Bi Ryu-yeon first headed to the village bookstore. He needed knowledge to teach, and most of it was encapsulated within books. Having only been taught – if one dares call it teaching – and never having taught anyone himself, Bi Ryu-yeon lacked information and understanding about the teaching process. Hence, he felt the need to purchase books on teaching methods and pedagogy. At this moment, Bi Ryu-yeon required specific resources to perfectly execute his plan – the nourishment for his scheme.
Given his common sense, Bi Ryu-yeon surmised that what the Heavenly Martial Academy wanted him to teach wouldn't be simple martial arts techniques. Considering that the now-deceased old man was a martial artist, it was unlikely he would casually pass on his own techniques to others. It was probably not just simple martial arts techniques or secret moves. More likely, they wanted him to teach martial philosophy – the principles of martial arts.
For this, a meticulous plan was necessary. Yet, devising plans was a delightful task for Bi Ryu-yeon. He was filled with vitality, and his eyes shone brilliantly with excitement. Soon, those who would bring change and joy to his life would arrive. The thought of precisely how he would 'cook and eat' them brought a smug smile to Bi Ryu-yeon's face.
With his head buzzing with various thoughts, Bi Ryu-yeon rapidly descended the mountain. His destination was a bookstore in the village.
'But, what is Heavenly Martial Academy?'
As he descended, a question flickered through Bi Ryu-yeon's mind. He realized he knew nothing about Heavenly Martial Academy – its location, composition, or the extent of its influence. Had anyone known of his ignorance about Heavenly Martial Academy, they might have dissuaded him, but no such person was around Bi Ryu-yeon.
Although he had gone to the village to work and earn money, Bi Ryu-yeon, who mostly led a reclusive life, was completely unaware of the current martial world. He knew nothing about Heavenly Martial Academy, let alone the renowned Nine Great Martial Sects. His master never taught him, and he never learned, so his ignorance was only natural.
Exiting the bookstore with the musty smell of old paper, Bi Ryu-yeon held two ancient texts in his hand. His shoulders and head were covered with a thin layer of dust, the result of bravely searching through the dusty corners for about three hours. In the end, his persistence in the musty, ink-and-mold-scented dustbin paid off – he had found the information he was looking for.
One book Bi Ryu-yeon found was a famous ancient text from the Tang Dynasty titled "The Art of Deception Even Monkeys Can Do," and the other was "You Too Can Become a Master," equally enticing and from the same era. Both books were written by the same author, known as Sa Gi-gun, a well-known figure of the Tang Dynasty.
[TL/N: Sa Gi-gun can be tl'ed as con-artist.]
It was said that Sa Gi-gun wrote these two books in a cold prison cell, channeling his frustration against the state that had unjustly imprisoned him for his supposedly incorrect thoughts and actions. He poured everything into these books, reflecting his deep and somber emotions.
Bi Ryu-yeon had spent a long time in the bookstore scouring through titles like "The Theory of Sure-win Deception," "Secret Revealed: The Absolute Art of Deception," "Beginner's Guide to Deception," "The Mass Theory of Deception," "Encyclopedia of Deception in the Martial World," "Becoming a Master in 100 Days," "What Makes a Master: A Complete Dissection," and "The Theory of the Birth of a Master." However, none of these matched the simplicity, excellence, and superiority of the two books he had finally chosen from what seemed like a pile of garbage in the bookstore.
With the necessary materials now in hand, Bi Ryu-yeon's next step was to gather the tools required to teach people. This thought slightly furrowed his brow, as unlike gathering information, preparing these tools would inevitably involve substantial costs. Reluctant as he was to spend so much, he couldn't backtrack on a decision already made. The plan had to proceed.
Money would need to be raised again, and he hoped that the worst-case scenario – a budget overrun – would not occur. If it did, he felt like he might abandon everything.
"Preparation starts now. It's going to get busy from here," Bi Ryu-yeon thought as he watched the red sunset slowly crumbling at the horizon, coloring the world in shades of crimson. He headed towards the iron workshop, determined to carry out his plan without any hitches.
