“If you keep this a secret, you said you’d serve me as your older brother, right?”
“Oops! Young Brother So-ah… that was just a figure of speech… do you really have to hear me call you ‘older brother’?”
“Of course, you said a man’s word is worth a thousand gold pieces!”
Jong Jin-do squeezed his eyes shut.
Then he barely managed to part his lips, which were worth a thousand gold pieces.
“O-Older Brother. Please keep today’s events a secret.”
Jong Jin-do, in his mid-thirties, and the 19-year-old So-ah.
On top of that, Jong Jin-do had only taught young men of So-ah’s age, so it wasn’t easy for him to say the words ‘older brother’.
But if this humiliation were to be known to the world, he had no confidence in being able to live.
Therefore, he had no choice but to call So-ah ‘older brother’.
‘Haha, this is quite fun.’
So-ah, who had demanded it, was half-joking.
What was so pleasant about being called ‘older brother’ by an old man like Jong Jin-do, whose dark beard covered his entire lower face?
But for some reason, when the prideful and stubborn Jong Jin-do called him ‘older brother’, he found it amusing.
‘Shall I play the role of an older brother for a while?’
So-ah decided to be the older brother of the first disciple of the Haenam Sect, Jong Jin-do, for a while.
“Haha, if my younger brother Jong asks me like that, this older brother can’t help it, can he?”
“Y-Younger brother Jong?!”
“Why? Isn’t your name Jong Jin-do? Then aren’t you a younger brother Jong?”
“Y-Yes, o-older brother.”
Jong Jin-do’s insides were rotting.
“Younger brother Jong. You’ll have to be careful. This older brother is actually a bit of a blabbermouth. The moment my younger brother’s attitude deviates even slightly from the Confucian values of seniority, my mouth will turn into a magpie. You know what I mean, right?”
“Ah… I understand.”
“And one more thing!”
“Yes?”
“You’ll have to help me out a bit.”
“What is it?”
“You’ll have to set the stage so that I can take control of the White Martial Academy.”
“Ah…”
“Why, you don’t want to? Should I just formally inform the Haenam Sect, the Martial Alliance, and all the students of the White Martial Academy of your rash actions and make it a public issue?”
“Older Brother! I will help you with all my heart and soul! I will engrave it in my bones! So please, stop with such talk!”
Jong Jin-do said, shaking his head urgently and shouting.
“Good. So do well.”
“I understand… but, Older Brother, you must also promise one more thing.”
“What?”
“Don’t make me call you ‘older brother’ in front of people.”
“Of course. In front of people, I should be the one calling you ‘older brother’.”
“You promised.”
“Yes, yes. Don’t worry, younger brother Jong.”
‘Ugh, this young brat!’
It seemed he had really gotten himself into a mess.
***
[Leave of Absence Request]
—Second Instructor of the White Martial Academy.
—Haenam Sect, Jong Jin-do.
—Reason: Injury during training.
—Duration: A fortnight.
—Seal of Jong Jin-do.
As soon as the day broke, Jong Jin-do left the White Martial Academy, leaving only a single letter.
The fracture was a problem, but the dark bruises and swollen face were clearly traces of a severe beating, so he could not stay at the White Martial Academy like this.
“Great Hero Jong… what on earth…”
“It’s suspicious. An injury during training? Does that make sense? Suddenly, what kind of training?”
“Perhaps, Great Hero Jong… got into a scuffle with the new instructor and got the short end of the stick?”
“Hey! You person, that can’t be true, can it?”
“Right?”
“Probably?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Then?”
“Hmm…!”
The other instructors were engaged in a heated debate over Jong Jin-do’s sudden leave of absence request.
But Eun Min-min was sure of the whole story.
‘My master said that So-ah’s martial arts were so outstanding… it seems that was true. That person, Jong Jin-do, his temper is nasty, but his martial arts were excellent. It seems he got a good beating from So-ah. Hoho.’
Eun Min-min curled up the corners of her mouth with a pleased and amused expression.
She was curious about how So-ah’s appearance would change the White Martial Academy.
***
—White Martial Academy Instructor’s Office.
