Chapter 74
Chapter 74
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 74
Chapter Title: Secret Place, Secret (4)
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The world was rapidly receding behind them.
It felt as if they had stepped into a different flow of time altogether. With every step, everything visible seemed to tear apart like scraps of paper, scattering into fragments.
How long had it been since he'd entered a world like this?
'You're fast.'
Compared to his own prime, it was naturally slower.
But considering the young master's past, this speed was dazzlingly brilliant.
'Young master.'
Old Man Gwak gazed down at the back of Murong Bi's head.
The young master's hair, swaying in the wind, occasionally blurred his vision.
It was as if the young master's dark past was screaming out.
'I still don't understand.'
Was it about half a month ago?
When he had seen the young master suddenly visit the Ancestral Hall, his heart had sunk, wondering what trouble it was this time.
But looking back now, that was when the young master's true change had begun.
'You've been practicing the house's martial arts for a long time, haven't you?'
Seok Ung had told him.
He had trusted Seok Ung for quite some time now. As a former bodyguard warrior, he hadn't entirely dismissed the possibility of deceit, but the man's words were believable enough.
It wasn't a situation for lies, after all.
'Is that true?'
If he'd been practicing for a long time, there's no way he wouldn't have noticed any signs.
Could the young master have been born with such incredible talent that he could fool even his eyes?
'Even if that's the case, there's no way I, who's watched the master and young heir's martial arts for so long, wouldn't recognize it.'
That was the sudden spark of doubt.
A simple yet certain reason. Even though things had come to this pass, he trusted his own hard-earned discernment.
And another thing.
'...I felt no impulse at all while watching the young master.'
He had extracted it, ground it down, purified it, and ultimately burned it away.
Now, only traces of that vile 'seed' remained. He could sense it himself.
Yet if someone had practiced the house's true martial arts, his sensitive senses wouldn't have missed it.
'It started then.'
The morning after visiting the Ancestral Hall.
His head had begun to throb from the moment the young master personally treated the eldest young lady's illness.
A warning from the lingering traces of the seed.
Even those mere remnants reacting so sensitively—it was a relief in a way, but he couldn't help feeling self-reproach and despair.
'You've mastered all those heart methods? Is that even possible?'
Of course it was possible.
Especially if based on the Mixed Origin Heart Method, he could have learned nearly all of the Murong house's qi techniques. In terms of inclusivity, Mixed Origin Martial Arts was one of the world's supreme arts.
His own martial arts had been taught by the master with elements of Mixed Origin Martial Arts incorporated, after all.
But to master them all just from manuals, without a teacher?
'By my common sense, it's impossible, young master.'
Even a once-in-a-millennium genius couldn't understand the meaning of characters without learning the Thousand Character Classic.
Of course not. This went beyond the realm of talent.
Even the greatest genius of the age—or all time—couldn't test out so many martial arts alone without prior familiarity. Especially since they were all top-tier supreme arts of the jianghu.
At best, qi deviation; at worst, certain death.
'What in the world happened to you, young master?'
He had many worries.
He wanted to visit the young master constantly and ask about everything. No, interrogate him.
This wasn't possible by any common sense he knew.
Did someone help you? If so, why haven't you told anyone until now?
If not, had some departed ancestor's ghost possessed you?
'Ancestor...'
Of course, that was absurd.
But there was one incident that made even that ridiculous notion seem plausible.
'The Burning Clothes to the Heavens Ritual.'
Burning clothes while making a wish to the heavens.
The heavens represented the ancestors. It was a Murong house ritual where one burned cherished silk garments to pray to the ancestors—a rite known as the Burning Clothes to the Heavens Ritual.
He had only recalled the name of that ritual the other day. It was so long ago that his memory had faded.
Even he had forgotten it, yet the young master had performed it with familiar ease.
Did books on ritual formats exist in the secret place?
Really?
'I... really have so many questions I want to ask you, young master.' He wanted to ask even now.
But he couldn't.
Was it because, as a subordinate, it would be impolite to question his superior so boldly? No.
'I'm afraid, young master.'
The young master had a secret he hadn't shared with anyone.
Learning the truth behind that secret felt like it would unleash something terrifying.
A veil hiding something unbearable. The moment he lifted it, he sensed he could never return to the past.
Of course, if he sensed that secret posed a threat to everyone, he would have asked immediately.
'Still, I trust you, young master.'
Since the young master changed, the house had gained vitality.
When the young heir was alive, they had only recently fled to Yonyeong from defeat, filling the entire house with despair.
And after the lady passed, every day was a battle, with dark clouds never lifting.
In a way, it was the first spark of life since relocating to Hobuk.
'Whatever you're hiding, young master, this foolish old servant knows your heart is true when it comes to the house's well-being.'
But Old Man Gwak had one wish.
'Please take care of yourself.'
Though the unresolved questions lined up endlessly, if the Murongs could be happy, he could live without asking. No, he could die without regrets.
How much time passed like that?
"Hoo, hoo."
His inner energy had long since depleted.
Yet Murong Bi's speed didn't slow. If anything, it seemed a touch faster than when his energy had been full.
Surprise flickered across Old Man Gwak's face.
'This?!'
The simple lightness skill gradually shifted into one he recognized.
'White Deer Facing the Wind!'
One of the Murong house's secret lightness skills, corresponding to the second of the Two Lightnesses and Three Steps.
Created by an ancestor inspired by an encounter with a pure white spirit deer horns to hooves, it was optimized for straight-line speed.
A sharp pang!
His head throbbed from the pain emitted by the seed's traces.
But even that agony couldn't dispel his elation.
'To witness White Deer Facing the Wind like this.'
Performing it without inner energy, yet at such incredible speed.
Old Man Gwak's face, flushed with emotion, gradually turned to shock.
'No way, Inhaling Qi Counterforce?'
An advanced realization for maintaining lightness skills to the end by drawing earth qi into the soles' Yongquan acupoints to form repulsive force after exhausting inner energy.
Knowing it didn't mean you could do it. Even those with deep insight could lose balance and suffer severe injury if concentration faltered.
'Th-this.'
Executing such a perilous technique as naturally as breathing. Likely possible because most of his body's meridians were well-opened.
'How did he reach such a realm?'
It required extremely delicate external qi control, so even super first-rate masters avoided it unless desperate.
Reaching the Inhaling Qi Counterforce realm was astonishing, but wielding it so effortlessly was even more so.
And it didn't end there.
"Sss."
Beyond the howling gale.
He sensed the young master's short, forceful breaths.
Gathering inner energy anew while sustaining lightness skill with Inhaling Qi Counterforce. Attempting the Twin Dragon Flag's lung training with the Mixed Origin Heart Method.
It was no different from operating three martial arts simultaneously. Old Man Gwak's mind blanked at this unbelievable sight.
And more time passed.
Boooom!
Dust erupted around the spot where he kicked off strongly.
Agile direction change, yet astonishingly fluid.
Now, even the seed's traces emitted no warnings.
'Even Blue Crane Flowing Water Step...'
The final lightness skill of the second lightness.
Slightly slower than White Deer Facing the Wind, but freer in turns and less taxing on the body.
White Deer Facing the Wind, Blue Crane Flowing Water Step.
Two signature lightness skills of the Murong house had appeared, transcending eras.
Old Man Gwak was deeply moved. Though he wondered how the young master had managed to master both so perfectly, his overwhelming emotion at witnessing these high-level Murong arts again after so long eclipsed all such questions.
More time passed.
After running nonstop for a full three hours, Murong Bi halted in a forest beside a desolate, people-forsaken ruin.
"Hah! Hah! Oh man, that was tough!"
How long had it been since he'd run like this?
He had skipped rest entirely with Inhaling Qi Counterforce. Even with inner energy, his stamina had bottomed out.
"Young master, are you all right?"
"Not dying, that's for sure."
His panting breaths quickly stabilized.
His breath control was remarkable. Like someone who'd lived a lifetime of battles, he knew how to recover as swiftly as possible.
"And you, Old Man Gwak?"
"I was just comfortably riding on your back, young master."
Even carried, at that speed without pause, it had been excessive strain on his aged body.
Yet Murong Bi said,
"Right, of course you're fine."
Murong Bi rose and gazed at the ruin.
"Young master, rest a bit more."
"I'm good. This much is nothing."
Old Man Gwak suddenly sensed another oddity.
'His speech.'
The young master used very casual speech with the young ladies or the Flower Sword Squad. His tone sometimes made him seem even younger than his age.
But with him, his manner shifted completely.
Like conversing with a seasoned old jianghu veteran from the same era.
"Some rice balls."
"Ah, yes."
Old Man Gwak pulled rice balls and jerky from the bundle tied to his back.
Murong Bi didn't offer him any. He knew he wouldn't eat even if offered.
After filling his belly, Murong Bi pointed at the ruin.
"That old ruin looks a bit strange, doesn't it?"
"Hmm."
It was a ruin, plain and simple.
Time had ravaged it entirely; nothing remained intact. At least the walls seemed sturdy.
"By the way, where is this place?"
"You don't know, huh."
"Pardon?"
"The old you would have felt an unease the moment you saw that ruin."
"...?"
"Of course, you still would have passed by. That ruin has formations set up to distort outsiders' perception."
"What?!"
Old Man Gwak was startled.
Formations?
A wistful look entered Murong Bi's eyes.
"One of the places established for the world's peace. Especially layered with double and triple formations to ensure those who practice demonic arts can never find it."
"D-demonic arts?"
"So secretive that no one who hasn't seen it would know it exists. Even I... only knew the location, not what it looks like up close."
For a moment, Old Man Gwak felt a chill run down his spine.
"No way—that's the secret place?!"
"It is."
"...But didn't you say you'd been to the secret place, young master?"
"I did."
"..."
"What do you say? Shall we go in together? Of course, you don't have a choice."
Murong Bi's grinning face shone as brightly as the sun, hard to meet head-on.
Still, Old Man Gwak looked him straight in the eye.
No trace of gloom or danger marred that dazzling face.
"I shall follow."
"Good."
Murong Bi led the way.
"It's a ruin now, but I heard it used to be a pretty big old bookstore."
"Old bookstore..."
"Called the Heavenly Garment Library."
Heavenly Garment.
The robes worn by celestials or heavenly maidens.
It had been built on a secluded road in Tianmen County, Hobuk Province.
"Let's go in."