Chapter 167
Chapter 167
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 167
Chapter Title: Paired Stones and Alliances
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Although there were slight differences in how quickly or slowly they moved, Wi Seongcheon was not the only one who had heard the story of the paired stones.
‘Only three days have been given.’
Zhuge Ihyeon gazed down at the paired stone in his hand, lost in thought. What he held was the blue stone. As for the location of its matching red stone...
Of course, he had no idea.
“You really know nothing?”
“There’s no reason for me to lie, and even if I did, there’s no reason I’d kindly tell you.”
“That doesn’t seem like something you should say in your position.”
Zhuge Ihyeon smirked with a grin. The Green Forest bandit, slumped on the ground in a wretched state, snorted.
“Thunderclap, Thunderclap—they made it sound so impressive. Heh, you’ve got the skills to be counted among the Black Tyrants.”
“We’re not exactly in a position where we need to risk our lives fighting each other.”
“You’re threatening me with my life on the line, but I’ve got nothing more to say.”
“There are plenty of ways to get answers without killing you.”
Zhuge Ihyeon glanced toward Dang Seona, who stood on the opposite side. She met his eyes and shrugged before speaking.
“There are several poisons that can inflict excruciating pain right away without any lingering aftereffects.”
“That’s quite an honor. To be poisoned firsthand by the Poison Martial Queen’s successor from the Tang Clan. And no aftereffects? Pfft-haha! That’ll be something to brag about over drinks for the rest of my life.”
The Green Forest bandit threw his head back and laughed mockingly. As Zhuge Ihyeon stroked his chin while listening to the crude words,
“I don’t think that’ll be necessary.”
“Huh?”
“Tormenting you here might anger the Green Forest Demon Emperor.”
“You think our boss is some punk kid?”
“I know the Green Forest Demon Emperor treats Mountain King Stronghold like family.”
“Like family? No, we are family.”
The Green Forest bandit’s eyes gleamed fiercely. Zhuge Ihyeon chuckled softly and nodded.
“That’s why I won’t do anything unnecessary. I don’t want to give you a story to boast about over drinks either.”
“That’s a shame. But Thunderclap, there’s no lie in what I said. I’ve got nothing more to tell you. And it’s the same for my other brothers.”
Understood.
The real obstacles in this treasure hunt weren’t the Green Forest bandits from Mountain King Stronghold who held one half of the paired stones. They were merely the first hurdle. You take one half of the paired stone from the Green Forest bandits and learn the rules of the treasure hunt.
‘That’s where it starts.’
There were fewer than thirty Green Forest bandits scattered throughout this forest. Who were the participants in the treasure hunt?
Black Dragon Simaunghu, Tae Huimyung, Cheong Ubin.
Poison Ghost Yangjeon, Woo Heera, Hwangbo Sungwoo.
Mad Dog Gujeoksa, Yuk Jinil, Dang Heeran, Youngjin.
Snow Flower Ha Jiyeun, Woo Hayeon.
Black Kite Baekrihyang, Wi Seongcheon.
‘Little Buddha Jinu didn’t enter the forest. And then... there’s Red Garment Light Division and Flashing Jade Qilin.’
Red Garment Light Division, who had advanced to the center alongside Baekrihyang, hadn’t formed an alliance with the Heavenly Academy students.
Flashing Jade Qilin had joined hands with eight students, but among them, the only noteworthy expert was Mukgol Bangjun.
“Let’s summarize the situation first.”
Black Heaven Young Master, Muyon Jun, and Sang I-rin seemed disinterested in the treasure hunt. Zhuge Ihyeon slowly raised his head and looked ahead. The students he had allied with numbered three. Dang Seona, Paeng Yeonhwa, Namgoong Jiu.
“Including me, twenty-eight students have entered this forest.”
The number of Green Forest bandits was around thirty.
Even if you simply calculated that the twenty-eight students each received half a paired stone from the Green Forest bandits, in the end, the students would compete among themselves to form complete pairs.
“But we can’t all get one fairly.”
Someone clever could maneuver to snag halves from multiple Green Forest bandits. Given the paired stones’ resonance feature, securing an advantage in this treasure hunt meant quickly gathering as many halves as possible. Once you had one half, you could somehow track down its match.
“I have three choices. Pursue the red stone resonating with this blue stone I hold. Or ignore that for now and track the Green Forest bandits’ presences.”
Searching the forest while hoping for resonance with a half-stone was less efficient than simply taking stones from the bandits. Ultimately, in this treasure hunt, up until the final round, it was more advantageous to hold multiple halves rather than a single complete pair.
