Entrance to the Red Cloud Secret Realm
“Boy. How did you know this was the weakest point in the secret realm’s restriction?”
“...!”
The old man stared intently at Jin Somyeong, then took a sip from his gourd as he spoke.
“Hm. Was it coincidence? In any case, are you trying to enter the Red Cloud Secret Realm now? Heh. If you value your life, you’d best give up.”
Jin Somyeong was so startled he could not even form an answer. The old man threw back a hearty mouthful of liquor and burst into a booming laugh.
“Because inside the secret realm right now... it’s very hot! Hahahaha!”
His voice receded in an instant, echoing into the distance.
Jin Somyeong had only blinked once, yet the old man was already gone. It felt as though he had been bewitched by a ghost.
Could he be Foundation Establishment? ...No, maybe Golden Core?
Jin Somyeong stood there blankly for a moment, then let out a long breath and rubbed his chest.
The gap in ability was so vast that it was, if anything, reassuring. A transcendent expert like that had no reason to target him.
As long as he didn’t notice the Boundless Great Ability, I’m fine. In any case, the secret realm is incredibly hot right now?
What did “very” hot mean to an expert like that old man?
Jin Somyeong’s expression shifted several times in the space of a single breath. Then he turned around.
Without the slightest hesitation, he returned to the Red Sun Sect.
The unknown old man’s warning had made the decision for him.
It would be better to wait quietly and enter through the normal means.
One week later.
At the break of dawn, Jin Somyeong left the eastern district and headed for the entrance of the Red Sun Sect.
The entrance, usually quiet, was packed with people. Every one of them was a disciple of the Red Sun Sect.
After looking over the crowd, Jin Somyeong approached one group of cultivators and clasped his fist in greeting.
“Greetings, senior brothers and senior sisters.”
He greeted several seniors Beom Chang had introduced him to, and a bright voice answered.
“Oh, it’s Junior Brother Jin. Are you ready to enter the secret realm?”
“Yes.”
“At your age, you could always challenge the secret realm thirty years from now... Your determination really is impressive.”
“Haha... I suppose I’m a little impatient by nature.”
Jin Somyeong scratched his head awkwardly, then gave a slight shake of it.
How could he possibly aim for thirty years later when he had no idea what might happen by then?
For someone like him, whose lifespan was shorter than others’, the suggestion was absurd.
While Jin Somyeong exchanged pleasant greetings with the cultivators of Beom Chang’s faction, all kinds of gazes poured in from around them.
To outsiders, some looked upon him with pity for following Beom Chang, while others sneered as though he were a fool.
“Hmph. That brat’s already learned how to flatter his betters.”
Some even looked at him with jealousy, ridiculous as that was.
They envied the sight of him being friendly with Beom Chang’s faction, a lineage connected to a great Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Heh.
Pretending he had heard nothing, Jin Somyeong finished his greetings and quietly moved to stand off to one side.
The stir caused by his arrival did not last long.
Before long, silence settled over the main gate of the Red Sun Sect. Only a strange stillness remained, thick with mingled tension and excitement.
If soldiers were gathered just before marching to war, perhaps the atmosphere would feel like this.
Something deep in his chest prickled faintly.
Jin Somyeong calmed that subtle excitement through meditation, then looked around.
He did not concern himself with Beom Chang, who would come out soon enough. Instead, he searched for Sim U-yeon, but she was nowhere to be seen.
That’s a pity.
It seemed Sim U-yeon had no intention of entering the Red Cloud Secret Realm.
That differed from his expectations, but it was not especially important.
Whether she was present or not would not affect the overall situation.
“Senior Brother Beom Chang!”
“You’ve arrived!”
The entrance of the Red Sun Sect, which had only just quieted, grew noisy again.
Beom Chang had appeared, striding out with his shoulders thrown back and his chest puffed with confidence.
“You really came! Truly impressive!”
“Of course. Did I not say I was going to the secret realm? Hahahaha!”
At first, Beom Chang’s laughter was purely bold and hearty, but it gradually died down.
