Entering the Red Cloud Secret Realm
From beyond the horizon, a sword so enormous it could have been mistaken for a warship came slicing across the sky.
Ghk.
Jin Somyeong let out a strained groan as the flying sword swelled larger and larger with its approach. An inexplicable pressure bore down on him, making his heart hammer and his dantian throb. A violent impulse battered through his mind, screaming that if he wanted to live, he had to flee this place at once.
And if he did not wish to flee… then he had to bow his head.
Gritting his teeth, he forced his chin up and glanced around. Even the Foundation Establishment great cultivators who had been carrying themselves with such confidence all had their heads lowered as they prepared to receive the arriving Golden Core sword cultivator.
…I refuse.
Jin Somyeong’s eyes went wide, and he locked every muscle in his neck. In truth, all it would take was a single bow of the head, yet stubborn defiance surged up inside him. There was a world of difference between lowering himself for a moment as a strategic decision and truly breaking in spirit, submitting from the heart.
If he prostrated himself now, he felt as though he would lose something vital.
Rumble!
Just as his teeth clenched harder, the colossal sword had already arrived right before them, and the strange pressure reached its peak. The very instant he felt that this was his limit, that he could not possibly endure any longer—
Clack!
His hand closed around the sword at his waist. It was not reasoned judgment, but instinct.
And strangely enough, the moment he gripped it, his heart settled. The Sword Qi of the Strong Cloud Sword Art that accompanied him seemed to shift him half a step aside from that unidentified pressure.
“…”
He quietly closed his eyes and focused on the sensation he had just felt.
“M-move!”
The cultivators gathered in the center scattered in a rush, making space for the enormous sword to descend.
Thud!
When the warship-like flying sword landed, a heavy tremor rolled through the ground. Around thirty cultivators disembarked from the massive blade in perfect order.
Wooooong!
With a sword hum that made the chest tremble just from hearing it, the flying sword, larger than most buildings, began to shrink. In the blink of an eye, it became an ordinary longsword small enough to hold in one hand, then whirled into the air.
Clack!
The self-floating flying sword slid back into the scabbard of a man with a cold, austere expression.
…A Golden Core sword cultivator.
Jin Somyeong narrowed his eyes.
At that moment, his gaze met that of the expressionless Golden Core sword cultivator. Before Jin Somyeong could even flinch properly, the merchant’s gaze vanished faster than it had arrived.
And in that instant, the strange pressure weighing down on his shoulders disappeared as if washed away.
Ah.
At the same time, realization struck him. The aura he had barely managed to withstand had not even been something the Golden Core sword cultivator had intended to release.
It had merely been the presence scattered by a third-rank flying sword.
Continuing to stare at a master was an act of unforgivable rudeness, so Jin Somyeong turned his attention to the disciples of the Giant Sword Sect standing behind the man.
So those are disciples of a Golden Core-level immortal sect.
There were roughly thirty of them, and not a single one was below the Late Qi Refining stage. Judging by their keen aura, all of them were sword cultivators, and even their demeanor was wholly different from the disciples of the Red Sun Sect.
Standing in orderly rows with their hands resting on their sword hilts, they looked dignified and composed. Not a hint of nervousness could be seen in them. If anything, Jin Somyeong sensed a quiet undercurrent of anticipation.
As expected.
Thirty was not a number to be underestimated. They could not be compared to the random rabble who relied on numbers alone. Every one of them was a genius with the possibility of achieving Foundation Establishment.
Had they really come because they needed Foundation Establishment spiritual objects?
Impossible.
There was only one reason disciples of an immortal sect would come to such a dangerous secret realm.
A trial.
Through long experience, their sect had learned that those who had never gambled with their lives could never go far. That was why they used the secret realm as a training ground.
They were different from most Foundation Establishment forces, who hid their successors away and refused to send them anywhere dangerous.
Not that they have much choice.
For the Red Sun Sect and the Three Great Families, Foundation Establishment was the final destination. Reaching Foundation Establishment alone was enough to protect and maintain their power.
Anything beyond that… was a path far too difficult.
It was not merely a matter of courage. If a successor died while challenging the realms beyond Foundation Establishment, what would happen to all the people who depended on him?
Only those with no burdens on their shoulders could cast everything aside and risk their lives without hesitation.
That’s the price of cultivating with the help of a clan.
While Jin Somyeong was lost in thought, the Golden Core sword cultivator, who stood with his arms crossed and an expression of utter indifference, opened his mouth.
“Listen well, all of you! This opening of the Red Cloud Secret Realm will be overseen by our Giant Sword Sect. I dislike long speeches, so I’ll get straight to the point.”
