Chapter 89: Oblivion (2)

Baek Cheon didn't back down easily.

“If so, could you teach me about that Peking opera or Bian Lian? I need to learn that first before I can adapt it to fit the great achievements of the past Heavenly Demons!”

"Ahem. Sorry, but I've never seen it myself either. Besides, Disciple Baek, you have less than a year left until you graduate from the Hall, wouldn't it be better to learn it after graduation?"

Baek Cheon nodded in agreement at Il-mok's explanation.

"So the priority is graduating from the Hall! Understood. I won't forget the favor I received from you today, Young Master!"

After showing his respect with a salute, Baek Cheon departed with spirited steps.

It was hard to believe this was the same man who had been punished with kowtowing for a month until earlier today. His gait was remarkably light and cheerful.

Jeong Hyeon, who had been staring blankly at his retreating figure alongside Il-mok, carefully spoke, "Y-Young Master seems to be very popular."

"What? What's that supposed to mean all of a sudden?"

“W-Well, Senior Baek Cheon, and also, aren't there many people looking for y-you, Young Master, every day?”

Jeong Hyeon spoke with slumped shoulders and a thoroughly dejected voice.

While Il-mok was the only person she could call a friend, he had too many people seeking him out.

She was starting to feel anxious that Young Master Il-mok might become closer to others, and he would be forgotten.

And for good reason.

Many of those who sought Il-mok were far more accomplished than she was.

Put aside her peers like Dokgo Pae and Bang Mi-hwa, even the problematic Senior Baek Cheon who had just visited was both the top scorer of his year and came from the prestigious Baek Family.

As her self-esteem began to plummet and she turned her head to avoid his gaze, Il-mok rubbed his arm from the goosebumps covering his arms. “Never say such horrible things again, even as a joke. I'm content just spending time here with you, Disciple Jeong.”

Because he couldn't stand lunatics.

Hearing Il-mok's blunt words, Jeong Hyeon trembled.

"Are you feeling unwell somewhere?" Il-mok asked with a concerned voice, noticing Jeong Hyeon’s familiar habit.

It was a sight he had seen before. During their first meeting, Jeong Hyeon had suddenly had a seizure.

‘If I get closer, it'll get worse, won't it?’

Knowing Jeong Hyeon's side effects, Il-mok couldn't decide what to do.

"I-I'll go ahead first!"

With a face flushed crimson, Jeong Hyeon fled the clearing.

***

Meanwhile, around the same time.

The Black Tiger Pavilion was bustling with activity as they prepared for an expedition departing early the next morning.

Among those moving busily back and forth was Mak Ho-yeol, famous for his martial arts obsession.

After completing all the preparations for departure, Mak Ho-yeol returned to his room and began his final preparation.

With a composed mindset, he ground some ink and began writing a message on paper.

The letter he wrote in a bold and uninhibited style befitting his personality was a kind of challenge letter.

Having caught the eye of Vice Hall Master Yu Geuk during the previous martial competition, he had received special training for about a month.

Thanks to that, he felt he had made noticeable progress, and he was confident of gaining achievements alongside the seniors of the martial units on the upcoming expedition.

Therefore, he planned to challenge someone after returning from this expedition.

He would have preferred to challenge and duel every day, but he considered that disrespectful.

'He is a man several levels above me. At the very least, I should make achievements for myself before challenging him again.’

With that thought in mind, Mak Ho-yeol finished writing his challenge letter, carefully folded it as soon as the ink dried, and rose to his feet.

Mak Ho-yeol left Black Tiger Pavilion and headed toward Black Dragon Pavilion.

"Disciple Il-mok!!"

The person he wanted to challenge after the expedition was none other than Il-mok. Despite being his junior, Il-mok had become a goal that Mak Ho-yeol needed to surpass.

"Come out for just a moment!"

As Mak Ho-yeol kept shouting loudly at the entrance of Black Dragon Pavilion, Il-mok soon appeared.

