Daily life of a teacher in the martial arts department

"Teacher, are you also interested in the Nameless Swordsman of Southern Qin?" Fu Feihan laughed and said, "I thought so too. When we were fighting the Titan Sea Serpent that day, I felt that what you said was quite like the Nameless Swordsman of Southern Qin. They're both pretty cool, it's just that the names of your moves aren't long enough or cool enough..."

"That last sentence is completely unnecessary," Ying Qin Guan retorted stubbornly. "Besides, what do you mean by 'the move name isn't cool enough'? In a real fight, who has time to care about the move name? They're just looking to kill you with a single basic attack..."

—While what he said made sense, it was undeniably just stubbornness. Ying Qin Guan also wanted to give himself some cool-sounding names for his techniques, like the "Consciousness Slash," which he once called "Heavenly Net and Infernal Hell: One Slash, Eternal Fall to Consciousness Slash," but it was too embarrassing to actually say.

The inability to name moves or titles is like being a lifeguard on the shore of a large swimming pool – it can only be described as tragic.

"Ah... Teacher, please don't get too excited, I was just joking." Fu Feihan only interacted with Ying Qin Guan during class. Because he didn't play cards, Ying Qin Guan usually didn't have anything urgent to attend to, and he wasn't stubborn very often, so Fu Feihan naturally hadn't seen this side of Ying Qin Guan much.

"Hmph... I'm giving you life advice. Those guys who give their moves fancy names are just like those guys in bars who shout 'I'll pay for the whole thing!' They're all up to no good!"

"I don't really care about that..." Fu Feihan said, looking towards the stage, "I wonder if they'll be able to see my work on there..."

"You're fucking dreaming..."

Ying Qin Guan's lips twitched as he recalled Fu Fei Han's eye-wateringly simple sketches.

It was at this moment that all the lights suddenly went out, plunging the entire theater into darkness.

The students from the Royal Academy cooperated and stopped talking, and the room fell silent.

The curtain was pulled back, and a beam of light shone on both sides of the stage, where the smiling Nocturne and the stern-faced Mu Nandong stood, creating an indescribable contrast.

Chapter Six: Forced to Operate

Today, Nocturne wore a chivalrous outfit in the style of the Southern Qin Dynasty. The clothes were clearly men's clothing, with an overall ink painting style, a gradient of white on top and black on the bottom. She wore black boots with gold trim, exquisitely crafted. Her long black hair was tied into a high ponytail and tied behind her back. She held a white folding fan in her hand, looking dashing and handsome, appealing to both men and women.

—Ying Qin Guan had already heard a heart-wrenching sound from one side.

"Nocturne!!"

"I will always love Teacher Nocturne!!"

The sound was heart-wrenching and deafening. Ying Qin Guan knew that Nocturne was very popular in the Imperial Court, but he hadn't expected it to be this popular. In this situation, if you said it was a university student activity, not many people would believe you. But if you said it was a cult brainwashing activity, some people might actually believe you.

"How can these people be so unreserved..." Ying Qin muttered to himself, then looked at another person on the stage.

Mu Nandong... He was still wearing the same clothes that he claimed to have a whole wardrobe of, standing there expressionless, as if everything around him was irrelevant.

Amidst the overwhelming cheers, Nocturne smiled and reached out her hand, gently pressing down, and all the sounds immediately vanished, leaving only a faint echo reverberating in the theater.

Jiu Yi: It's fake, photoshopped, it's all a lie. How could the students of the Royal Academy be so obedient? They love to make a fuss when I'm speaking!

"I am honored that you have all accompanied me here. After two rounds of selection, 43 paintings have been chosen for tonight's judging. I and Teacher Mu will evaluate each painting and give a score. If you have any objections, you can raise your hand and express your opinions. Well then, I will stop my nonsense and please look at the paintings."

On the front of the stage, a small cube protrudes from above, projecting light and eventually revealing a huge painting in the center of the stage.

Although Ying Qin Guan didn't understand, he pretended to know, maintaining a calm expression and not revealing his ignorance. However, unlike him, those around him gasped in surprise.

Fu Feihan was the same. He exclaimed in surprise, looking like a country bumpkin who had never seen anything like it before, and asked in astonishment, "What is this... Teacher, do you know?"

Perhaps because Ying Qin Guan looked calm, he felt that Ying Qin Guan might know.

"Of course," Ying Qin Guan said calmly, "I already knew."

It was at this moment that Nocturne spoke again.

"Of course, everyone should also thank Teacher Mu for his generous sponsorship. This is a new gadget he recently made at the woman's request. It can project the magnified image of an object onto a designated location. If you are interested, you can purchase it at Xingye Technology Co., Ltd.'s store after a period of time..."

Nocturne smiled and even gave an advertisement.

“Recently…already?” Fu Feihan turned his head and looked at Ying Qin Guan speechlessly.

Ying Qin Guan kept his dead fish eyes wide open, his expression unchanged.

