mistake. Heh heh heh."
"So did that class end up failing?"
"No."
"Was it Divine Strategist Jo-hyeon after all?"
"That's not it either."
Guangqushen wiggled his finger as he answered.
"A leash was coming, you see, a leash. Wei Yan-ho didn't know."
As Guangqushen's words began to become vague, Sa-ga who understood this quietly rose from his seat. It seemed like time to buy him alcohol.
"Buy some side dishes on the way too."
"…Yes."
The price of knowing true history was not trivial. His purse was getting lighter and lighter.