Chapter 6: Passed Candidates 2

Baek Moo-jin passed first, leaving him alone for quite a while. During that time, a woman who seemed to be his attendant entered, told him to call if he needed anything, bowed respectfully, and then withdrew.

About half an hour later, the main hall door burst open noisily. A cheerfully dressed man, dressed to the nines, entered waving an iron fan.

The man entered with an air of great self-importance, but the moment he spotted Baek Moo-jin, he broke into a smile. It was a peculiar expression, combining both frivolity and sharpness. Seeing Baek Moo-jin dressed head to toe in white robes and carrying a white-hilted long sword, the man seemed to assume he was a warrior of the White Sword Corps.

“Are you perhaps a member of the White Sword Corps?”

“No.”

“Then why are you here…”

“I’m waiting after taking the examination.”

“Ah? You passed? Huh…”

The man held his fan with both hands, adopted a bowing posture, and then looked Baek Mujin up and down as he spoke.

“My name is Seo Mun-geuk.”

Baek Moo-jin also returned the greeting respectfully.

“My name is Baek Moo-jin.”

Even ordinary men, when meeting, instinctively gauge each other’s intentions. In that sense, the battle of wills is a man’s instinct. When men fight after drinking or in a heated moment, without any real grudge or reason, it’s because they failed to overpower the other’s spirit.

‘His gaze, his demeanor, his tone—none of it sits right with me.’

‘They’re inherently violent people lacking self-control.’

These are merely the visible reasons; in truth, it is simply the inevitable outcome stemming from a very primal power struggle.

A peculiar current flowed between Baek Moo-jin and Seo Moon-geuk.

The moment that made martial artists’ hearts race the most was passing.

Gauging each other’s intentions.

Gauging each other’s inclinations.

Scanning each other’s gaze and posture…

In essence, it was the moment when an instinctive judgment flashed through their minds: could I defeat this person?

Seo Mun-geuk smiled as he stared intently at Baek Moo-jin.

Seo Mun-geuk thought Baek Moo-jin would react with surprise upon hearing his name. But Baek Moo-jin showed no reaction whatsoever.

Seo Mun-geuk licked his lips as he looked at Baek Moo-jin.

‘What? Doesn’t he know me?’

That was the expression on his face. As Baek Moo-jin just blinked, Seo Mun-geuk fanned himself and said.

“Well… By the way, there are already two passers. I heard from the guide that only those ranked from fourth to fifth grade stay in this waiting hall.”

“Isn’t two rather few?”

“It’s said that fourth and fifth grades sometimes don’t even take the exam, and even when they do, there are often no passers. So two is actually quite a lot. Most enter the academy at seventh or eighth grade.”

“I see.”

Seeing Baek Moo-jin’s reaction remain indifferent once again, Seo Moon-geuk felt strangely unsettled.

After all, most people would be curious about Seo Mun-geuk.

Who was Seo Mun-geuk? He was the second son of the Seo Mun Clan, one of the Five Great Clans of the martial world.

His alias is Ximen Myoseon.

It meant he wielded the iron fan, a deadly weapon, with exquisite skill, and his personality was far from ordinary. He was known as a meddlesome, boastful, yet confident man with formidable martial arts prowess, dividing people sharply into those who loved him and those who hated him.

He was also known as a formidable figure, ranking among the top late-stage cultivators in the entire martial world.

Seo Mun-geuk was actually curious about this Baek Moo-jin who remained silent.

“Where did you come from, Brother Baek?”

“From the Snow Mountains.”

“The Snow Mountains? Pardon me, but the sect…”

“It’s called the Snow Mountain Baek Clan.”

“Ah, the Snow Mountain Baek Clan.”

Baek Moo-jin tilted his head as he looked at Seo Moon-geuk.

“Do you know him?”

Seo Mun-geuk shook his head with dignity.

“Well now… I’m afraid not. Anyway, Seolsan Baekga… I prided myself on knowing quite a bit about the martial arts world’s situation, but this is the first I’ve heard of it.”

Baek Moo-jin gave a bitter smile and nodded.

“I suppose so.”

“But seeing you, Brother Baek, without a single scratch, you must have overwhelmingly defeated your opponent. Surely you didn’t skip the martial arts trial?”

Baek Moo-jin nodded at Seo Moon-geuk.

“I sparred with the Silent Sword Master. And yet, Brother Seo Mun, you too are without a single scratch, aren’t you?”