The Golden Core sword cultivator paused briefly to gather everyone’s attention, then continued in a cold voice.
“I don’t care who you are! If you collect five Foundation Establishment spiritual objects inside the secret realm and offer them to our Giant Sword Sect, we will give you one Foundation Establishment Pill. If you wish, we will also take you to a nearby market city. Judge for yourselves what the wise choice is!”
His words came to an end, yet no one answered. They merely stood there obediently, heads lowered in respectful silence.
“The secret realm will remain open for only one month. If you don’t want to die, make sure you find an exit and return within that time.”
Jin Somyeong, who had been listening carefully, nodded.
The method of leaving the secret realm was both simple and difficult. One had to find an exit that appeared at a random location somewhere within that vast place.
At first glance, it sounded impossible, but countless past experiences had revealed several locations where exits were likely to appear. With that knowledge, escape was entirely feasible.
“Good. We will now open the secret realm.”
At a look from the Golden Core merchant, the disciples of the Giant Sword Sect began moving busily. They planted what looked like flags throughout the wasteland, seemingly preparing to use the power of a formation to open the secret realm.
Had three or four hours passed?
“Master. The preparations are complete.”
At the respectful report of one Giant Sword Sect disciple, the Golden Core sword cultivator, who had been standing still, slowly gripped his sword.
Shrrring!
The moment the blade left its sheath with an eerie metallic cry, sharp sword intent pressed down on everyone present.
“Kugh…”
Pained groans rose from every direction. It was not only the Qi Refining cultivators; even the Foundation Establishment cultivators could not move before the Golden Core sword cultivator’s razor-edged aura.
Slash!
From top to bottom.
A clear vertical line was carved into empty space.
Rumble!
Amid a tremendous vibration, something emerged from the void. A vast, swirling darkness spread outward with the slash at its center.
“Th-the secret realm!”
“Finally!”
“The Foundation Establishment spiritual objects are mine!”
The excited cultivators shouted with bloodshot eyes, and the Golden Core sword cultivator, who had already sheathed his sword, frowned.
As though something were wrong, he examined the entrance to the secret realm closely.
“Master? Is there a problem?”
At a disciple’s question, the sword cultivator remained silent for a moment before shaking his head.
“It’s nothing. I only found it odd that the secret realm opened far more easily than last time.”
“Ah! That is good news, then! Doesn’t it mean your skill has grown stronger, Master?”
“Perhaps…”
The Golden Core sword cultivator crossed his arms again and gave a slight jerk of his chin. Pointing toward the dark vortex formed in the air, he said, “Enter, those who wish to. But know this: no one will take responsibility for your life.”
The moment permission was given, countless people surged into the secret realm like a flood.
“You lot go as well. And don’t forget to guard your surroundings the moment you enter!”
“Yes, Elder!”
At the command of Beom Chang’s uncle, the elder of the Red Sun Sect, the disciples shouted loudly in response.
All of them, infected by the feverish atmosphere, rushed toward the secret realm.
Jin Somyeong was no exception.
Flash!
Feeling a faint headache, Jin Somyeong hurriedly steadied his posture.
He leveled his sword and scanned his surroundings. He examined the area thoroughly, but heard no sound at all.
No one here?
All those people who had been at the entrance were gone. Because of the restrictions within the secret realm, they had been scattered in every direction.
A desert?
The first thing he felt upon entering the Red Cloud Secret Realm was intense heat.
Whoooosh…
A hot wind mixed with sand brushed past his cheek. There was not a trace of moisture in it, and it stung against his skin.
Suddenly, he remembered the warning the drunken old man had given him a few days earlier.
He said this place was unbearably hot just a week ago?
It was hot, but not so much that he could not endure it. The old man likely had not lied, so it must have had something to do with the secret realm opening on a thirty-year cycle.
Jin Somyeong pondered what that might imply, then shook his head.
Not something to think about right now.
First, he examined the surrounding terrain. As he looked at the endless desert stretching in every direction, he steadied his breathing.
Whish!
He cast Wind-Riding Art and leaped straight upward. As his field of vision rose, things that had been hidden from the ground came into view.
Scattered here and there among the golden sand, patches of green caught his eye.
It’s fascinating now that I’m seeing it in person…
A lush forest in the middle of a desert. It was a strange place where vigorous life and a barren environment existed side by side.
Tap.
After landing, he rubbed his chin. He compared the scenery before him with the map he had memorized completely, over and over, in order to determine his current location.
I think I’m on the outskirts of the secret realm…
Just as he was looking around in all directions, the hair on his body stood on end, and he immediately kicked off the ground.
Using Rising Dragon Step, which specialized in short-distance movement, he retreated backward.
Boom!