“Or crush the competitors first.”
“No need to start that already.”
Dang Seona replied. Zhuge Ihyeon smiled faintly in agreement. Crushing competitors outright could wait until two days from now.
By then, the other competitors would have secured at least one pair or several halves.
“There is one other method.”
“Attacking the Green Forest Demon Emperor is too dangerous.”
Zhuge Ihyeon shook his head. All the treasures were guarded by the Green Forest Demon Emperor, and on the final day of the treasure hunt, an auction would begin using the paired stones as currency.
But what if they defeated the Green Forest Demon Emperor and took the treasures from him? If the only way to obtain treasures was through auction, there’d be no reason to place them in the forest’s heart with the Demon Emperor standing guard.
Revealing the treasures on the last day would have been simpler for everyone.
The fact that both the treasures and the Green Forest Demon Emperor remained in the forest meant that ‘plunder’ was also an allowed method for claiming treasures.
‘Impossible.’
Zhuge Ihyeon didn’t overestimate his own forces. Even if all four charged at the Green Forest Demon Emperor, victory was unlikely. The name of one of the Ten Heroes carried that much weight.
“I have no desire to chase reckless endeavors. So, for now... shall we learn about each other’s desires?”
“Pure Lotus White Jade Pill.”
Dang Seona answered without hesitation. Zhuge Ihyeon smiled as if he’d expected it.
“Your younger sister is probably after the Pure Lotus White Jade Pill too. She’s family from the same Tang Clan—do you plan to yield it to her?”
“My little sister should yield to her big sister.”
“Hmm, hard to accept from a sibling’s perspective, but I’ll take your word for it. Then, Lady Paeng. What do you desire?”
“...If I had to choose, any spirit medicine would do. Or White Fang would be fine too.”
“Personally, I think choosing White Fang over spirit medicine is wiser.”
When discussing the world’s finest divine weapons, the inevitable mention was the Yukcheonji crafted by the Divine Hand. White Fang was made by the Divine Hand’s disciple, imitating one of the Yukcheonji, Silver Tears.
White Fang ultimately couldn’t surpass Silver Tears, but it was recognized as a masterpiece of its era.
“And you, Lady Namgoong?”
“Something like the Jongnam White Dance Cloudflow Sword would be tempting.”
She leaned toward proven martial arts rather than medicines. The White Dance Cloudflow Sword was an ancient technique, considered the original scripture of Jongnam’s signature Cloudflow Sword Method.
Namgoong Jiu didn’t think her own Namgoong Clan’s Spear Palace Dance-Free Sword Method was inferior to the White Dance Cloudflow Sword. However, as fellow sword sects with long-standing ties, there was a bond of righteousness.
If she retrieved the lost White Dance Cloudflow Sword on Jongnam’s behalf, she’d receive fitting recompense.
“Fortunately, our desires don’t overlap.”
“What do you want, Young Master Zhuge?”
“The Golden Spirit Pill.”
Zhuge Ihyeon smiled faintly. Dang Seona chuckled as if she’d known it would be that.
“Ideal would be for everyone to get what they want. What say you?”
“Do you intend to yield when the time comes, Young Master Zhuge?”
“The Golden Spirit Pill is tempting, but I’d yield it to you ladies if needed. After all, the treasure isn’t the only priority this time.”
“Then I’ll act together with you, Young Master Zhuge.”
Dang Seona decided first.
“We can decide whose desire takes priority before the end. Things might work out so we all get what we want.”
“Haha, that would be delightful.”
Zhuge Ihyeon let out a hearty laugh. The Golden Spirit Pill was indeed desirable. But not desperately so. What he desperately wanted was...
‘At least two of the Black Tyrants need to die.’
Amid his laughter, Zhuge Ihyeon’s eyes gleamed sharply.
* * *
Being alone.
It could be a drawback, but in situations like this, it had many advantages. Freedom of movement. No need to worry about anyone else.
‘Perfect for ambushes.’
None of the Green Forest bandits’ presences remained in the forest. The sun hadn’t even set yet. In just a few hours since entering the forest, the saints and students had learned the nature of this treasure hunt and begun acting.
The nearly thirty Green Forest bandits had all lost their halves of the paired stones. Now the real competition began.
Wi Seongcheon had no great confidence in stealth techniques he’d never properly learned. But he wasn’t utterly hopeless at it.
He suppressed his presence as much as possible, blending into the surrounding flow without resistance. Wi Seongcheon’s stealth wasn’t static. Using his fully open senses, he circled outside their line of sight.
Slowly, he delved deeper.
