Chapter 7: Passed Candidates 3

Seo Mun-geuk’s iron wire sliced past Baek Moo-jin’s neck like a knife blade.

‘Caught. Huh?’

But it narrowly missed.

‘That Baekga bastard’s footwork is strange.’

Seo Mun-geuk glanced at Baek Moo-jin’s footwork while launching a follow-up attack. The movement was literally strange. Even while stepping on the hard floor, his feet seemed stuck to the ground, slowly shifting direction—either being pushed away or drawn toward unexpected spots.

‘What kind of footwork is this… moving as if sliding?’

Just moments ago, when Seo Mun-geuk attacked with his iron wire, he had expected it to be impossible to dodge. But now he saw that Baek Moo-jin had evaded it using that bizarre footwork.

Seo Mun-geuk, true to his nickname Seo Mun-myo-seon (Mysterious Wire), had many peculiar aspects to his movements, but they were nothing compared to Baek Moo-jin’s.

Seo Mun-geuk didn’t know exactly how far Baek Moo-jin could glide freely, but seeing his attacks repeatedly miss simply because of that swift gliding alone left him flustered.

Baek Moo-jin was moving by adding the ‘subtle principles of treading snow’ to his footwork. He had incorporated the effect of gliding over snow into his footwork.

How was such footwork possible?

Baek Moo-jin’s martial arts were a unique blend where the subtleties of the White Flower Divine Art were integrated into his sword techniques, staff techniques, spear techniques, palm techniques, and footwork.

These principles were broadly categorized into Snow, Flower, and Ice, with each principle further subdivided into specialized characteristics that were then applied to specific techniques. Treading Snow was a characteristic primarily applied to the feet.

Baek Moo-jin utilized the Great Hall extensively.

Seo Mun-geuk’s lightness skill was also swift, so Baek Moo-jin found great amusement in evading him.

“You plan to just run away?”

Seo Mun-geuk bellowed as he chased after Baek Moo-jin. Baek Moo-jin offered no reply, his eyes fixed on the dazzling attacks Seo Mun-geuk unleashed.

The movements of the iron wire were indeed mysterious.

When thrusting, it was a sword.

When it slashed, it resembled a broadsword.

He spread his fan to block the view, spun it from his palm, changed his grip, and then attacked, aiming for three or four of Baek Moo-jin’s pressure points in quick succession.

But each time, Baek Mujin slipped away, narrowly evading, causing Seo Mun-geuk’s composure to slip unnoticed, his lower eyelids trembling slightly.

Baek Moo-jin deliberately left an opening in his upper body the moment Seo Moon-geuk’s composure wavered.

Swish!

Seo Mun-geuk’s iron wire pierced Baek Moo-jin’s chest. Yet Baek Moo-jin’s counter was somewhat reckless.

He countered the tip of the iron wire with a finger technique, extending his thumb and index finger.

Even as he was startled, Seo Mun-geuk couldn’t help but let out a satisfied smile.

‘He’s mad.’

The iron wire and Baek Moo-jin’s thumb and index finger locked together in a straight line.

If Baek Moo-jin’s energy faltered, it was a situation where both fingers could be horribly broken.

But the moment Cheolseon and Baek Mujin’s Cold Moon Finger Technique clashed, a crackling sound erupted. Frost blossomed from the tip of Cheolseon’s finger and spread in an instant.

Soon, the white, cold mist rose up to Seo Mun-geuk’s wrist. Startled, Seo Mun-geuk urgently summoned his inner energy to resist the frigid aura.

“Ugh.”

Screaming from the sudden wave of pain, Seo Mun-geuk reflexively thrust his free hand forward.

Baek Mujin also thrust his palm forward, colliding directly.

With a thud, Seo Mun-geuk stumbled backward, releasing the iron chain. The force was slightly greater than when striking Kang Yeop, causing Seo Mun-geuk to stagger back awkwardly before kneeling, his hands trembling violently. The cold that had penetrated him when struck by the technique was surging back.

Seo Mun-geuk’s face gradually flushed bright red as he struggled to expel the frigid energy.

Of course, he couldn’t utter a single word.

Meanwhile, Baek Mujin caught the falling iron wire, then unfolded the fan with a rustling sound, examining it from all angles.