"What is it?"

Although Il-mok wore a face that openly showed how annoyed he was, Mak Ho-yeol didn't care.

"Just take this. Junior."

"???"

Il-mok accepted the carefully folded letter that Mak Ho-yeol held out with a puzzled expression.

What Mak Ho-yeol said next made Il-mok flinch involuntarily.

"I wrote it with all my heart."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Since the day I first met you, I haven't been able to forget you for a moment."

Mak Ho-yeol had not been able to forget Il-mok's sword since the day he lost in the duel.

'What kind of bullshit is this again?'

Of course, Il-mok couldn't understand the mindset of a martial arts maniac.

"Read it well. I'll hear your answer after I return from this expedition."

But, as if that was enough, Mak Ho-yeol said only what he wanted to say and turned to leave.

Half in a daze, Il-mok looked around.

Was it because Mak Ho-yeol had shouted so loudly? All of his peers were watching the scene. Even Jeong Hyeon's face was faintly visible through the shadows in the corner over there.

'Is he feeling better?'

Recalling what had happened at the clearing earlier, Il-mok was about to approach Jeong Hyeon, carelessly tossing aside the letter in his hand.

"Disciple Il-mok!! How dare you treat a letter that Brother Mak wrote with such care so carelessly?!"

Suddenly, that bastard Dokgo Pae jumped forward to block his path, throwing a fit.

Il-mok sighed deeply at the meddling of Dokgo Pae, who was now boasting his close friendship with him as if they were long-lost brothers.

***

Early the next morning.

The senior year, including Mak Ho-yeol and Baek Cheon, departed from the Hall of the Demonic Way.

Perhaps because the senior year had disappeared, the Hall of the Demonic Way had a quiet atmosphere.

This should have been good news for Il-mok, but he wasn't feeling at ease.

For some reason, Jeong Hyeon had started avoiding him since that day.

"Disciple Jeong!"

"Hiiiiiek!"

It went beyond simply avoiding him; if Il-mok came even slightly close, Jeong Hyeon would have a fit and run away.

Jeong Hyeon couldn't help it.

—I'm content just spending time here with you, Disciple Jeong.

Il-mok's words kept echoing in her mind, making her so embarrassed that she didn't know where to put herself.

Especially after what had happened in the mental realm last time, facing Il-mok had become difficult for Jeong Hyeon, his words were like a fatal blow.

"Haah."

Sighing as he watched Jeong Hyeon fleeing in the distance, Il-mok soon realized an important fact.

'Come to think of it, why am I constantly chasing after Jeong Hyeon?'

Il-mok had originally vowed not to associate with the prospective mental patients of the Hall when he entered.

'Was I feeling lonely without realizing it?'

Though Jeong Hyeon was a bit too shy and had a pathological aversion to being close to people, he felt a little more comfortable with him because he was calmer than the other crazy people.

"Tsk. I ran around for nothing."

Feeling the sweat he had shed while chasing Jeong Hyeon, Il-mok gave up chasing Jeong Hyeon and headed straight to that quiet clearing.

It was the place he usually shared with Jeong Hyeon, but today Il-mok was alone.

He didn't particularly feel lonely. He didn't especially dislike being alone either.

"Well, if I wait here, he’ll come eventually."

He didn't know why he was avoiding him, but he thought it would be better to talk to him later when he had calmed down, rather than forcing someone who was visibly scared.

He was fairly confident that Jeong Hyeon would return.

"I'm alone, but Disciple Jeong doesn't have friends either."

***

Fortunately or unfortunately, Jeong Hyeon did not return to that quiet clearing.

Perhaps he had come in stealth while Il-mok was napping, but the situation where Il-mok faced Jeong Hyeon did not occur.

In any case, Il-mok enjoyed his naps alone there every day, and time flew by so quickly that the third test finally arrived.

