“So that’s why you came here.”

After a while, I shook off the persistently clinging Tang Surin and returned to the sickroom, muttering to myself as I lay on the bed.

The content that Tang Surin had told me earlier came to my mind.

[Sichuan needs support. I hear that although it’s not right away, the Kunlun side might be attacked around the end of this year.]

Before leaving the lake, Tang Surin had explained with a tone as if she were showing off.

Sichuan was a vast region comparable to a small or medium-sized country in terms of its size alone. And the Sichuan Tang family, the largest force in Sichuan, had a position comparable to the king of a small country, with a little exaggeration.

But for such a Sichuan Tang family to come and formally ask for help. I could roughly tell how serious the situation was.

‘Changes are gradually taking place throughout the Central Plains.’

The attack of the Heaven-Shattering Martial Sect within the academy, the secret activities of the Demonic Cult and the disguise of the Blood Cult, and even the aim of the Sichuan Tang family.

Although it was only the beginning of the original work, several omens were already appearing.

Conspiracies that I couldn’t possibly solve on my own were taking place in various parts of the Central Plains.

‘This has become a headache.’

In that sense, the meaning of this request for support was also great.

The Sichuan Tang family, which had originally been trying to advance into the Central Plains through the Zhuge family, had folded its expansionist policy and was instead putting more effort into maintaining its regional hegemony. This meant that.

‘It means they are preparing for a big war.’

And that threat would have come from the western regions, such as Qinghai or Tibet.

‘A few things come to mind.’

Sichuan was one of the regions that suffered great damage when an external force advanced into the Central Plains. Due to its vast land, various risk factors were hidden.

If I had to pick the most threatening force among them, it would undoubtedly be the Demonic Cult, but in this case, it was highly likely to be a different enemy considering the timing.

Since there were many variables in the original work, and crises occurred suddenly or their order changed, there was nothing I could be sure of yet.

‘The only thing that’s certain is that I’m scheduled to be sold off as a son-in-law to the Sichuan Tang family after I graduate from the Martial Academy.’

Although Zhuge Cheonwu was also a blood relative of the Zhuge family, since he was the son of a concubine and a scoundrel with no foundation, he had no power to refuse. At least for now.

‘I’m keenly aware that I have no foundation of my own.’

Looking at Tang Surin’s reaction, I could indirectly tell how much Zhuge Cheonwu had been tormented by her.

And yet, no one in the family, including Dang Hujeong, tried to protect him. On the contrary, they were busy hushing it up and letting it pass.

‘It doesn’t feel good.’

My stomach churned when I saw them busily calculating behind the scenes, excluding the person concerned.

Myself, a scoundrel, and Tang Surin, who had a screw loose somewhere. Both of them were just disposable pawns in the family and a means for harmony between the families.

‘It’s still not enough.’

Although I had made some effort and had achieved the realm of the second circle and first-rate, that was it. As soon as I left the academy and experienced the Central Plains, I could keenly feel how powerless I was.

‘I have to become stronger. Not just in martial strength, but also in terms of my position.’

Until now, I had grown by using the backing of my family, but now, on the contrary, the background of my family was pressing down on me.

‘I have to reveal my presence.’

In order to survive from things like family and conspiracies.

And to achieve this goal, there was something I had to do first.

‘It’s about time to raise the status of this body.’

And so, I began to recall the plan I had been preparing in my head.

* * *

The next day, the place I arrived at with an escort was the Formation Hall, an educational institution established near the main house.

This was one of the institutions under the Zhuge family, a place where children and young people with potential from the region were gathered and raised as formation masters.

“This is how you do it?! As expected, I was right!”

“What? You want to prove your innocence? Then it’s a formation battle!”

On one side, children were having a formation battle of a level that was embarrassing to even call small, with crystal horses the size of their fingers.

Although it was only the size of an eraser fight, depending on the children’s placement, the crystal horses on the board would vibrate faintly and either endure or fall.

‘Is this training to read the surrounding energy and to put power into a medium?’

In terms of physical force, it was weaker than a flick of the forehead, but whether it had its own fun, the kids were as immersed as if they were playing a fighting game.

“Is this the Formation Hall?”

A curious voice was heard from the side. It was Tang Surin, who was looking down this way with her hair let down against the backdrop of the shade of a tree.

“Yes, but you don’t have to follow me, do you?”

“This is where I’m supposed to be. Gaga, you’re not feeling well, are you? I’ll take care of you.”

She, who had said something chilling without a care, gripped the handle of the wheelchair tightly.

‘Her martial arts level is considerable. I won’t be able to shake her off easily.’

Even the other escorts who had come to assist me were to the point of retreating at Tang Surin’s qi wave.

‘At least at the peak level. I had expected it from her martial prowess in the original work, but to be at this level at this age.’

As expected, the world was wide, and there were many masters.

‘Even if I were stronger, it would have turned out like this anyway.’

I decided to think positively. Since I was trying to reach the realm of being immune to a hundred poisons anyway, I couldn’t stop Tang Surin from touching me, such as checking my pulse to grasp my constitution or collecting my blood.

In the end, it was a share I had to bear. I let out a faint sigh and looked at the children’s formation battle.

“Waaaah!”

The children who were raising their voices noisily, for whatever reason they were so happy. I pushed through them to proceed with the plan I had prepared.

The backs of their heads that came up to my shoulder height even though I was in a wheelchair.

And soon, the small eyes were directed this way.

