6 Chapter 6 (1/2)

Walking into the interview room, the first thing Kang-hyuk saw was a chair. He then came face to face with people sitting at a table opposite him.

Kang-hyuk already knew who they were.

Mu-jin had informed him of who would be judging his interview.

The man sitting next to him was the principal of Hwacheon Academy. His name was Eun Myeong-myeong. He was a past acquaintance of his.

'So he's now become the principal.'

Kang-hyuk turned his head slightly. He could see eight elderly people sitting next to the principal. They were known as the Gyoro Elders, and they were involved in the facilitation of the school.

The principal, Eun Myeong-myeong spoke first.

”What is your name?”

”My name is Kang-hyuk.”

”Sit down.”

Kang-hyuk sat down, and the questioning began immediately. He didn't find their questions challenging at the very least. On the contrary, he found that he had to repress his urge to laugh.

”When was Hwacheon Academy established?”

”What do you think makes you suitable to work at the Academy?”

They went on to ask him useless questions like these and such.

Kang-hyuk had served as the leader of the clan for fifty years.

Within his leadership position, he also held the ownership of Hwacheon Academy, and as a result, each year, he had to make a speech at a party held in the grand hall of the Academy.

In his annual speech, things like the date of the establishment of the Academy were repeated continuously so Kang-hyuk could give the answers to their questions off his tongue.

”Could you let us know what three things you would wish to impart to your students?”

He was finally asked this question after a barrage of formal questions. Kang-hyuk looked at the man who had asked him.

The man who had asked him was part of the Gyoro Elders, who had a long white beard reaching up to his chest. Kang-hyuk smiled upon seeing the man's face.

'Eun-san…'

He was a Taoist from the Hwasanpa sect, and Kang-hyuk acknowledged him as a true and genuine educator.

Kang-hyuk thought about the question for some time before answering, ”Firstly, I would encourage my students to build up their strength. I would not wish to see my students die a dog's death on the streets of Moorim. Secondly, I feel that it's important for the teacher and students to be one in heart. If the teacher and student have this level of closeness, an innate trust will be present, and the student will feel that they can rely on their teacher. Lastly, even if the students are strong, and are able to rely on me, I feel that it is most crucial for them to be noble in their character.”

Eun-san nodded in satisfaction upon hearing his answer. Another person amongst the Gyoro elders then spoke, ”It seems that the person who recommended you is Our Clan leader…. ”

”...!”

”...!”

These words caused all eyes in the room to widen.

”What kind of connection do you two have?”

Mu-jin saw Kang-hyuk's expression at being asked such a question, and quickly spoke, ”He is my Sect junior.”

”Your junior?”

Mu-jin nodded his head.

”He is my dearest junior.”

”....”

They had no questions for him after that, and the first part of the exam was thus completed.

As Kang-hyuk was leaving the interview room, he heard the sound of someone screaming.

”Aaaagh-!”

The noise was due to the fact that the woman who had guided him to the interview room, Ok Hae-mi, was strangling a man with a whip.

”What did you say to me? To have a drink together after your interview finishes? And then you have the gall to try to sneakily touch my chest? You pervert! After doing that, do you even think you can go for your appointment interview? Get out of here you son of a bitch!”

Kang-hyuk got a brief idea of what had happened.

'Wherever you go, there are always guys like that. Truly embarrassments to men that can't even be compared to dogs ...this is the reason we all get given a bad name because of guys like this. Tut-tut.'

In the end, after being completely beaten up by Ok Hae-mi, the man was dragged away by the guards.

Ok Hae-mi didn't even have to utilize any special martial abilities, as the man's level of martial skill was limited to basic self-defence.

'Those to be approached with great consideration in the land of Moorim are children, women and the elderly. The fact that he was unaware of the basic knowledge and even dared to enter Hwacheon Academy meant that the man was a total novice.'

”Cough. Cough Cough.”

Ok Hae-mi noticed Kang-hyuk at the sound of his coughing, straightened out her clothes, and smiled.

Kang-Hyuk found himself impressed by her rapid change in expression.

”Oh my! You're already finished? If you would go and wait in that room next door, the principal will announce the results of the interview in a few minutes.”

”Okay, thank you for letting me know.”

Kang-hyuk entered the room. Waiting there were five more people.

Kang-hyuk then sat down. The atmosphere in the room was completely silent owing to the fact that no one seemed to be in a conversational mood.

Some time passed, and several more people entered the room not long after.

There were now ten interviewees in the room.

The door squeaked open.

Eun Myeong-myeong, the principal, entered the room. He then called out several names.

”Unfortunately, those whose names I have just called out have failed the interview. Please leave the room.”

At the principal's words, five people got up, with their expressions a mixture of anger, regret, and some with fury. They then left the room afterwards.

There were now only five people left in the room, including Kang-hyuk. Eun Myeong-myeong then spoke, ”We shall now begin the final part of the test. I invite everyone to come up and take a pouch.”

Eun Myeong-myeong then gave each of them a small draw-string pouch.

”Inside these pouches are flower seeds. You will pass the test if the plant grows and flowers by tomorrow morning. Whoever's flower blooms the most beautifully will obtain the most points.”

Suddenly, someone asked a question.

”Where should we bloom the flowers?”

”It doesn't matter where. If you direct us to the place where you have made the flower bloom, that alone will suffice. Also, you can use whatever method you wish to cause the blooming.”

”....”

”If you are unable to produce a blossoming flower by four in the morning, you will be automatically eliminated. I will see you all tomorrow morning.”

The door shut behind Eun Myeong-myeong. A man within the group had a dumbfounded look on his face.

”Eh? Blossoming a flower from just a seed by tomorrow? Isn't that pretty much impossible?”

”If they didn't want to hire a horticulture teacher, why did they go to the trouble of testing us? Huh-!”

Two of the interviewees then threw their pouches on the floor, spat on them, and walked out of the room afterwards.

Kang-hyuk observed the reaction of the rest of the group. They simply looked at the seeds within the pouch, and put it away within their sleeves.

Kang-hyuk looked at the seeds within the pouch and grinned widely.

'Are those guys even aware of the kind of seeds these are?'

The seeds were about as big as the nail of a pinky finger, but if the interviewees that just left had any clue as to what kind of seeds they were, they would not have thrown them on the floor so carelessly.

They were the seeds of the Radiant Golden Lotus.

These lotus flowers emanated golden light and were quite rare and precious. It was all due to the fact that they were quite effective at repelling negative energy and evil forces.

But its beneficial qualities didn't stop just there. An elixir could be made from the flowers that restored the Qi in one's body, and if an ordinary person consumed this elixir, they would be immune from any kind of illness for twenty years.

The principal hadn't specified any particular amount of flowers one was required to make bloom.

If you caused one flower to bloom, you would pass.