“So you’re saying you can all skip a grade if you have the skills?”

At the out-of-the-blue question, everyone’s gaze fell on me. It was a surprising thing in itself to question the words of a powerful person who was one of the top in the academy and a Transformation Realm master.

Because the affirmation of a person in charge of that level was like a notification.

But I had no choice but to ask.

‘It’s different from the original work.’

In the game, whether it was two or three, it was possible to skip a grade if you had the skills.

‘But why did it suddenly become like this?’

Before the question was even resolved, Gu Jabeom’s words continued.

“Four is too many. And to say you have the ability, it’s lacking in my eyes.”

Gu Jabeom looked us over as if he were seeing through us and then opened his mouth.

“Three at the peak, one at the first-rate.”

At that declaration, I couldn’t refute any further. It was the analysis of a Transformation Realm master. It must be correct.

What was surprising was that I was the only first-rate martial artist in this place.

‘When did he get so strong again?’

Baek Hasin. It seemed he had just entered the beginning of the peak level, including his sword qi last time. To be at this level in just one semester was truly an explosive growth.

“Then how will the exam be conducted?”

At Baek Hasin’s question, Gu Jabeom spread a slight qi wall around and explained.

“It won’t be held right away. You guys should know. It’s a complicated situation in many ways because of the intruders. To be frank, the grade-skipping exam is a matter of low priority, so I judged that there was no need to pull out personnel.”

At Gu Jabeom’s explanation, everyone was silent, as if they each had their own thoughts.

Since the super master groups in the academy had been running wild, it was only natural.

It was clear that there would be many things for the professors and instructors to do, such as identifying external enemies and checking the security system and formations.

“So the grade-skipping exam is scheduled to be held in the last week of the vacation. So don’t forget and come back a week early.”

Gu Jabeom, who had delivered the message, soon gave an order to leave. As if it were enough just to have glanced over them once earlier.

“Then you can go back. Ah, you, the top student, stay.”

But he was calling me out, pointing me out. Baek Hasin and the other students glanced at me as if they were interested and then passed by me.

“What… is it?”

Having no choice, I stopped my feet and asked back.

Finally, the door closed, and again, Gu Jabeom created a qi wall similar to a soundproof formation with his qi wave and then finally got to the main point.

“That ability you showed in the friendly match. Where did you learn it?”

A serious gaze. I gave a standard answer.

“It’s a secret manual within the family…”

“That can’t be. No matter how skilled the Zhuge family is in formations and sorcery, such a martial prowess is impossible. And most of all, I’ve never seen that strange flow in the middle dantian from the Zhuge family head.”

Gu Jabeom cornered me, pointing out things one by one.

He was also a seasoned martial artist who had passed his forties. As a top 100 master in the Central Plains from the Martial Alliance, his knowledge was also wide, and he had also participated in the war between the righteous and heretical paths with the heads of the Five Great Families.

But to say it was a secret ultimate technique that even he had not seen from the Zhuge family head.

“You’re lying right now.”

Gu Jabeom stared at me with an unwavering gaze. Receiving that gaze full of insight head-on, I opened my mouth in a low voice.

“That’s right.”

He was someone who was already certain through his background knowledge. If I just deny it for no reason, I’ll only be more suspected.

“But it is certain that this is a great asset of the Zhuge family. Therefore, I will claim the martial arts property rights.”

I said it confidently.

Martial arts property rights. A right claimed by the martial arts factions that had grown based on the various advanced martial arts after their gist had been released by the Heaven-Shattering Demon.

‘In the contract that the Heaven-Shattering Demon made, wasn’t it that you couldn’t claim additional rights for new martial arts created by each sect founder or for the martial arts they had researched?’

It was a concept like modern intellectual property rights.

If what the Heaven-Shattering Demon had released was an open source that had been released for the public good after the patent period had expired, then for the new martial arts that had been newly created after the Heaven-Shattering Demon’s seclusion, the martial arts property rights were applied, and their exclusive rights were recognized.

It was a principle mainly for the vested interests.

‘And that’s what’s protecting me right now.’

No matter how much it was Gu Jabeom, if I put forward the principles of the Central Plains righteous path, he couldn’t do anything…

“Keuk!”

In an instant, it felt as if my body were floating, and my vision was turned upside down. Gu Jabeom was holding me up by my neck with one hand.