***
Hellish Training Camp
The hellish training camp had already begun,
but nobody had yet realized it.
By the time they understood it was a living hell,
they were already too deep in to escape, leading to their despair.
On a scorching summer day, with the sun blazing overhead and the heat searing the ground, the forest was filled with the loud chirping of cicadas, as if they were about to fly away. A group, consisting of both men and women, trudged along a path hidden within the dense forest.
Leading the group were two young men, chatting to relieve the monotony of the journey. One wore a white martial uniform embroidered with a blue dragon, while the other, in a calm and subdued blue Taoist robe, had a blue dragon sewn onto its sleeve. The man in the blue robe, exuding a serene aura, addressed his companion in the white uniform. Their conversation suggested they were friends.
"Hey, Namgoong, are we there yet?"
"We should be arriving soon. Haven't we been climbing this mountain for a while now?"
"I really hope we reach our destination soon to escape this stifling weather. Look at this sweat; I feel like I'm taking a bath in it."
"Hahaha, I couldn't agree more."
The young man in the white uniform, Namgoong Sang, wiped the sweat from his forehead and laughed heartily. After a brief exchange, they continued their silent ascent. Namgoong Sang, seemingly bored by the quiet, struck up a conversation with his close friend and renowned junior of the Wudang Sect, Gentle Flowing Sword Hyun-woon.
"Hey Hyun-woon, what subjects are you planning to take for your liberal arts courses? Have you finished registering?"
"Oh, that? For the liberal arts side, I'm planning on 'Understanding Laozi and Zhuangzi's Philosophy,' 'Philosophy and Understanding of Human Nature,' and a second foreign language. For martial arts, I'm thinking of 'Application of Fists' and 'Dual Swordsmanship.' How about you?"
"Wow, quite impressive. That's a choice befitting an aspiring Taoist. As for me, on the liberal arts side, I'm planning on taking 'Understanding Confucian Thought,' 'Commentary on Zhongyong and Understanding of the Universe,' and for the second foreign language, I'll study Tianzhu language. On the martial arts side, I'm going to take 'Flying Dagger' and 'Whip Technique.' But what about you, Hyun-woon, what second language have you chosen?"
[TL/N: Tianzhu is ancient India]
"I've also signed up for Tianzhu language, just like you. It's one of the most popular second language courses, isn't it? There's a high enrollment and, considering its future prospects, it's certainly Tianzhu language."
"But Tianzhu language is a difficult subject, hard to score high in… But let's put that aside. I heard you got quite high grades this semester? It's been the talk of the academy. Did you train hard?"
"Haha, same could be said for you, Namgoong. Rumor has it that your grades is also quite impressive, isn't that right?"
"Possibly. But this time, I didn't score well in Master Shim's 'Fundamental Martial Arts Theory'. You know how stingy he is with grades."
"Haha, I'm also not expecting a good score in Master Kang's 'Ancient Confucian Philosophy.' He's notoriously stingy, too. Really stingy. I advise you to never take his lectures. You'll regret it, truly."
"Haha, I'll keep that in mind. And this time, I won't lose to you. I'll take the victory."
"Who's talking, you better watch out. I'll flatten your nose again. You remember how I lost my sleep over falling behind you in the last evaluation? This time, I expect to sleep peacefully."
"Such words from a disciple of Wudang Sect, the prime Taoist school in the land, seeking to forsake worldly ties and seek only the truth. Hahaha!"
"Is that so? Hahaha!"
Namgoong Sang's playful remark made Hyun-woon slightly embarrassed. Both Namgoong Sang, the second son of the prominent martial family Namgoong, and Hyun-woon, a top disciple of the Wudang Sect, were among the best in their second year at the academy. Despite being strong competitors, they maintained a good relationship, a fact that was rather astonishing. They continued chatting about the best and dullest teachers, and worthwhile courses, while behind them, cheerful voices of young women echoed. Their voices were lively and spirited, filled with an infectious energy.
