Chapter 605: Were You Watching?

“...Kunlun will be leaving.”

The Kunlun Sect Leader gathered his disciples and withdrew to the sect’s local branch.

His disciple, Ok Jin, had been handed a harsh punishment—a lifetime ban from the Heavenly Martial Festival. The honor of the Kunlun Sect, which had prided itself on holding the fort against the Demonic Cult for centuries, nosedived in a single evening.

” he shouted casually as he spun around and walked the night streets with his Azure Dragon Academy students.

Honestly, everything had stemmed from the stubbornness of a Sect Leader who had been humiliated twice while trying to cover for his own disciple. Disappointed stares and silent jeers followed them out.

“They tried to pin all the blame on us, but in the end, Kunlun took the fall for everything.”

“Serves those bastards right. I knew it would end like this from the start.”

“I wonder what would’ve happened if Mr. Baek hadn’t arrived in time...”

The students’ eyes burned with steely determination.

Wiji Cheon, Hyonwon Kang, and a relieved Dokgo Jun discussed the outcome.

As soon as the full story came out, the Azure Dragon Academy came forward to defend its students.

Baek Suryong chuckled and nodded. Hyonwon Kang’s plan had indeed been good. He would escalate the fight until everyone involved had to be punished, and then use that very situation to ensure that nobody was punished harshly at all. Broadly speaking, it was not so different from what he himself would have done.

The Acting Principal Mae Geuklyom said coldly, “The Azure Dragon Academy will no longer stand by and accept this unjust treatment. If every student involved in the fight is not punished fairly, we will withdraw from the Heavenly Martial Festival!”

It was an ultimatum. Either they all went down together, or they all walked away together.

“You three need your strength for the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament preliminaries starting tomorrow.

Of course, the Nine Sects One Gang protested vehemently.

“How can they possibly receive the same punishment? While Ok Jin was indeed disrespectful, it was clearly an Azure Dragon Academy student who threw the first punch!”

Unfortunately, the Heavenly Martial Principal, who held the final say, was not on their side. As the organizer of the Heavenly Martial Festival, he refused to let a penalty rob a talented prodigy of the chance to display their martial arts.

For example, earlier.

He looked at the leaders of the Nine Sects. “Let’s end this by having the students apologize to each other and then receive a stern lecture from their teachers. If the Nine Sects insist on punishing the Azure Dragon Academy unfairly, I fear the entire world will laugh at you,” he said sternly. Although his words were framed as persuasion, they contained an underlying implication to drop the matter.

The issue was resolved quickly.

The Sword Sage, the most senior elder, glared fiercely at the students and roared, “What gives you the nerve to hold your heads up so proudly? Hurry up and apologize for your actions!”

Behind him, his shadow stretched long across the wall, as if leaving a trail of regret.

The Heavenly Martial Academy students who had fought were the first to bow their heads and apologize. Until that moment, no one present imagined things would play out this way.

Ilgak, the Student Council President of the Heavenly Martial Academy, joined his palms and bowed to Dokgo Jun. “I sincerely apologize for failing to stop Student Ok Jin, and for pushing our position without considering the Azure Dragon Academy’s perspective.”

“I was too rash as well. And about calling you Baldy earlier... I’m sorry.”

Baek Suryong nodded approvingly.

“...Amitabha.”

To anyone looking on, it seemed as if the Heavenly Martial Academy was apologizing and the Azure Dragon Academy was forgiving them. For some reason, nobody present found that strange anymore.

And so, the clash between the two academies came to an end.

“How dare they lay their grubby hands on our Student Council President and adorable freshman?

“...Let’s go back.”

“Follow me!”

“How dare they lay their grubby hands on our Student Council President and adorable freshman?

“You had all better be prepared.”

The onlookers began to scatter. The Heavenly Martial Academy students followed their Sect Leaders, their faces pale. Some ground their teeth in indignation, while a few glared back at the Azure Dragon Academy students.

Baek Suryong approached the Supreme Buddha, who wore a grave expression. “I believe it’s only right that Shaolin pays for the damages to the destroyed restaurant. Especially since you made your entrance by smashing through the roof, Supreme Buddha.”

The Azure Dragon Academy instructors gulped nervously, certain that Baek Suryong was provoking the Supreme Buddha for no reason.

However, the Supreme Buddha simply nodded and looked around. “Amitabha. Not just this establishment, either! If any nearby merchants have suffered damages from this incident, please come to Shaolin. We will compensate all your losses and support the reconstruction efforts.”

Upon hearing his benevolent offer, the common people chanted the Supreme Buddha’s praises.

Baek Suryong nodded approvingly.

“Are you two okay?” Baek Suryong asked, walking toward Hyonwon Kang and Wiji Cheon. Even though their uniforms were the sorriest looking, neither of them appeared to be seriously hurt.

Not all of the Nine Sects are rotten...

At the very least, Shaolin and Wudang, represented by the Supreme Buddha and the Sword Sage, along with the Beggars’ Gang and Emei Sect, still possessed the honor and chivalry befitting the orthodox murim.

On the other hand, Kunlun and Qingcheng were another matter entirely. They were steeped in arrogant privilege, having enjoyed peace and unaccountable power for far too long. Furthermore, the endless praise from those around them created the perfect environment for arrogance to flourish.

He looked at the two remaining elders. Judging by their grim faces, the Supreme Buddha and the Sword Sage seemed to have arrived at the same conclusion as he.

Namgung Su shook his head in disdain. The ones who are seeing this have disappointed him.

“...Amitabha. Then this humble monk will take his leave.”

“See you tomorrow.”

“You had all better be prepared.

After they left, the Heavenly Martial Principal eyed Baek Suryong curiously and left with a cryptic remark. “That glare that frightened the Kunlun Sect Leader was rather impressive.”

Finally, when every last person related to the Heavenly Martial Academy was gone, the Azure Dragon Academy students breathed a sigh of relief.

They were a mess from the restaurant brawl, but they stood tall like triumphant soldiers returning from war.

With a little more time, we would’ve put every single one of them on the floor.

“Those bastards! With a little more time, we would’ve put every single one of them on the floor.”

“We won, right? They ran away first.”

“How dare they lay their grubby hands on our Student Council President and adorable freshman?”

“Did you see how they glared at us on the way out? If the instructors hadn’t been there, I would’ve just...”

Baek Suryong slung his arms around Hyonwon Kang’s and Wiji Cheon’s shoulders and began whispering about how to corner an opponent one-sidedly.

Nevertheless, it was too soon to celebrate.

The moment the Heavenly Martial Academy disappeared from view, Mae Geuklyom’s fiery reprimand came crashing down on the students.

Behind him, his shadow stretched long across the wall, as if leaving a trail of regret.

“What have you done to be so proud and cheerful? When we return to the lodgings, I will meet with each of you individually, so be prepared!”

The faces that had been so defiant while brawling with the Heavenly Martial Academy turned ashen. A one-on-one meeting with Mae Geuklyom was every student’s worst nightmare.

“Are you two okay?” Baek Suryong asked, walking toward Hyonwon Kang and Wiji Cheon. Even though their uniforms were the sorriest looking, neither of them appeared to be seriously hurt.

Hyonwon Kang wiped his bloody nose with the back of his hand and grinned nonchalantly. “Of course I’m fine. If you hadn’t stopped us, I would’ve beaten those bastards to a pulp... Ouch! Why’d you hit me?”