“...Hoo.”
Like a man overcome with nerves, he kept clenching and unclenching his fists. He even licked his lips again and again.
He was tense at the danger of the Red Cloud Secret Realm he would soon enter.
Just as the party was about to fall back into an awkward silence, a voice called out.
“Beom Chang.”
“Yes? Ah! Greetings, Uncle!”
At the sudden dignified voice, Beom Chang straightened his posture.
He bowed his head toward his uncle, who had appeared at some point like a ghost.
“Do you know why I did not stop you from entering the secret realm?”
“...I do not.”
The great Foundation Establishment cultivator clasped his hands behind his back.
Before hundreds of Red Sun Sect disciples, he slowly lifted his gaze to the sky and spoke.
“We cultivators are people who defy the heavens. One can never achieve greatness by growing up as a frail flower inside a greenhouse!”
“Yes! Uncle’s words are absolutely correct.”
Jin Somyeong, who had been listening quietly from the side, agreed inwardly.
Did geniuses who received every resource in abundance break through realms with ease?
Surprisingly, no.
History had proven that countless times.
Those who knew no crisis could never achieve greatness. They were not even qualified to do so.
“Cultivation, in the end, is a path where one must ultimately stand alone. One day, you too will understand what these words mean.”
The great Foundation Establishment cultivator had been speaking with solemn gravity, as though imparting a lesson, but then he abruptly chuckled.
“Well, in that sense, that little girl Sim U-yeon made a mistake. She’ll probably fail when trying to break through to Foundation Establishment and only waste her Foundation Establishment Pill.”
“...Hahaha! Exactly!”
“A coward who can’t even go to the secret realm could never become a great Foundation Establishment cultivator!”
The disciples of Beom Chang’s faction grew triumphant and shouted in agreement. They cursed Sim U-yeon for avoiding the expedition.
“...”
A group of Red Sun Sect disciples standing some distance away turned visibly displeased.
They belonged to Elder Sim’s faction. There was no way they would feel good about their rivals insulting their superior.
However, they could not retort, because their own leader, Elder Sim, was not present.
As the festive, noisy mood continued, the great Foundation Establishment cultivator, who had been smiling with satisfaction, turned his gaze to Jin Somyeong.
“Are you the junior who has been getting close to my nephew lately?”
“Yes. This disciple is Jin Somyeong. Greetings, Elder.”
Elder Beom stroked his chin as he examined Jin Somyeong in detail, his eyes narrowing slightly.
For a long while, the old Foundation Establishment monster watched him without saying a word.
Then he suddenly burst into laughter.
“Heh heh. I heard you were at the third layer of Qi Refining, yet you are already at the sixth. It is plain to see how diligently you have cultivated. You must have worked very hard.”
“...Not at all. It is all thanks to Senior Brother Beom Chang renting me a high-grade cave dwelling.”
The surrounding senior brothers stared at him in surprise, but that was not what mattered now.
Jin Somyeong clicked his tongue inwardly while keeping his expression under control.
So he saw through it after all.
He had used the Breath Suppression Art to conceal his realm, but it had been completely exposed.
He had never seriously expected to hide it in the first place, but now that it was clear a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s eyes could see through him so easily, the realization left a bitter taste.
“But this is strange. I seem to recall hearing that your spirit root was the lowest of the low...”
The voice was gentle and benevolent, yet it sent chills crawling over his skin like a snake.
“Looking at you now, it does not seem that bad. Among mixed spirit roots, yours is fairly high-ranking. One might even call it a low-grade spirit root.”
It felt as though his blood had gone cold, but Jin Somyeong did not show it.
Instead, he smiled brightly and answered with courtesy.
“Ah! No wonder. I thought it was strange that my cultivation seemed a little faster lately. ...Perhaps my spirit root improved as I grew?”
“Oh? Does such a thing happen? Well, I suppose no one can claim to understand spirit roots perfectly.”
The old Foundation Establishment monster smiled kindly, like a grandfather from next door, and patted Jin Somyeong on the shoulder.
“Hm? Now that I look, your body is quite sturdy as well. Have you perhaps learned a body-refinement method?”
“Yes.”
“Hah. That is no easy road. Your will is admirable. I shall be rooting for you.”
“Thank you for your kind words!”
Jin Somyeong smiled brightly, but his mind was filled with only one thought.
I have to leave as soon as I come out of the secret realm.
That had been his plan from the start, but now he knew there could be no hesitation.
The moment this old Foundation Establishment monster sensed something suspicious, Red Sun Market ceased to be a safe place.
Maybe I should go to Cheongdan City, that holy land of cultivation.
He forced himself to ignore the old monster’s persistent gaze and merely smiled with polite composure.
“Good. Everyone who is going has gathered. Let us depart.”
The moment the great Foundation Establishment cultivator gave the order—
Whoosh!
Hundreds of cultivators soared into the sky at once. Each rode a flying sword or similar treasure as they flew toward the wasteland.
The most eye-catching among them was, of course, the great Foundation Establishment cultivator.
Elder Beom simply clasped his hands behind his back and crossed the sky with his bare body.
Unlike Qi Refining cultivators, he flew without relying on any external force.
How long had they flown?
At last, they arrived at the place where the secret realm would open.
“Hah.”
“Good heavens. There are far more than I expected.”
Exclamations rose from here and there. They came from the mouths of the Red Sun Sect disciples.
It was only natural.
The wasteland that had been empty only days ago was now packed with people.
All the way to the horizon.
An enormous sea of people stretched on without end.
Impressive.
They were all cultivators who had gathered to enter the secret realm.
Thousands—no, tens of thousands. The overwhelming scale was enough to leave one in awe.
No one here was an ordinary human. They were superhumans who could shatter boulders and leap through the sky.
If they joined forces, most nations would be conquered without even putting up meaningful resistance.
“Tch. Another group has arrived.”
“There really are disgustingly many of them. Where are those ones from... hm?”
The densely packed cultivators were just beginning to regard the suddenly appearing Red Sun Sect disciples with caution when—
“All of you, move! We are the Red Sun Sect!”
Elder Beom condensed his spiritual energy and swung it like a whip.
Crack!
The rogue cultivators, frightened by that violent momentum, hurriedly withdrew and opened a path.
“Hmph!”
Elder Beom snorted and strode forward with confidence.
He pushed past countless rogue cultivators and advanced without hesitation toward the central area where the entrance to the secret realm would open.
How long did they walk?
The steps of the Red Sun Sect disciples, including Jin Somyeong, gradually slowed.
The closer they came to the entrance, the more sharply the cultivators’ realms rose.
At minimum, they were at the middle to late stages of Qi Refining, and here and there one could see great Foundation Establishment cultivators who had come to lead them.
“...Stop. Our Red Sun Sect will wait here.”
Jin Somyeong quickly swept his gaze over their surroundings.
There was not a single person who looked easy to deal with.
In particular, a dozen or so men in black stood proudly in front of the secret realm entrance despite being rogue cultivators.
No one told them to move.
Because they were wrapped in an unpleasant killing intent that felt almost sticky.
At that instant, Jin Somyeong’s eyes met those of one of the black-clad men.
His hollow pupils, devoid of any emotion, made Jin Somyeong inexplicably uneasy.
“...”
Frowning, Jin Somyeong turned his head. The black-clad man was not the only one looking at him.
Many of the powerful cultivators in the central area were observing the newly arrived Red Sun Sect disciples.
Their blatant gazes, each carrying its own purpose, were so intense they made his skin prickle.
Unpleasant.
He felt like a monkey in a zoo.
Perhaps the rest of the Red Sun Sect party had similar thoughts, because a strange silence fell over them.
After that uncomfortable stretch of time continued for a while, one disciple could no longer hold back and opened his mouth.
“Hmph. They’re all full of themselves. It doesn’t matter. We are the rulers of the market.”
“Enough!”