"You probably don't know this, but Mu Nandong and I are quite close. I actually knew about this a long time ago!"

"Really? Is that so? Oh, I completely believe it, really."

Ying Qin Guan was about to break down. He began to miss Zhong Hongyu. If it were that child... she would surely believe it—

The rain poured down, darkening the sky. A figure wearing a straw hat, carrying a sword in his left hand and his right hand resting lightly on the hilt, silently walked into the distance. In the distance stretched a vast horizon... countless figures dotted the distance, mostly small dots due to the vastness. Yet, they still occupied the entire background... a massive army, the strongest and most elite army in the world, the only army fully armored, perfectly alchemically armed, devoid of pain, emotion, and independent thought, perfectly obedient to all commands, even at the cost of 100% casualties—ultimate weapons of war...

They swept through Southern Qin, and countless righteous men died in vain amidst gunfire, yet they were unable to inflict the slightest damage on this army.

One man is about to face the strongest army in history.

The person who came remained silent and walked into the distance.

perfect.

Pfft!

Ying Qin Guan really wanted to say that it was him, but...

"Why is it a woman..."

Ying Qin Guan looked up at the sky and sighed.

Yes, the figure in the painting is a woman in ancient costume wearing a bamboo hat and a gauze robe. Although the painting is really cool and imposing, she is... a woman.

I didn't mean to fight, and I'm not saying women aren't good, but I! I, Ying Qin Guan! Damn it! I'm a guy!

Damn it! Gender-bending is a path to national ruin. When a country is on the verge of collapse, the widespread gender-bending is absolutely unacceptable!

Ying Qin Guan angrily raised his hand. He had a problem with it!

Ying Qin Guan felt they should strike first and decisively when the first anthropomorphic image appeared. Otherwise, once people saw it repeatedly, they would get used to it, and it would be too late to act then. They had to strike first and make everyone understand... that anthropomorphism is a bad culture!

—At least you can't effeminate your father.

"Hey, teacher, why did you raise your hand?" Fu Feihan, who was standing next to Ying Qin Guan, noticed Ying Qin Guan's expression and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Damn it! All you ever do is 'moe-fication,' what else can you do besides that? Today I'm going to seek justice for myself, the nameless swordsman of Southern Qin!"

"Does the teacher care about gender?" Fu Feihan lay back in his chair and said, "I don't think it matters, as long as they're handsome and strong..."

"Shut up! You traitor!"

“Yes…” Ying Qin Guan raised his hand indignantly, which quickly attracted Ye Qu’s attention. She looked over with a smile and said, “Oh my, is Teacher Ying in such a hurry? The lady and Teacher Mu haven’t even started their comments yet… It seems that Teacher Ying has something urgent to say. Please, then.”

Then, she gestured, and a student quickly handed the microphone to Ying Qin Guan. Ying Qin Guan snatched the microphone and shouted, "I have a question! Why is the nameless swordsman of Southern Qin in this painting a woman? Is this a river?! It's not a river at all! Gou Ka is going against the tide, wantonly feminizing historical figures, and deserves divine punishment!"

"Hmm... this question." Despite Ying Qin Guan's imposing manner, Ye Qu still smiled and looked at Mu Nan Dong, saying, "What do you think, Teacher Mu?"

Mu Nandong raised the microphone expressionlessly, as if he were being forced to perform. He said, "Currently, there is no historical evidence to prove the gender of the Nameless Swordsman of Southern Qin. Whether he was male or female, outsiders have no way of knowing. I personally disagree with the idea of ​​'feminizing' him. Because we don't know his gender, the idea of ​​'feminizing' him implies that the Nameless Swordsman of Southern Qin was a man."

Mu Nandong's words were logical, well-founded, and convincing. Only then did Ying Qin Guan realize how annoying it was that this guy spoke with that stern face!

“To be honest, it was wrong of us to assume he was male before we knew nothing.” Mu Nandong paused, then added, “Of course, if you have any evidence to prove the gender of the nameless swordsman from Southern Qin, then these words are inappropriate… Do you have any?”

Of course I have one! I'm right here! Do you want me to prove my gender?

Am I going to have to prove that I am myself again?

Ying Qin was internally ranting, but couldn't say anything. He sighed and said, "You're right... I have no objection."

Chapter Seven: The Black Dragon Empire

"Since Teacher Ying has no problem, let's continue." Nocturne turned around, looked at the painting, and said, "Hmm... what does Teacher Mu think?"

She seemed determined to let Mu Nandong run the business, and she didn't say a single word herself.

Mu Nandong glanced coldly at Nocturne, raised the microphone, and said, "The distant view is so blurry that you have to guess to tell that it's the Black Dragon Empire's army. The close-up is too close, which loses the hazy beauty. The proportions of the figures and scenery are out of balance. The dark color scheme does give it a somewhat human feel, but—"

The moment the word "but" came out, the students of the Imperial Academy knew that what followed was just a gentle appetizer. Mu Nandong was just about to begin when a girl in the audience swallowed hard, almost covering her ears.