“Nice to meet you. I am Jin So-ah, who will be living as the chief instructor of the White Martial Academy from today. I have turned nineteen this year and have trained in the Ten-Second Invincible Arts. I belong to the great Moyong Family and have studied under the esteemed God of War, Moyong Cheon.”
Around the hour of the Dragon.
As Eun Min-min had told him, So-ah entered the instructor’s office.
Six instructors were seated in the office.
So-ah performed a respectful cupped fist salute to them and at the same time, greeted them with a confident and energetic voice.
‘The brat… he looks decent.’
‘The fact that he emphasizes that he studied under the God of War, Moyong Cheon, shows that his pride pierces the heavens!’
‘To think that I would become a colleague with a nineteen-year-old brat!’
All five instructors, except for Eun Min-min, looked down on So-ah.
In particular, the two who usually followed Jong Jin-do well looked So-ah up and down with eyes filled with blatant hostility.
But So-ah didn’t care.
Because a tiger does not get angry by a puppy.
“Chief Instructor Jin! Welcome. I am Eun Min-min of the Emei Sect, currently in charge of the Human Division of the White Martial Academy.”
Just in time, Eun Min-min made the first move.
She performed a respectful cupped fist salute to So-ah and, without anyone seeing, winked one eye. So-ah, who saw it, also smiled.
‘Sister, your acting skills are amazing.’
Then he fixed his gaze on the other five people.
And so, So-ah stared at them for a while.
‘Wh-What is it?’
‘Why is he staring at us like that?’
‘Is the brat trying to establish dominance?’
A heavy silence continued.
Even in that short moment, the instructors were racking their brains and scheming to suppress So-ah’s spirit.
But…
“What are you all doing?”
An unexpected question came out of So-ah’s mouth.
“Huh?”
“What?”
“What the…”
A look of bewilderment appeared on the instructors’ faces.
But that was just the beginning.
“When a superior comes, you should greet them. Surely, the masters of the prestigious Orthodox Faction wouldn’t be jealous of a young superior or try to haze him. Now, now! Let’s introduce ourselves. Shall we?”
The instructors’ blood boiled at So-ah’s words, but in fact, he was not wrong.
If they held out like this, it would be like proving that they were petty people.
The first disciple of the Haenam Sect, Jong Jin-do.
The first disciple of the Emei Sect, Eun Min-min.
The first disciple of the Qingcheng Sect, Baek Su-yong.
A collateral relative of the Ximen Family, Ximen Jeong.
The first disciple of the Wudang Sect, Cheong-il.
The first young master of the Henan Lu Family, Lu Bong-man.
The first disciple of the Hengshan Sect, Ji Seung-myeong.
The instructors were figures from the Nine Great Sects and prestigious families who were renowned among the thirty-something generation of the current Jianghu.
They were not in a position to openly show their pettiness, so they were in a difficult situation, but they could not refute So-ah’s words.
Just then.
“Immeasurable Longevity Buddha… I am the first disciple of the Wudang Sect and have studied under Master Jong-cheon, Cheong-il.”
Except for Eun Min-min, for the first time, a person from Wudang in a Taoist robe greeted So-ah.
Starting with that, the other instructors also began to speak one by one.
“I am Baek Su-yong, the first disciple of the Qingcheng Sect.”
“I am Ji Seung-myeong, the first disciple of the Hengshan Sect.”
“Hmm… I am Lu Bong-man of the Henan Lu Family.”
“Ximen Jeong of the Ximen Family.”
Although their tones were different, So-ah received the greetings of all the instructors.
He thought it was a relief that the resistance was not as great as he had worried.
‘Good. Now the teachers are more or less sorted out.’
Now, if he just sorted out the backlash from the cute rising generation, So-ah’s big picture would also take shape.
***
“So the students are divided into Heaven, Earth, and Human divisions?”
So-ah, who had started a formal work meeting in the office, had heard one fact from Eun Min-min.
The students of the White Martial Academy were divided into divisions named Heaven, Earth, and Human, taking into account their seniority in the Jianghu, age, martial arts, and origin. Each division had a designated instructor, and they were given roles as members of the Martial Alliance, as well as basic, theoretical, and practical education.
“That is correct, Chief Instructor.”