As usual, they were leaving the Hall of the Demonic Way under the guidance of an instructor.

Jeong Hyeon's figure could be seen among the disciples from the Lower Class following Instructor Eun Ryeo.

Moving slightly apart from the other students, Jeong Hyeon quickly turned his head away in shock as soon as his eyes met Il-mok's.

'...Is he really sick?'

While Il-mok was thinking this, Chu Il-hwan began speaking to the assembled disciples.

"This test will be conducted in a much larger area than before. The map that I'm going to hand out now shows the destination you need to reach."

As soon as he finished speaking, the assistants, who were carrying some papers, sticks and whistles, started handing them out to the disciples one by one.

"Unlike the previous two tests, this test is individual. Points will be awarded based on the time and order of arrival at the destination. There are countless traps prepared along the way, so you must carefully observe the path as you proceed."

Il-mok unfolded the map he received from an assistant while listening to Chu Il-hwan and sighed lightly.

'It is quite far.'

The map showed as many as three mountain peaks.

It meant they had to reach a place that required crossing three of the countless peaks in the Tianshan Mountain Range.

"If you stray outside the area drawn on the map, you will be trapped in a formation. However, the formation is designed to lead in one direction, so you don't have to worry about getting stranded."

This time, Chu Il-hwan showed the whistle and stick in front of him as he spoke.

"These two are for emergencies, so keep them safe. The test will last for four hours. If you fail to reach the destination within that time, light this stick and blow the whistle. The instructors and assistants will come to rescue you."

As if to demonstrate, Chu Il-hwan lit a stick, and yellow smoke billowed out. The yellow smoke appeared to serve as a kind of beacon.

"Lastly, as with the previous test, instructors and assistants will patrol the test site starting fifteen minutes after the test begins. This is to find those who are injured by traps or stranded, but conversely, those caught by instructors or assistants will fail the test."

In response to his explanation, the instructors and assistants showed the bells tied to their belts.

After briefly explaining the test, Chu Il-hwan jokingly smiled and added a warning.

"The test site is larger, so you'll have to be careful. Also, I hope you don't make the mistake of getting injured because of your greed for grades or failing to send a signal even after the allocated time has passed. This is a test where occasional casualties or missing persons occur."

Despite his mention of casualties or missing persons, the disciples showed confidence and determination rather than surprise or anxiety. It was as if they had that much determination from the time they entered the Hall of the Demonic Way.

Seeing these youngsters' fearless attitude, Il-mok shook his head.

'These lunatics.'

It felt absurd that they would create such a test for sixteen-year-old children.

More explanations from Chu Il-hwan followed, and after finishing all explanations, Chu Il-hwan shouted and flipped an hourglass.

"Then, begin!"

As expected, at the start of the test, Dokgo Pae and Bang Mi-hwa shouted confidently and started running.

"Victory in this test is mine!"

"Young Master! I won't go easy on you this time!"

The one difference was that Dokgo Pae ran alone, as it was an individual competition, while Bang Mi-hwa was, as always, with Ha Young.

"Phew."

Sighing, Il-mok turned his head to look in the direction where the Lower Class disciples were gathered. More specifically, in Jeong Hyeon's direction.

'Although it's an individual test, I guess it’s okay to be together until the first half or so,' Il-mok considered.

It would be uncomfortable if a large number of people were gathered, but they would soon disperse anyway.

He was thinking of trying to talk with Jeong Hyeon then, but.

"!?"

Unlike his usual self, as soon as the test started, Jeong Hyeon dashed off like an arrow and instantly concealed himself with his stealth technique.

"Tsk."

Clicking his tongue in disappointment, Il-mok let go of his lingering thoughts and began walking while examining the map.

"So I have to cross three mountains."

The thought of sweating made him feel unpleasant in many ways, but unlike the previous test, no useful shortcuts came to mind.

"It's best to just finish quickly and rest."

Having sorted out his thoughts, Il-mok started walking.