A fierce pillar of flame erupted from the very spot where he had just been standing. The deadly heat was enough to parch the inside of his mouth.
Clang!
He leveled the Boundless Divine Sword and sharpened his focus.
As the burst of sand and dust settled, the identity of his assailant was revealed.
A demonic beast!
A giant tentacle, three meters long, writhed within the pillar of flame. Whenever the opening that seemed to be its mouth gaped wide, dozens of sharp fangs were exposed in a disgusting display.
Hissss…!
At a glance, the tentacled demonic beast resembled a worm as it shook its head. It spat lava as though drooling, and the sight was beyond unpleasant; it raised instinctive alarm.
Kieeeek!
Along with an awful shriek, the part that seemed to be the tentacle’s belly swelled sharply, and dark red fireballs rained down.
Boom, boom, boom!
Scorching heat shook the desert. Jin Somyeong evaded every one of the dozens of fire bullets and kicked off the ground.
He swung the Boundless Divine Sword, a first-rank supreme-grade Dharma artifact, now carrying Sword Qi.
Kiiiiik!
The tentacle, split cleanly in two, writhed as though in a frenzy, yet its vitality was astonishingly tenacious. The severed portions were healing at a visible rate.
Hah.
Jin Somyeong shook the bodily fluids off his sword and frowned.
Only after he swung several more times and thoroughly reduced its brain to mush did its movements finally cease.
Its regenerative ability is excellent.
Ordinarily, the meat of such demonic beasts was extremely useful, as it enhanced the body’s recovery power.
The problem was that its appearance was less like a worm and more like a tentacle, which made him instinctively recoil.
…I’ll collect it for now.
He had obtained meat that would greatly aid his body refinement. He could not throw it away simply because it looked revolting.
Besides, who knew? It might taste like a delicacy from heaven.
Though even if it’s delicious, I don’t want to eat it.
Jin Somyeong drew a dagger and butchered it, selecting only the parts that looked most valuable and storing them in his subspace.
After quickly finishing the harvest, he took out the Red Sun Sect nameplate from his robe and pondered.
If he infused spiritual energy into this nameplate, he could share his location with the other Red Sun Sect disciples. Meeting up with them would not be difficult.
I’ll move alone for now.
He had gathered a great deal of information before entering the Red Cloud Secret Realm, and there were several things he wanted to test on his own.
Click.
After putting on the Faceless Mask, Jin Somyeong transformed into an ordinary-looking young man in his twenties. He even altered his Green Bamboo Dharma Robe, changing it from the attire of the Red Sun Sect into a plain gray robe that an unaffiliated cultivator might wear.
Whish!
After roughly estimating the direction, he cast Wind-Riding Art.
He flew toward what he guessed to be the central region while surveying the terrain. His most urgent priority was determining his exact current location.
Found it!
He had no idea how long he had been running before he finally discovered a landmark that could pinpoint his position.
It was a rock resembling a human face, and it matched perfectly with the information he had seen on the map of the Red Cloud Secret Realm.
Tap.
Jin Somyeong landed near the rock, his eyes gleaming. The vigorous forest nearby made it certain.
Good. If I head south from here, I’ll reach the central area where the Foundation Establishment spiritual objects are located.
He was just about to move when he paused.
A crimson flower blooming beneath a tree three meters away caught his attention.
Blood-Red Grass?
This spiritual herb, red as blood, was greatly beneficial for body refinement. It was far more effective than the Qi and Blood Pills Jin Somyeong usually consumed, and it was fairly expensive.
Was it around a hundred Spirit Stones…?
There was no reason to leave behind a spiritual object that had appeared right before his eyes.
He plucked the spiritual herb and slipped it into his robe. The instant he naturally stored it in his subspace as though placing it into a storage pouch—
Thwack!
An arrow flew in and pierced through Jin Somyeong’s temple.
Its force was so fierce that the tree beside him splintered apart.
“Got him! …Huh?”
The voice, which had been full of delight, turned bewildered.
That was because Jin Somyeong’s arrow-struck figure scattered like an afterimage. Looking again, what the arrow had struck was not his temple, but only the tree.
Glance.
Jin Somyeong, who had avoided the arrow with a single step, met the unaffiliated cultivator’s gaze.
“Hup!”
The cultivator who had ambushed him turned pale and tried to flee, but Jin Somyeong did not indulge him.
He kicked off the ground and charged faster than the arrow.
“W-wait! I was wrong—”
Slash!
The instant the keen blade scattered a flash of sword light, the eyes of the unaffiliated cultivator, who had belatedly drawn a Dharma artifact to resist, lost their glow.
Jin Somyeong had severed his neck with a merciless swing of the sword.