On the first day in the forest, each chose their approach. Flashing Jade Qilin opted to leverage his advantage.
Superior numbers.
Among the Black Tyrants, Jade Qilin was the only one who hadn’t allied with a Dragon Phoenix. Instead, he had formed a pact with eight students, including Bangjun.
Excluding Bangjun, none of their skills impressed, but so what?
‘Whether you can use them or not.’
That was what mattered. Black Tyrants or Dragon Phoenixes made no difference—they were all arrogant from the praise heaped upon them.
Hard to command.
Thus, Jade Qilin compromised. The Dragon Phoenixes had solid skills but prickly personalities. Allied with them, the relationship would be horizontal, not vertical—hard to command.
But lower your gaze? Plenty of students were willing to form vertical bonds. Those driven more by greed than conviction. Those drawn to vulgar pleasures rare in the orthodox sects.
‘In terms of usability, they’re better than Dragon Phoenixes.’
Just as Jade Qilin compromised, the students who joined him did too. In this black forest far from their world, they chose indulgence over cultivation.
In that regard, the students meshed well with Jade Qilin. No one in the black forest craved indulgence and pleasure more than he.
The pleasure quarters Jade Qilin had built in the black forest’s center over years of effort were a paradise of delights rare even in the outside world.
Drunk on the pleasures Jade Qilin provided, the students promised to move for him in this treasure hunt. Nothing to lose for either side.
Their lives were guaranteed, and their numbers were many. Jade Qilin distributed the paired halves he’d acquired to the students and ordered them to search for the matching halves hidden somewhere.
“Young Master Mukgol is missing out on life.”
“What’s that out of nowhere?”
“You said even at your age, you’ve never held a woman? Never tasted the joys of cloud and rain where yin and yang mingle in wild ecstasy—truly tragic. You’ve wasted more than half your life, Young Master Mukgol.”
“To call that a loss of half one’s life—your existence must be pretty pathetic.”
Bangjun shot back sarcastically, but Jade Qilin snorted and flicked his fan languidly.
“Pathetic? I enjoy life more than anyone. The same time lived gains depth from the experiences you choose.”
“How enviable, such a profound life.”
“No need to envy. If Young Master Mukgol desires, I can provide you invaluable experiences anytime. Well, it’s just us here. Speak freely—what are your tastes?”
“Could you just shut up?”
“Oh come now, why act prim when it’s just us? I’ll keep it secret from the other students, so tell me. Whatever bizarre tastes Young Master Mukgol has, my pleasure house courtesans will cater perfectly.”
“Ugh.”
Bangjun glared at Jade Qilin with a look of utter disgust. But Jade Qilin pressed on with a lecherous grin. All the other students, excluding Bangjun, were utterly enthralled by Jade Qilin’s provided pleasures.
Those haughty scions of prestigious orthodox sects had wagged their hips like beasts at unfamiliar delights. Seeing this one beggar brat act all high and mighty amused Jade Qilin to no end.
“Still shy, eh? Then allow me to select personally. I don’t know your tastes, Young Master Mukgol, but from my long experience, no man hasn’t fantasized about forbidden fruit with a nearby beauty. Especially vigorous youths in their prime—sparks would fly naturally.”
“Spouting nonsense.”
“You’ve got quite a few lovely ladies around you. The haughty, aloof Poison Queen, or the kindly sword peak maiden to everyone. And your friend, the Poison Needle...”
“Watch your mouth.”
“Haha! No need to get mad—hear me out. I’m not saying I’d touch them, but I’d have courtesans resembling them mimic their personalities to please you. Or perhaps the real thing? I’m quite interested in that myself.”
Jade Qilin slapped his knee, bursting into laughter. As his words continued, Bangjun’s eyes burned with fury.
“With them right here in this forest, no less. If you wish, I’ll make it happen. Plenty of ways—aphrodisiacs, or...”
“I said watch your mouth.”
“Rein in your killing intent. It’s just words.”
As Bangjun’s killing intent flared, Jade Qilin chuckled and slightly toned down his attitude.
“If you do as I ask, I won’t displease you. Understood?”
“I’m already doing as you ask.”
“Really? I asked you to search for paired stones, yet you linger here unmoving?”
“I stayed behind worrying who might beat you while I was gone.”
“Haha!”
Jade Qilin roared with laughter once more. He snapped his unfolded fan shut and spoke.
“Me, beaten? That’s a funny joke. Who exactly would beat me?”
“Me.”
It happened before Jade Qilin’s laughter fully faded.
Wi Seongcheon dropped from the tree, his foot slamming down onto Jade Qilin’s face.