At that, Seo Mun-geuk burst out laughing.

“Well, as for me… that’s how it turned out. But are you perhaps new to the martial world?”

“Yes.”

“Have you heard of the Ximen Clan?”

“Of course.”

Baek Moo-jin studied Seo Mun-geuk’s expression. Somehow, he looked like someone itching to boast about something, and Baek Moo-jin couldn’t help but stifle a laugh threatening to burst out.

‘What a funny guy.’

Seo Mun-geuk couldn’t understand how someone could react so indifferently after he’d mentioned the Seo Mun Clan. Most people would widen their eyes at the mention of the Seo Mun Clan.

But Baek Moo-jin’s response was tinged with indifference, like he was saying, “Hmm, I’ve heard of them.”

Seo Mun-geuk’s nostrils flared involuntarily as he thought.

‘Is he acting like this because he’s a bumpkin, or because he’s arrogant? I can’t quite figure him out.’

Seo Mun-geuk smiled and said.

“So you’ve heard of it, but don’t really know much about it, huh?”

Seo Mun-geuk hit the nail on the head, and Baek Moo-jin nodded seriously.

“Truthfully, I only know the name Seomunsa. I don’t know the details.”

Seo Mun-geuk said with an expression of admiration.

“Huh! Goodness! Surely you don’t mean to say you’ve never heard of the Five Great Clans?”

“Huh?”

“What? You don’t know?”

Seo Mun-geuk stared blankly at Baek Moo-jin, as if suddenly asking him to name the Five Great Families.

Baek Moo-jin had a general understanding of the Five Great Families of the martial world, but Seo Moon-geuk’s attitude amused him, so he pretended to search his memory.

2.

After a moment’s thought, Baek Moo-jin folded one finger and said.

“The Namgung Clan…?”

Seo Mun-geuk nodded with the expression of a teacher instructing a child, then spoke as if offering praise.

“Indeed. The Namgung Clan has long been among the Five Great Clans.”

“The Zhuge clan?”

Seo Mun-geuk suddenly raised his voice.

“You’re talking like some Zhuge. Back in the day, aside from Zhuge Liang who endured three visits to the thatched cottage, the Zhuge clan has never been famous. They claim to be attached to some family and boast about their lineage, but I’ve never laid eyes on a single Zhuge. And do you think their descendants would show up at the Northern Alliance? I don’t think so. The Zhuge clan…”

Baek Moo-jin blinked and looked at Seo Moon-geuk.

“But suddenly switching to informal speech is a bit…”

“Ah, my apologies. But how old are you this year? I’m twenty-five.”

“Twenty-two.”

A moment of unreadable silence passed. Seo Mun-geuk cleared his throat and continued.

“Hmm, where were we?”

“We got as far as the Zhuge family.”

“Ah, do you know what comes next?”

“The Sima clan?”

“Stop joking around. Are you trying to make me keep talking about Romance of the Three Kingdoms?”

“The Huangbo clan?”

“First time I’ve heard that name.”

Then, Baek Moo-jin suddenly remembered something and said.

“Ah, there was the Dugu family.”

“Well now… Brother Baek, your knowledge is truly vast. But how about we relax a bit?”

“No.”

“Very well. Let’s take it slow. What comes next?”

“Hmm. Ah, the Sichuan Tang Clan? The Tang Family.”

“Correct. The Tang Clan was one of the Five Great Clans alongside the Namgung Clan, the oldest among them. What comes next?”

“Hmm…”

As Baek Moo-jin fell deep in thought, Seo Mun-geuk glared at him, thinking, ‘Let’s see when this brat mentions the Seo Mun Clan.’

Baek Moo-jin racked his brain and rattled off whatever came to mind.

“The Hebei Pang Clan.”

“Let’s move on. That might have been true a hundred years ago.”

From then on, both men grew taciturn. Seo Mun-geuk kept shaking his head with a sour expression whenever Baek Moo-jin spoke.

“The Gongsun Clan? The Murong Clan?”

Frustrated, Seo Mun-geuk finally answered himself.

“Huh, how could you be so ignorant of the martial world’s situation? Tsk. The Nangong Clan, the Dugu Clan, the Sichuan Tang Clan, the Baili Clan! And our Xumen Clan are called the Five Great Clans of the martial world in this era.”