"Please pause for a moment." Nocturne interrupted Mu Nandong with a smile and said, "After all, it is a student's work. It would be a bit too much to compare it with the original artwork of Time and Space Kill. Moreover, the time was short, so some flaws in the details are inevitable. So today, let's not talk about techniques, style, or details, but only about the concept of the work. What do you think, Teacher Mu?"

"...I don't care."

"Then please continue."

Mu Nandong picked up the microphone again, his face expressionless, and said:

"You just separated the theme from the details, which I don't really agree with. The more profound the theme, the more it should be hidden in the smallest details... But there really isn't enough time, and it's indeed difficult to complete a decent work. So let me just say a few words."

“I haven’t seen any other paintings yet, but I think there’s something rather unusual about this one: the ‘time’ it’s set in.”

"Clearly, it's 'before the battle,' the battle hasn't even started yet, and it's not a situation of two armies facing each other; it hasn't even started at all. It's very likely that the Black Dragon Empire's army hasn't even discovered the Nameless Swordsman of Southern Qin yet. This is good, indicating that the Nameless Swordsman of Southern Qin is going to 'actively' challenge the Black Dragon Empire's army."

"But before that, we need to understand the level of the Black Dragon Empire's army..."

Upon hearing Mu Nandong's words, the students below the stage immediately sensed something was wrong, and Ye Qu also revealed a helpless smile.

The next moment, Teacher Mu's mini-class began.

"The Black Dragon Empire's elite army, the 'Heavenly Army,' has a total of two thousand men. Of these, fifteen hundred were initially assigned to attack Southern Qin. All fifteen hundred of them were infused with the bloodline of the alien race 'Owl,' becoming half-owls. Some of you might not understand what 'owl' means, so let me put it another way you can understand: Kui is an owl, and one of the few remaining purebred owls in the world. Half-owls are certainly not as good as purebred owls, but their physical abilities will be greatly enhanced."

"They are not only half-owls, but each of them possesses a full-coverage alchemical armor. The Black Dragon Empire has been leading the world in this technology for almost a decade, and we still haven't been able to fully crack their alchemical armor. As for the power of this alchemical armor... you can tell from its cost."

"The Black Dragon Empire, with its entire national strength, used war to sustain war, and only managed to forge two thousand sets of armor. Each set alone cost nearly ten million pounds in materials..."

Upon hearing this, Ying Qin Guan showed a surprised expression, followed by an expression of heartache and regret.

That thing is so expensive, he really couldn't even imagine it... But the amount a country spends on weapons of war is indeed beyond the imagination of ordinary people.

"Even an ordinary person, once donned that full-coverage alchemical armor, could become a killing machine on the battlefield. Let alone those armored warriors controlled by the Black Dragon Empire—half-owls, beings stripped of their individual consciousness and emotions, killing machines that know no retreat even with a high casualty rate. The Black Dragon Empire's initial ambition to conquer the world, fueled by war, was precisely to rely on this invincible army..."

Half-owl, a super alchemical armor ten years ahead of the world, and emotionless war weapons make up this strongest and most terrifying team in the world.

Fifteen hundred men went out to attack Southern Qin, and less than one hundred died, yet they swept through the entire Southern Qin.

The Black Dragon Empire had poured everything into this army. And when they lost three-quarters of it... they were essentially wiped out. The various nations quickly united and utterly destroyed the Black Dragon Empire. If those 1,500 men had remained, while the nations might have united, they certainly wouldn't have acted so decisively.

After all, whoever rushes to the front suffers, unlike now, where whoever rushes to the front gets to acquire the Black Dragon Empire's technology first.

Therefore, the word "destroyed the country" in the title "Unyielding Destroyer" of the Nameless Swordsman of Southern Qin is also used as a verb to commemorate the Nameless Swordsman of Southern Qin's great achievement in destroying the Black Dragon Empire's attempt to conquer the world.

Otherwise, if the Black Dragon Empire had taken over the legacy of the Southern Qin, who knows how many more Jue Tian Army soldiers would have been formed.

"As for the fighting strength of this army, I can only say that even if three War Gods came, they would only perish here. The strength of the nameless swordsman from Southern Qin may not be enough to defeat three War Gods. But facing modern alchemical equipment, War Gods don't have many options, that much is certain."

"Therefore... when a person goes into battle to face the world's most powerful and terrifying army, he must be prepared to die."

“I think that’s good.”

"The country has perished, and there is no hope of restoration. Even if it is restored, it will only be an empty shell with the same name. We must be determined to die and fight to the death."

"Compared to the composure and calmness when the two armies are facing each other, the suicidal path of knowingly walking into the tiger's den is more moving."

Mu Nandong changed the subject, saying, "But..."

Nocturne skillfully pressed the switch, turning off Mu Nandong's microphone.