Since he was pressing the acupoints around my neck, not only my words but also my internal energy were controlled and did not come out properly.

“It’s strange. There are no rumors that your second older brother or the young family head used such a power, so why is that? And you, the scoundrel third son.”

Gu Jabeom slowly lowered my body and then glared at me. As if he would not forgive a lie.

“I’ll ask again, that ability, where did you learn it?”

My mind was about to go blank from the blood that had rushed to my head.

‘Would it be better to faint as I am?’

He wouldn’t kill me, since I’m a direct blood relative of the Zhuge family.

But as if he had read my thoughts, he said.

“I won’t kill you. Instead, I’ll break all your limbs. I can afford that much.”

A killing intent that surrounded me. It’s real. Gu Jabeom really intends to do so.

“Speak. Who is it? The one who taught you that sorcery?”

At the added brute force, I gathered my mana.

Fwoosh!

In an instant, flames covered Gu Jabeom’s upper body, but they couldn’t even leave a single mark on his protective qi.

‘Damn it!’

I compressed the mana I had drawn out. A flame compressed into one. A radiant flame bullet exploded in front of Gu Jabeom’s eyes.

Boom!

A loud noise that covered the professor’s office. But Gu Jabeom was still perfectly fine.

Empty mana and thin oxygen. My consciousness gradually faded.

Just before I lost consciousness, he let me go. In the process, something quickly entered my mouth. But without even having the time to care, Gu Jabeom asked as if giving a final ultimatum.

“I’ll ask for the last time. You, what is your relationship with the Blood Demon?”

‘Blood Demon?’

I was flustered by the unexpected words.

The Blood Demon was a person who stood at the pinnacle of sorcery. One of the monsters of the heretical path.

‘But why me…’

Just before my thoughts continued, I answered first. Because it seemed he would really break my limbs if I didn’t.

“I, I have no relationship with the Blood Demon. I swear.”

At those words, Gu Jabeom checked my acupoints and looked into my intentions.

‘Don’t tell me the thing he just fed me was a truth serum?’

No wonder my body felt strange. And more than that, the Blood Demon.

‘Seeing that he thought of the Blood Demon as soon as he saw my magic, does that mean his sorcery is really similar to the magic I use?’

Although I had my doubts, there was no time to think deeply. Because Gu Jabeom’s questions continued right away.

“In that case, do you have a relationship with the heretical path?”

“No. I have not received any martial arts from them.”

I answered honestly and truthfully. Although I was about to become dazed from the effect of the drug, thanks to [Extreme Will], I was able to maintain my sanity and answer.

Then, Gu Jabeom asked as if he were doubtful.

“Then where in the world did you learn that sorcery?”

“I learned it on my own.”

I answered with difficulty. It was definitely the truth. What am I supposed to do about the fact that my talent is so outstanding?

A survey conducted after taking a drug and having my acupoints held. Of course, he had no choice but to believe it.

“……”

Gu Jabeom, who had been silent for a moment, narrowed his brow. It seemed he was trying to look into my intentions. But I was confident.

An unintentional staring contest continued for a while.

Finally, as if he had made a decision, Gu Jabeom placed his hand on the top of my head.

‘Damn it.’

The palm that touched the Baihui acupoint, a vital point. If a Transformation Realm master were to move a single hand, I would die.

In the chilling situation, I could feel the energy gathering in Gu Jabeom’s palm.

And my vision turned white, and then… it became clear.

‘Huh?’

Before I knew it, I was standing up.

Gu Jabeom had infused his internal energy into my body to remove the effect of the drug and had made me stand up.

“It doesn’t matter if you think badly of me. In a situation where intruders are rampant, I had to do this much.”

“I understand.”

In fact, it wasn’t at all, but what could a powerless me do?

It was a stroke of luck just to have been able to survive with my limbs intact, avoiding suspicion.

And so, just as I was about to turn around after giving a moderate greeting with a managed expression.

“If your words are true, then you have a very dangerous talent. It would be good to cultivate the strength to protect yourself. Since there’s also today’s incident, I will help you just once in the future.”

‘Oh, it was worth the trouble.’

A Gu Jabeom coupon, I like it quite a lot. It will definitely be a great help in a crisis.

I left the professor’s office with a greeting.