Xu Wenju fanned himself, watching Bai Muzhen with the hope he’d show some surprise. Bai Muzhen replied briefly.

“I see.”

Xu Wenju had lived his entire life reveling in his own self-importance, yet at this moment, he was etching Bai Wuzhen’s impression firmly into his mind.

‘Ah, what an irritating fellow.’

Xu Wenju began prying into details again, as if intent on tormenting a weakling.

“Who of the Silent Sword Corps did you fight?”

“Hmm, I can’t quite recall the name.”

“Come on! Think harder!”

“Do you know the Black Sword Corps well?”

“Better than Baek Hyung, I suppose.”

“Ah, I remember now. That Jeon Yeop? Ah, I heard it was Kang Yeop.”

“Kang Yeop? You mean Kang Yeop, the commander of the Black Sword Corps?”

“That’s right.”

This time, Seo Mun-geuk blinked his eyes.

“He won?”

“You keep using informal speech…”

“Ah, my apologies. You won?”

“That’s right.”

“You’re twenty-two this year?”

“That’s right.”

“Huh… Kang Yeop?”

Seo Moon-geuk wore an expression that seemed to deeply ponder what it meant to be twenty-two.

‘Could I have defeated Kang-yeop at twenty-two…? Wait, why did this person even take the unit leader exam?’

Seo Mun-geuk’s eyes widened like a cat’s before he gave a sharp shake of his head and scrutinized Baek Moo-jin.

“You’re really twenty-two?”

“Yes, I am.”

“You’re not actually older but just look young, are you?”

“No, that’s not it.”

“Did you happen to fall off a cliff a few years ago?”

“No?”

“Try to piece your memory together carefully. You… might have lost consciousness. Suddenly, ‘Huh?’ You stumbled, and when you came to, thick fog surrounded you. A golden monkey, or… a bird as big as a person? Did you encounter a bird? Or that… thing! You know, what was it? Right. You ate something… something thick like the Eternal Snow Root or the Crystal Lotus Root…”

Baek Moo-jin struggled to suppress his laughter as Seo Moon-geuk continued his exaggerated gestures alongside his words, then replied.

“Hmm… No.”

Seo Mun-geuk had been asking if he’d gained a stroke of luck, but Baek Moo-jin shook his head and smiled, explaining that what he’d gained was somewhat different from mere luck.

“Lies always come to light eventually. Anyway, where were we?”

“Up to the Ten-Thousand-Year Snow Ginseng, I believe?”

“Ah, the Eternal Snow Ginseng. That aside, it seems the waiting period is getting quite long.”

“Exactly.”

At that moment, Seo Mun-geuk studied Baek Moo-jin’s eyes and said calmly.

“Since we’ve got nothing else to do, care to have a go at it?”

Though Baek Moo-jin wondered what this meant mid-conversation, his response was utterly serene. For the first time, Baek Moo-jin smiled at Seo Moon-geuk and replied briefly.

“Let’s do it.”

Both men knew they had sized each other up dozens of times while exchanging words. Yet Seo Mun-geuk seemed flustered when Baek Moo-jin agreed so readily.

Regardless, Baek Moo-jin placed his sword on the table and walked toward the center of the main hall, now empty-handed.

Seo Mun-geuk, wrinkles forming on his forehead at that display, snorted derisively.

“I use steel wire.”

Baek Moo-jin, standing in the center, nodded and replied.

“Go ahead.”

“You intend to face me empty-handed?”

“Is that not allowed?”

“Ha… I guess I misjudged you.”

Baek Moo-jin laughed.

“What made you think···”

“You wore that blank, stupid expression, but you’re truly an insolent man.”

Bang! Seo Mun-geuk slammed his fist on the table. From his seated position, he shot straight into the air, cutting through the wind as he thrust his iron wire toward Baek Moo-jin’s face.

The two closed the distance in an instant, exchanging martial arts techniques.

Baek Mujin stood rooted to the spot, not moving an inch, while Seo Mun-geuk wielded the iron rod like a sword, stabbing at Baek Mujin’s face, shoulder, and chest in rapid succession.

Yet Baek Moo-jin’s countermeasures were utterly precise. With minimal movement, he either dodged or extended his hand to effortlessly push the iron wire away.

Suddenly, Seo Mun-geuk unfurled the fan with a rustling sound. A sharp blade sprang forth, creating a gust of wind as if it were slashing forward.

From that moment, Baek Moo-jin also began to move.