Eun Min-min, with a serious face, answered politely like a subordinate assisting a great superior. So-ah almost burst out laughing inside.
‘Oh my, Sister… you don’t have to go that far!’
But Eun Min-min, as if she was enjoying the acting, maintained a stiff demeanor.
“Hmm… then do I also need to choose one of the Heaven, Earth, and Human divisions and lead them as the designated instructor?”
“The Chief Instructor does not need to do so. Each division already has a designated instructor.”
“No. I want to.”
“Ah, if so, which division would you like to take charge of?”
“The youngest and weakest rising generation will be in the Human division, right?”
“Yes. The Heaven division is mainly composed of figures from the Nine Great Sects or the Five Great Families among the rising generation who are over twenty. The Earth division is for those who are not yet twenty, among the teenage rising generation with strong martial arts. And the Human division is composed of those who have enrolled late, children, or children from minor sects with relatively weak martial arts.”
“I will take charge of the Human division. Who is currently in charge of the Human division?”
“I am currently in charge of the Human division alone.”
“That’s great. Instructor Eun Min-min, let’s do well.”
“Let’s do that.”
So-ah had to fight a difficult battle for a while to hold back his laughter at Eun Min-min’s stiff appearance until the end.
***
—Murmur, murmur!
“Did you hear that a new instructor is coming today?”
“Yeah. I heard this morning.”
“Who is it?”
“You guys still don’t know?”
“What is it? Do you know something?”
“Ugh, your information network! Yesterday, the young lady of the Moyong Family and a collateral relative joined the Earth division, right?”
“So what?”
“Haven’t you heard the story of the famous first external disciple of the Moyong Family! Jin So-ah?”
“Jin So-ah? His name is… ah! The disciple of the God of War whom the trio of Paeng Seong-un, Seok Won, and Eon Yeong-je of the Earth division praised until their mouths were dry?”
“Yeah. Did only the Paeng trio praise him? That rude Tang Hwa-rin and Young Lady Myo-seon also talked about that brat so much!”
“Right. That’s why I’m so curious about that brat’s face.”
“That brat is being appointed as a new instructor today. Does that make sense? Puhaha. It’s so absurd that I can only laugh.”
All the students of the Heaven, Earth, and Human divisions had gathered at the great training ground.
Among them, the disciples of the prestigious families belonging to the Heaven division began to badmouth So-ah harshly.
In the midst of this.
“Everyone, restrain yourselves. There are many listening ears.”
A man stopped them.
The man was a handsome man whose beauty was insufficient to be described as simply handsome.
Moreover, the nobility flowing from his whole body and his clear and bright shining eyes had a charm that overwhelmed others just by looking at them.
He was none other than Namgung Mun, the current head of the Heaven division of the White Martial Academy and the general representative of the students.
Moreover, since Namgung Mun was the son of the White Martial Academy’s head, Namgung Won, even an instructor could not look down on Namgung Mun within the academy.
“Oops…”
“You!”
The young men of the Heaven division closed their mouths at Namgung Mun’s restraint.
At that, Namgung Mun muttered in a small voice.
“I know it’s an unfair thing. It’s something that doesn’t make sense. I can’t bear to see that brat of the Jin family strutting around as an instructor.”
“Namgung Mun… you… do you have a plan?”
“Of course. I have to make him leave on his own.”
Namgung Mun clenched his two fists.
***
A little later…
So-ah stepped onto the platform of the great training ground where a total of 90 students had gathered.
‘Senior Brother…!’
‘It’s So-ah! So-ah really came as an instructor!’
‘Ah! How long has it been? Jin So-ah… why is he so cute today?!’
‘Young Master Jin… you’ve become more dignified in the meantime!’
The appearance of their Senior Brother in the eyes of Moyong Hwa and Moyong Su.
The appearance of their friend in the eyes of the Tang siblings and Myo-seon.
It was a day when such an appearance of So-ah was imprinted as particularly cool.
And soon, So-ah’s voice came out loudly.
“Nice to meet you all. Students of the White Martial Academy. I am the chief instructor who will be guiding and disciplining you from today. I am Jin So-ah, an external disciple of the great Moyong Family, and I have studied under the esteemed God of War, Moyong Cheon.”
(End of Chapter)