“Where is the director?”

“Why the director?”

“You’re a new face, if you’ve just come, you should go and find the formation teacher first.”

“Then are you our junior? In that case, we have to have a hazing ceremony. It’s a formation battle!”

“…Shall I put one or two of them to sleep?”

“No.”

I stopped Tang Surin, who was about to step up, and asked.

“Then where is that formation teacher?”

The moment I asked that, a man’s voice, estimated to be in his 30s, was heard from behind.

“What can I do for you?”

As I turned the wheelchair, the man’s eyes, who had looked at me, widened, and he immediately bowed his head.

“I pay my respects to the third young master of the Zhuge family.”

“Huh?!”

“The third young master? Zhuge Cheonwu? Then is he our junior?”

“Shh! Behave yourself.”

Then the children who were surprised followed suit. At the sudden arrival of a direct blood relative, everyone’s gaze was focused this way.

The children who were surprised late and were standing awkwardly also bowed their heads to show their manners.

‘I’ve made it unnecessarily uncomfortable.’

It felt like a division commander had come to inspect a military unit. A suffocating atmosphere full of the unreasonableness of everyone around having to move for just one person.

In a sense, it could also be called a nuisance.

But even so, I had something to do here.

“For what reason have you come all this way?”

I looked at him, who was casually expressing his doubt. And then I answered with a serious tone.

“I’ve come to do a dojo challenge.”

In the Formation Hall where a silence had fallen for a moment, only the formation teacher’s voice echoed low.

“…Did you just say a dojo challenge?”

A dojo challenge is usually when a martial artist from the outside comes and competes with the director to prove himself. Depending on the content of the bet, a plaque may be hung, or the fate of the dojo itself may be decided.

It was the same for formation masters, who often came for the purpose of exchange or confrontation and competed with their skills in a formation battle.

The difference from that of the martial artists was that if a formation master with no rank came and succeeded in a dojo challenge, he could receive a promotion recommendation directly from the director.

‘Today, I will receive a promotion recommendation here.’

I was currently a third-class formation master.

No matter how much it was about advanced martial arts or political skills, the foundation of the Zhuge family was strictly formations. In order to be recognized as a true member of the family, a rank as a formation master was also necessary.

‘And to become a second-class formation master, I have to take an exam in the presence of first-class or higher formation masters.’

Of course, there was a formation certification exam that the Zhuge family held periodically, but the problem was that I didn’t have time to wait until then.

So the method I chose was a dojo challenge. With this, I could take the formation certification exam irregularly.

If it was the director of an institution under the Zhuge family, he would be at least first-class. If I were to win in a formation battle with the director, I could aim for not just second-class, but even first-class.

‘If I had my way, I would want to aim for the quasi-special class, the special class, and even the realm of a great formation master…’

From the quasi-special class, it was a position where one could discuss a single formation school, so the opening of a review board itself was quite difficult.

First, the individual had to produce a track record worthy of making a name for himself in formations throughout the Central Plains, and to prove this, the participation of special-class formation masters scattered in various places was also essential.

And in the midst of that, the recognition of a prestigious group in the formation world, such as the Zhuge family, the Kunlun Sect, and the Maoshan Sect, was also essential, so it was a long way off to challenge at this point.

‘It’s difficult now, but a day will come when I can aim for it.’

This was a thought that was possible because I believed in the talent of [Absolute Magic].

Because I was confident that I would not lose to anyone when it came to formations, which had a corner that resembled magic.

I added, looking at the formation teacher who was still looking hesitant.

“A formation master of the Zhuge family would not avoid a challenge, would they?”

“…I understand. Please follow me.”

Seeing that he had thought about it for a moment, he might have been thinking about how to conduct himself for a moment because of my status.

But since it was a dojo challenge with the honor of the Formation Hall at stake, he probably wouldn’t deliberately lose.

“This is the place.”

And so, the place we arrived at was an indoor dojo.

Various jade stones were laid out here and there on the floor, and in the middle, there was a puddle. And on both sides, elements such as a dirt area, an iron plate, and a flint were arranged like a topographical map of a small city.

A model garden.

A place designed only for mock formation battles, it was a space perfect for the energy of the five elements to gather.

“The method is that you lose if you lose the initiative of the formation or if your main body is attacked by the formation.”

The opponent who began to recite the rules. Before the full-scale formation battle began, I asked him for confirmation.

“You’re a second-class formation master, right?”

“Yes.”

Whether the rumor had spread, another formation teacher or two began to observe as a judge and an audience.

For the sake of fairness, when even Tang Surin retreated to the back, a proper stage was finally set.

“Not bad. So where’s the director?”

“He went out for a moment. He’ll be here soon.”

“Good. Because the next turn will come quickly.”

Taking advantage of the [Arrogant Young Master] that had activated for the first time in a while, I bluffed and took out a jade stone from my bosom.

“…It won’t be easy for me either.”

“Is that so?”

Along with a determined voice, the opponent also put energy into his jade stone.

Woooong-

Whether the opponent also had a level of skill to be confident, a materialized qi could be seen along the surface of the jade stone.

Soon, the energy of the five elements was imbued in the jade stones in each other’s hands, and then, without anyone going first, they each threw their jade stones into the model garden.

Fwoosh-!

Crack!

The full-scale dojo challenge formation battle began, with the clash of the flames and ice that had exploded in an instant as a signal.

(End of Chapter)

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep