Chapter 615: Now That’s a True Prodigy

A teaching spar was exactly what the name suggested—a bout in which one person instructed the other while they fought. This setup only worked when there was a substantial skill gap between the two sparring partners, so teaching spars normally happened between a master and a disciple or between martial brothers separated by many years of seniority. At a murim academy, upperclassmen holding teaching spars with freshmen was a common sight.

But could the reverse ever happen?

CLAANG!

“That’s a little better than before. Now, try to relax your wrist a little.”

CLAANG!

“Don’t get sloppy just because I said that. Engage your knees more.”

CLAANG!

“Your breathing has become erratic. Focus again!”

The spectators watched the teaching spar on stage with glassy, vacant eyes. A small boy was scolding a young man a full head taller than himself. Each time the boy swung his sword like a teacher’s pointer, the tall young man scrambled to block it.

Nearly every prodigy from the Heavenly Martial Academy who had entered the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament was already on their feet, glaring at him.

“Isn’t that the Diancang Sword Hero? The swordsman who was named a Dragon last year?”

“Yeah, that’s him. I saw his face last year, too. He won three times, always in fewer than ten exchanges, and advanced straight into the ranks of the Dragons and Phoenixes.”

“...But is this really all right?”

The cheering died out long ago, because no one could believe what they were seeing. The entire arena had become hushed, as if everyone had witnessed something they were never meant to see.

The Heavenly Martial Festival brought together the most talented prodigies from the Five Great Academies and pitted them against each other. Of all the events held during the festival, the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament attracted the most attention by far.

After all, the eight most distinguished prodigies who proved themselves there were named the Dragons and Phoenixes. Of course, skill varied even among those eight, but what did not change was that each of them counted among the greatest young talents alive.

“An Azure Dragon Academy freshman is giving one of last year’s Dragons a swordsmanship lesson?”

“What in the world...?”

The idea was so preposterous it might as well be outright fraud. It was a story that would be booed off the stage as unconvincing, even if it were told by the world’s finest bard. And yet, the impossible was happening right before their eyes, on the duel stage.

“How dare he act so insolently?”

“Truly, that child has the disposition of a demon.”

The eminent masters of the Nine Sects watched the match unfold stiffly. Most could not hide their discomfort. Only a handful looked openly impressed. Several of the oldest among them watched Wiji Cheon’s sword with gaping mouths.

Nevertheless, not everyone in the stands was concerned about offending the Nine Sects.

“Wahahaha! Did you see that? That child is my one and only grandson!” Wiji Yeol shouted.

He had nervously watched the beginning of the duel in silence, but now, he couldn’t contain himself for another second. Turning to the stranger sitting beside him, he began to brag.

“There he goes again with that bad habit of his...”

“Demon Instructor Wiji Cheon...”

The Azure Dragon Academy students shook their heads as though they had seen this many times before. The SRS students, in particular, shuddered as an unpleasant memory surfaced in their minds.

On the contrary, a wide grin spread across Baek Suryong’s lips. He even nodded in satisfaction as he looked at the stage the way a man looks at his reflection. “That’s my student! If you’re going to seize the initiative, you have to see it through.”

Namgung Su rubbed his temples as if he had a headache. “Baek Suryong, did you put him up to this?”

“Why is it that the second anything happens, I’m the mastermind?”

“Because that has generally been the case.”

“Ahem!” Baek Suryong cleared his throat, feeling unnecessarily attacked, then shook his head. He had never once instructed Wiji Cheon about how to piss off his opponent, but he understood his student’s thought process well enough to explain, “Cheon’s doing that on purpose.”

“...On purpose?”

“Honestly, you can’t call that a teaching spar, can you?”

Namgung Su nodded. That was precisely what had been bothering him. The bout between Wiji Cheon and Jong Jin was not a teaching spar. Wiji Cheon was clearly superior to Jong Jin of the Diancang Sect, and the young man was not clumsy enough to need a lesson from a peer.

CLAANG! CLAANG! CLAANG!

Wiji Cheon was simply overwhelming his opponent and nitpicking him while doing so. Both Baek Suryong and Namgung Su caught on to this, as would any master above the peak realm.

“The audience won’t know, though.”

“Surely not... Is that what you mean by ‘on purpose’?”

Baek Suryong snorted. His orthodox prude of a senior colleague had become quite astute lately. “The Heavenly Martial Academy brats are dominating other students using inner qi they acquired overnight by consuming elixirs. Does the audience know that? The principle is the same. Cheon shows off his skills, and all they see is a boy so talented that he can afford to coach a fellow prodigy.”

“So that little rascal is just venting his anger...”

Namgung Su stared speechlessly at Wiji Cheon. He knew the boy turned into a different creature the moment he picked up a sword, but he didn’t think he was this belligerent.

Baek Suryong smiled fondly. “Cheon’s got more of a temper than he lets on.”

“He can’t have started out that way. I think he was influenced by his environment and picked up bad habits.”

“That’s only because you never saw what he was like at the beginning.”

Namgung Su let out a low sigh, and Baek Suryong cackled wickedly.

Glancing around, Baek Suryong found the Sword Sage seated among the eminent masters of the Nine Sects. He was the most respected living swordsman of the orthodox and a martial artist believed to have clawed his way to a peerless realm through relentless effort, even after losing his right hand.

And right now, that Sword Sage was studying Wiji Cheon with a grave expression.

Baek Suryong lipread the old man’s unspoken mutter, ‘Should we call him the Sword Wonder or the Sword Demon?’

He looked away indifferently.

“Hmph. That’s not for you bastards to decide.”

The edge in his voice made Namgung Su glance over, but Baek Suryong shook his head and said it was nothing.

Wiji Cheon was angry, and not just because his classmate, Namgung Seok, lost his duel. His other seniors, Mok Hyungwoo, Jeon Pung, and Yoo Gon, had also lost in the first round of the Dragon and Phoenix Tournament.

They didn’t lose due to a lack of skill.