“I thought it might be a hidden weapon, but it’s just a wire.”

Meanwhile, Seo Mun-geuk had hurriedly driven away the cold aura and was now catching his breath.

With a thud, Baek Moo-jin folded his fan and handed the iron wire to Seo Moon-geuk, continuing.

“Stop playing the martyr and get up now. It seems you’ve expelled all your energy…”

The moment he took the fan, Seo Mun-geuk briefly glared at Baek Moo-jin, considering charging in again for another clash of internal energy.

But having just witnessed that bizarre technique, he realized Baek Moo-jin’s internal energy far surpassed his own, making rash action impossible.

Irritated for no good reason, Seo Mun-geuk snatched his iron wire back.

Baek Moo-jin stared at Seo Moon-geuk for a moment, then gave a faint smile before returning to his seat.

His attitude was infuriatingly nonchalant, as if nothing had happened.

Seo Mun-geuk stood there blankly for a moment, staring at the iron rod. The frost that had clung to it had vanished without a trace. It was as if it had been an illusion.

This was Seo Mun-geuk’s first defeat at the hands of someone younger than himself since entering the martial world. He was so stunned he couldn’t think of anything to say. Had he lost by a narrow margin, his pride might have been hurt, but that wasn’t the case.

Seo Mun-geuk sighed and sat down opposite Baek Moo-jin.

“Brother Baek, you’re incredibly strong. How did you manage to…”

There are things one can ask and things one cannot. Seo Mun-geuk stared at the table for a moment, his expression genuinely crestfallen.

Unlike when he faced Gang Yeop, the deputy commander of the Silent Sword Corps, Baek Moo-jin didn’t offer Seo Moon-geuk any reassurance. He simply took a quiet sip of his tea.

Then, the attendants waiting inside quietly emerged. Without uttering a word about the commotion in the main hall, they placed a teapot filled with hot tea and teacups back on the table before disappearing without a sound.

It was a familiar movement, as if such duels were commonplace in the North Heaven Sect.

2.

Seo Mun-geuk was literally crushed.

Amidst this, Baek Moo-jin alone was quietly pouring the steaming hot tea into his own cup.

The phrase “seeing someone for who they truly are” is a very common expression.

Baek Moo-jin’s attitude, expression, gestures, and actions remained unchanged, whether before facing Seo Mun-geuk or now.

But to Seo Mun-geuk, Baek Moo-jin now looked different.

The word “chilling” felt inadequate.

How could he describe it?

Baek Moo-jin didn’t try to corner Seo Moon-geuk, nor did he taunt him with words. He wasn’t the type to flaunt his martial arts prowess either.

But Seo Mun-geuk now realized Baek Moo-jin was a man frighteningly cold.

Seo Mun-geuk exhaled without realizing it.

The thought that white breath might appear filled his mind, without any basis whatsoever.

Baek Moo-jin spoke to Seo Moon-geuk in his usual, unchanging tone.

“It seems only Brother Seo Mun and I passed the fourth-grade exam this year.”

Seo Mun-geuk felt he had no choice but to respond, lest he appear like a pathetic fool.

“How could I know? The evaluations are still ongoing…”

Come to think of it, it was a real relief that no one had witnessed this duel. Seo Mun-geuk found himself letting out a sigh of relief for no particular reason.

Xu Wenju was naturally a man who enjoyed making noise.

He was skilled at hiding his true self by teasing others with words and relishing their reactions.

Yet now, such a man was keeping his mouth shut.

It was no big deal to Baek Mujin, but for Seo Mun-geuk, it was an agonizingly stifling time.

Just then, the main hall door opened, and a man entered, covered in dust and looking utterly exhausted.

He was such a mess that Baek Moo-jin and Seo Moon-geuk couldn’t help but turn their gaze to him.

He clearly looked like he had just finished a martial arts trial. Unlike Baek Moo-jin or Seo Moon-geuk, however, he appeared to have fought a fierce battle.

Seo Mun-geuk recognized the man as a successful candidate, but he wasn’t in the mood to speak.

The man addressed the two.

“Are you the successful candidates?”

Baek Moo-jin alone answered politely.

“Yes, we are.”

Seeing no change whatsoever in Baek Moo-jin’s tone, Seo Mun-geuk shook his head.

‘That sly bastard.’