But when I came outside, the rest of the people, including Baek Hasin, were still standing there.

“What is it? You guys.”

Seeing their expressions, it seemed they were curious about what we had talked about. Of course, there was no way I would tell them.

“Since it’s the last day of the semester tomorrow, I stayed behind to say goodbye. Because I’ll be leaving right away in the morning. You’ll have to be prepared during the vacation.”

Peng Geun-u disappeared with a provocation.

“If you can come during the vacation, please do. Okay?”

Baek Cheong made a request that was close to a threat.

“Thanks to your words, I was able to become stronger by abandoning my attachments. Thank you, but I won’t yield. Because I’m stronger now.”

I was subjected to some kind of boasting from Baek Hasin. By the way, did that guy just provoke me?

‘I’ll have to cultivate my strength without rest during the vacation too.’

To skip a grade among those monsters, that was the only answer.

* * *

The next day, along with the event that concluded the semester, the junior students all scattered.

‘I’ll have to go home first.’

I was planning to go out in search of various opportunities during the vacation. Because I had to become strong enough to win against a peak-level master.

With that mindset, when I left the academy entrance, I could see that the Zhuge family had a carriage and escort warriors waiting.

‘When I entered, they only gave me two escorts and one servant and sent me empty-handed.’

A treatment that was clearly different from when I had first been possessed here.

‘The level of the escorts has also changed in the meantime.’

At that time, they were at most at the first-rate level, but now, judging from the aura they were emitting, all four escorts were at least at the peak-level master level.

‘Certainly, if you’re a direct blood relative of a prestigious family, you should be at this level.’

Come to think of it, no matter how much I was the youngest, for the prestige of the Zhuge family, the previous escorts were too insincere.

Even considering that the distance between the Zhuge family and the Martial Academy was not that far.

‘Perhaps they thought it wouldn’t matter if I died on the way.’

A neglected scoundrel. And on top of that, a guy who had fled to the academy as if running away, so it might have been even more so.

Of course, it’s different now.

I had achieved the top student position in the Martial Academy, of all places. And that was after defeating the geniuses of the Hebei Peng family and the Huashan Sect, who had been receiving attention as rising stars.

Since it was an achievement that was unimaginable for the previous scoundrel, the family had no choice but to treat me well.

I naturally said before getting into the carriage.

“Then let’s depart. Ah, but there’s a place I need to stop by on the way, is that alright?”

“…There was an order from Madam Dang Hujeong to bring you without delay.”

‘Dang Hujeong. She’s paying attention and trying to bring me?’

Come to think of it, I remember that the Zhuge family’s family situation was a bit complicated. Since Zhuge Cheonwu was born from the second wife who had passed away, there wouldn’t be many reasons to look upon this side favorably.

It wasn’t just a prejudice against a stepmother, but it was inevitable due to the succession structure centered on the family head.

‘Something’s fishy. I don’t know the family atmosphere in detail. In a situation like this, it might be a way to obediently accept the favor, but…’

But if you obediently follow others’ words, would that be a scoundrel? I said, stretching.

“It’s been a while since I’ve been out, so I’d like to get some fresh air for a day or so. I hope you’ll understand. Didn’t this carriage come all the way here for me? Unless the purpose is to escort me like a prisoner.”

I deliberately mixed in some sharp vocabulary. Because I didn’t want to explain a very natural request twice.

At my reaction, the escorts, as if they had no choice, finally nodded their heads slowly. Because if things went wrong and this side refused to get on the carriage, only they would be at a loss.

“Then, where would you like to go? There is a bustling street nearby that is famous for its entertainment.”

The fact that the expected destination was narrowed down to entertainment or a bustling street made me guess my reputation, which was bitter, but this was also a price I had to pay.

I revealed my destination this time, as if to correct their rude imagination.

“Do you know of a place called Mangbeonsa?”

Then, the escorts made a face as if they had heard it for the first time. Even though they would have only sent people who were familiar with the Hubei terrain.

‘Of course, they wouldn’t know. Because it’s hidden.’

Mangbeonsa. It was one of the branches of the Blood Cult, disguised as a temple.

‘Since there are four peak-level masters, I’ll have to use them at a time like this.’

I sat on the seat of honor in the carriage and began to formulate my future plans.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep