Chapter 6
The faces of those heading toward the first-day exam hall were filled with a mix of emotions.
Some fidgeted with nervousness, unable to sit still. Others wore expressions of excitement, finally reaching the moment they had been waiting for.
Though their thoughts varied, they all shared one goal: to pass.
Passing the first-day exam safely and moving on to the next stage was the common ambition. Amid the crowd, where a myriad of emotions intersected, one man stood out with a completely expressionless face.
It was Hyuk Ryeon-hwi.
Even as he walked toward the exam hall, his face betrayed no change in emotion. Expressionless, he felt neither tension nor anticipation.
Hyuk Ryeon-hwi quietly took in the surroundings as he walked. On either side of the well-kept path stood splendid buildings, and large training grounds came into view.
His eyes flickered as he took in the scenery.
“It’s the same as before.”
He had been inside the Hall of Illusions before, though not as an applicant for admission. At the time, he never imagined he would one day undergo an exam to enter this place.
Hyuk Ryeon-hwi’s gaze shifted to the groups of people scattered around. He had known about the crowd beforehand, but it was still staggering.
The number of martial artists gathering here for a chance to enter the Hall of Illusions was nearly impossible to count. Of course, not all of them would pass. In fact, very few ever would.
Still, many young mages and martial artists came to apply. For the former, it was a chance to make a name for themselves; for the latter, who had lost influence in their sects, it was almost their only path to success.
Though many sought success within the Hall, the exams were notoriously strict. The fact that barely any passed only reinforced this.
Bu Yi-min, leading the group, glanced at a man walking beside him, wearing a faint smile, and grinned.
“Looking pleased, are we?”
Caught off guard by the sudden question, the man quickly nodded eagerly, as if trying to earn favor.
He had only met Bu Yi-min yesterday and hadn’t spoken much, but from the moment he appeared, Bu Yi-min had shown nothing but annoyance and frustration. Clearly, he disliked being bothered.
Now, seeing him smile and speak pleasantly seemed like a golden opportunity.
‘He’s smiling, so he must like me. I can’t let this chance slip!’
With an even brighter smile, he responded,
“Of course.”
“What’s got you so happy?”
“This is the long-awaited entrance exam for the Hall of Illusions! How could I not be excited?”
“Really? Good to see. Smile as much as you can now—you might not get the chance later.”
“Eh?”
“Ah, nothing.”
Bu Yi-min gave a cryptic smile and walked ahead. The man tilted his head in confusion but thought: You can’t spit on a smiling face.
Soon, Bu Yi-min stopped in front of a large building. A few people were stationed there, preparing as the applicants arrived.
Once everyone was in position, one of them spoke:
“Everything is ready. You may begin at any time.”
Bu Yi-min nodded briefly, then turned to address those he had brought. His tone was casual, almost dismissive.
“You probably already know, but this is the first-day exam hall. See this building? Once you go inside, the exam starts. It’s done individually, so don’t even think about relying on the others. The administrators of each group are in charge, which means I decide whether you pass or fail.”
Most martial artists focused on him with tense expressions, wondering what kind of exam awaited them.
Though the building was large, it was about the size of a standard inn floor—spacious, but not daunting for martial artists.
Yet Hyuk Ryeon-hwi noticed something different.
‘No windows.’
The front and sides had none, and the back was flush against a wall, confirming there were no openings.
Was it a coincidence that there were no windows? Unlikely. It must relate to something inside.
As if confirming Hyuk Ryeon-hwi’s suspicion, Bu Yi-min began speaking:
“This exam is very simple—so simple that explaining it is almost a hassle. But I’ll explain once, so listen carefully.”
With all eyes on him, Bu Yi-min continued.
“Simply put, this exam is… like stealing honey from a hive.”
Though he claimed it was simple, the applicants frowned in confusion. They had no idea what he meant.
Bu Yi-min clicked his tongue.
“Geez. If you’re this stupid, your results are obvious. But since I’m in charge, I’ll make it a little easier to understand.”
He pointed to the building.
“Inside, there are black bees. You need to go in and take the hives they’ve made.”
“B-b-b… bees?” one man stammered.
Bu Yi-min looked at him with mild incredulity.
“What’s wrong? You think that’s a problem?”
“Do we know how many of these black bees there are?”
“Well… you can consider the walls inside as their home. About five thousand, maybe?”
The number startled the others, murmurs spreading through the crowd.
One finally asked, “Are they dangerous if they sting?”
“Relax. They’re not that deadly. You’ll feel pain, but you won’t die. If someone faints from a few dozen stings, maybe—but idiots like that don’t exist here, so nothing to worry about.”
The atmosphere chilled immediately after Bu Yi-min’s casual reassurance.
Black bees.
They were small, black, and not venomous enough to kill a human. But with thousands of stings, survival was uncertain. Fortunately, the Hall had medics on standby.
One man complained, “Why is stealing hives from a room full of bees considered an exam? What does this have to do with martial arts?”
“Want me to tell you the grading criteria too? Figure it out yourself. If you can’t handle that, why even come here?”
His words silenced the group. Bu Yi-min was right—they weren’t here for a casual visit. Only those who survived strict exams could stay. Without qualification, leaving was inevitable.
Bu Yi-min scanned the crowd with shining eyes.
“So, who goes first?”
Most averted their gaze. It’s best to avoid being first when danger is involved.
Bu Yi-min’s eyes landed on the man who had laughed earlier.
“You. You who laughed earlier—come on out.”
“Me?” the man asked, pointing to himself. Bu Yi-min nodded, flicking a finger as if saying ‘don’t dawdle.’
Reluctantly, the man stepped forward. Bu Yi-min placed a hand on his shoulder, reassuring him.
“You won’t die. But if you want to keep smiling, watch out for the bees. A few stings to the face and you won’t be able to smile at all.”
The man hesitated but stepped into the building. The door silently closed behind him, plunging the room into darkness.
He focused his energy, and the black hives on the walls became faintly visible. A few black bees buzzed around, but most stayed in their hives.
Across the room was a large table, holding the target hive.
‘That’s it!’
This was the exam: to retrieve that hive and survive. Gathering courage, the man moved slowly.
The bees barely reacted. Relief washed over him. ‘Not so bad…’
But just as he reached for the hive, the building shook with a loud clang!
The sudden impact awakened the black bees. They swarmed, filling the dark room with buzzing wings.
The man screamed, waving his arms wildly as dozens of stings hit him. His muscles spasmed in pain, but he held onto the hive and dashed outside.
Bu Yi-min quickly shut the door, trapping the bees inside.
The man emerged battered: swollen eyes, stings across exposed skin—but joy lit his face. Pain aside, he had completed the task and moved one step closer to his dream.
He held the hive triumphantly.
“Here… it is.”
Bu Yi-min’s lips slowly opened.
“Fail. Pack up and leave.”
The man froze, stunned. He had completed the exam—how could he fail? But Bu Yi-min didn’t even look at him.
Realization hit: passing this exam was not merely about retrieving the hive. There was something hidden he hadn’t noticed. The later one entered, the more clues they could gather.
Hyuk Ryeon-hwi, standing off to the side, shifted subtly. Bi Seol noticed and asked:
“You going in?”
“Impatience.”
He glanced at her.
“If we fail, it’s a breach of contract. You know what that means?”
“We’ll do our best,” she replied with a faint smile.
Bu Yi-min noticed their quiet conversation and shouted:
“Who dares to talk at a time like this?”
His eyes landed on Hyuk Ryeon-hwi and Bi Seol, then he smiled.
“You two again? Talking during the exam? Prepare for the consequences…”
“I’ll go first.”
“…Interesting.”
Hyuk Ryeon-hwi approached the exam building. Bu Yi-min warned mockingly:
“Be careful. One sting from a black bee and your handsome face will be unrecognizable.”
Hyuk Ryeon-hwi made no reply. He opened the door and stepped inside. The room was already alive with black bees. The door closed behind him, darkness swallowing the space.
Yet for him, nothing changed. The room was as clear to him as if it were in daylight.
A small mechanism released a hive onto the table. The bees buzzed, but had not targeted him yet.
In the darkness filled with only the flapping of black wings, Hyuk Ryeon-hwi’s lips slowly parted.
“…Found it.”