"Aigoo,I see sohje (junior sister) Jin is still as energetic as ever. You must be really happy."
[TL/N: I will address sohje as junior sister from hereon as compared to mahwa.]
Hearing the chatter behind him, Hyun-woon commented to Namgoong Sang with a smile. Since learning that their training location was at Mountain Emei, Jin Ryeong from the Emei Sect, a sect known for its lay disciples, had been lively and vibrant, like a girl frolicking in her dreams.
"It's been years since she returned to Mountain Emei. It's natural for her to be happy. You'd feel the same if the training was at Mount Wudang, right?"
"Haha, that's true. I'd feel like I'm returning home too…"
Suddenly, Hyun-woon trailed off, his face darkening slightly. It seemed he was somewhat disheartened that the training wasn't at Mt. Wudang. The one relishing in joy and happiness since finding out their destination was Mountain Emei was Jin Ryeong. She became even more spirited, chatting and laughing with the other girls in the group as they entered the boundaries of Mountain Emei.
However, both Jin Ryeong, elated at returning home, and Hyun-woon, slightly saddened by the location choice, were unaware of the harsh reality they were about to face. They didn't realize that the time ahead would be referred to as hell…
After about another half an hour's walk up the mountain, the group's pace was brisk, almost like they were running up the steep path. As they neared the top, shrouded by the dense forest, a faint outline of a building appeared. They had finally reached their destination. The group quickened their steps towards the building in excitement. Then, suddenly:
"Whoosh…"
A figure dropped from a tall tree by the path, startling everyone. The members of the Vermillion Bird team instinctively reached for their swords, ready for confrontation.
The figure was an old man, appearing to be in his 50s, with white hair but no beard, and a face lined with fine wrinkles. Yet, his posture was too upright, his body too full of vitality for a man of his age. At first glance, he seemed unremarkable except for his abrupt appearance.
"Who might you be?"
Namgoong Sang asked politely, showing significant self-discipline by not shouting 'Who are you?' at the sudden appearance of the stranger. Unbeknownst to him, a less respectful approach could have led to a dire situation.
"Welcome. You've arrived well."
The old man greeted them with a smile, which he thought was kind but seemed rather eerie to others. No one naively believed it was a smile without malice, yet at that moment, none of them realized that the hoarse, husky voice welcoming them belonged to the person who would lead these 16 members of the Vermillion Bird team into a metaphorical hell. A sudden gust of wind swept through them, carrying an ominous air, but its foreboding nature went unnoticed.
Led by the old man's gesture, the 16 members of the Vermillion Bird team followed him into the building. The three-story structure was spacious and well-maintained. The entrance bore a sign reading "Heavenly Academy Emei Training Institute," suggesting that the place was well cared for.
Originally, the Heavenly Academy Emei Training Institute should have been dominated by Steel Orb Silver Bracelet Jin Jo-woon, but fate had long since veered off course. Now, the institute was under the control of the old man who had transformed himself – Bi Ryu-yeon, the sole disciple and successor of the Bi-roe Moon*, who also juggled the roles of breadwinner and manager of the sect's operations. His plan was proceeding smoothly so far. At the moment, Bi Ryu-yeon was looking forward to the greeting ceremony with his adorable disciples, whom he would be spending the next three months with. The thin smile still lingered on his lips, but the sinister intent behind it was hidden by the realistic human skin mask he wore.
"My name is unimportant. No. Better to think of me as nameless," Bi Ryu-yeon announced to the 16 members of the Vermillion Bird team gathered before him.
"…?"
The members sat perplexed, exchanging confused glances at his seemingly random and abrupt statement. Before they could visibly express their bewilderment, Bi Ryu-yeon made another shocking declaration, more understandable yet equally startling as the previous one.
"The face you see now is not my real one. I'm wearing something called a human skin mask."
Several members of the Vermillion Bird team jerked in surprise, their expressions a mix of shock and disbelief. It was natural to be startled upon learning that their instructor was wearing a fake face. Some of them openly displayed suspicion and wariness.