Elder Beom, who had been standing calmly with his hands behind his back, frowned.
He glared at the disciple who had spoken, his eyes reprimanding the rash behavior.
Then—
“The Red Sun Sect are the rulers of the market? That is not particularly pleasant for us of the Three Great Families to hear.”
A middle-aged man in the central area spoke in a gentle voice.
A heavy pressure came crashing down upon the Red Sun Sect disciples.
“Kugh!”
It was not mere intimidation. Several disciples broke into cold sweat under a force strong enough to damage their meridians if they let down their guard.
There was no way Elder Beom would remain still in the face of such threatening pressure.
Whoom!
He waved his hand roughly, dispelling the pressure, then glared at the middle-aged man.
“Old Man Dan. To exert force over a mere child’s words—have you not gone too far?”
“Haha. I merely gave him a light admonishment. Why are you so sensitive?”
One of the Three Great Families.
Elder Beom shouted at the old monster of the Dan Family, who ruled Red Sun Market alongside the Red Sun Sect.
“If you act that way, do you think I will just stand by? I’m curious how sturdy that precious grandson of yours is.”
His cold gaze turned toward a handsome young man.
The youth, who had been gently waving a pure white fan, smiled faintly and said,
“Senior, if I have done wrong, please tell me. I shall correct it at once.”
“Hmph!”
Uncowed by the subtle pressure, the handsome young man named Dan Sa-ryang snapped his fan shut.
He then stroked the cheek of the young girl trembling beside him and comforted her.
“Hyang. There is no need to be so frightened. Elder Beom is a broad-minded man. He would never grow angry over something so trivial.”
“Y-yes, Young Master.”
The girl, who had been trembling in fear only moments before, flushed faintly.
At her flower-like bearing, countless men sent jealous gazes toward Dan Sa-ryang.
As if he did not fear those gazes at all—
Fwoosh.
He opened his fan and smiled loftily, then abruptly turned to one side and spoke.
“Miss Cheong, why hide such a lovely face? If you fear the eyes of others, you need only join our Dan Family.”
“Miss Cheong? Who’s that?”
“Could he mean Cheong Hwa-ran, the rogue cultivator Dan Sa-ryang proposed to?”
Amid the rising murmurs, everyone followed Dan Sa-ryang’s gaze. Soon, their eyes fell upon a woman with an ordinary face.
“...”
She furrowed her brow, then flicked her sleeve and covered her face.
“I appreciate the offer, but I have no intention of accompanying the Dan Family.”
It was a curt answer, brief and final. Then she vanished like smoke, hiding herself somewhere in the crowd once more.
“Haha. How proud you are... I wonder when you will show me your true face.”
The beautiful young master licked his lips as he lazily waved his white fan, his attitude that of a hunter eyeing prey.
Jin Somyeong frowned. It was not because of the arrogant genius called Dan Sa-ryang.
It was because of a voice he heard far more discreetly—a voice so coldly devoid of emotion it chilled him.
“Cheong Hwa-ran. Ninth layer of Qi Refining, was she...? That little girl hid herself well. It is about time she was dealt with...”
With his sharpened senses, Jin Somyeong caught Elder Beom’s killing intent and sank into silent thought.
As expected, the Red Sun Sect has no intention of allowing another Foundation Establishment cultivator... Even if I, an inner disciple, tried to challenge Foundation Establishment, it would be the same.
No matter how he looked at it, Red Sun Market was far too small.
Stagnant and rotten.
Frogs in a well were fighting over a cramped patch of territory. The wise choice was to leave the moment he obtained a Foundation Establishment spiritual object.
A far wider world would be waiting beyond this place.
The greatest difference between Jin Somyeong and the people of this world was the height of his perspective.
As he imagined the future, Jin Somyeong suddenly flinched.
Far above the sky, a sword larger than most colossal buildings was flying toward them.
“Golden Core! It’s a Golden Core sword cultivator from the Giant Sword Sect!”
At someone’s shout, the noisy wasteland fell so silent one could have heard a needle drop.