Baek Moo-jin addressed the man who looked utterly exhausted.

“Come here and have some tea.”

“Yes.”

3.

As the man approached, Baek Moo-jin spoke to him again with courtesy.

“My name is Baek Moo-jin.”

“I am Zhu Ziyun. The gentleman over here is…”

Seo Mun-geuk, feeling offended, kept his mouth shut, but Baek Moo-jin stepped in unnecessarily and introduced him.

“This gentleman here is from the Ximen Clan, one of the Five Great Clans…”

He emphasized the words “one of the Five Great Families.” Seo Mun-geuk suddenly yelled at Baek Moo-jin, who was introducing him out of the blue.

“Enough! Why are you introducing me, Brother Baek?!”

“Because you’re keeping your mouth shut…”

“Shut up!”

Seo Mun-geuk looked at Ju Ja-un and said.

“I am Seo Mun-geuk.”

But the moment Zhu Jia Yun heard the name Seo Mun-geuk, his expression immediately brightened with delight as he replied.

“Oh! Is it really you? To meet Seo Mun-myo here. How delightful.”

Yes. This was it. Wasn’t this the reaction he had originally hoped for from Baek Moo-jin? But Seo Mun-geuk, his spirits thoroughly dampened, didn’t know how to respond. He nervously gulped down the tea sitting on the table and then spit it out.

“Ouch! That’s hot!”

Joo Ja-woon, clueless about what had happened, blinked his eyes and looked at Seo Moon-geuk. Only then did Baek Moo-jin finally let out a laugh.

“Hahaha.”

When Baek Moo-jin burst out laughing, Seo Mun-geuk snapped angrily.

“Stop laughing!”

Quick-witted, Zhu Jia Yun thought something must have happened between the two men. He chuckled softly and sat down.

“I’ll have a cup of tea.”

For some reason, Baek Moo-jin picked up the teapot himself and poured water into the teacup placed before Joo Ja-woon. Strangely, a faint hissing sound could be heard coming from the teapot.

After pouring the tea, Baek Moo-jin said to Ju Ja-woon.

“You’ve come after a rough sparring session. Drink up and refresh yourself.”

What did that mean? Seeing the serious expression on Baek Moo-jin’s face, Ju Ja-woon nodded and replied.

“Thank you.”

This was clearly the same tea that Seo Mun-geuk had hurriedly sipped and then complained was too hot. But seeing how cool the teacup felt, Ju Ja-woon’s eyes widened before he gulped the tea down in one go.

“Wow, this tea is incredibly cool. Your martial arts are truly extraordinary.”

Only then did Zhu Jia Yun realize that Bai Wuzhen had infused the teapot with cold energy.

Seo Mun-geuk, who had experienced a scalding hot taste that burned his tongue and palate, felt like he was being teased by Baek Moo-jin all over again.

“Brother Bai, your first impression wasn’t like this, but you truly have many irritating traits.”

Bai Muzhen replied with a cool smile.

“Please forgive me, Brother Seo-mun. I’ll pour you another cup of tea.”

“Hmph…”

This time, Baek Moo-jin poured tea into Seo Moon-geuk and Ju Ja-woon’s cups again with a polite expression and tone. After filling his own cup last, he addressed the two.

“Please drink. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

When Seo Mun-geuk saw Baek Moo-jin flash another bright smile, he found himself inexplicably relaxing a little.

He couldn’t help but admit it.

‘He’s an unusual person. Anyway…’

On the other hand, Ju Ja-woon couldn’t help but form an extremely favorable impression of Baek Moo-jin.

‘He’s refreshingly straightforward.’

However, Ju Ja-woon had just endured a grueling battle during the martial arts contest, leaving his entire body aching and exhausted. In contrast, Seo Mun-geuk and Baek Moo-jin seemed perfectly fine, as if they hadn’t even participated in the contest. Ju Ja-woon tilted his head and said.

“But how come you two are so fine? I nearly died.”

At that question, Baek Mujin nodded solemnly and replied.

“Well, as for me… that’s how it turned out.”

Baek Moo-jin was repeating to Ju Ja-woon the exact words Seo Moon-geuk had spoken to him. Beside them, Seo Moon-geuk let out a long sigh that Ju Ja-woon could never have understood.