Chapter 394
Chapter 394
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 394
Chapter Title: The Secret of the Pagoda Forest
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Eventually, Bu Eun-seol stopped walking.
“Shall we talk here?”
Dang Cheong narrowed her long eyes and looked around.
“Or should we find a quieter place to speak?”
After a moment of consideration, Bu Eun-seol extended a hand and said.
“Let’s go.”
Dang Cheong led the way past several courtyards toward a forest of countless pagodas.
Ordinarily, this area was off-limits to regular visitors. But Dang Cheong was well-acquainted with many of Shaolin's high-ranking monks, including the Guest Hall Master, the Discipline Hall Master, and the master of the Yangshim Hall.
Thus, she was able to enter an area forbidden to common visitors, and the monks who recognized her did not try to stop them.
“How did you recognize me?”
Bu Eun-seol asked in a low voice as he walked with Dang Cheong through the Pagoda Forest.
His first friend in the martial world had been Dang Gon, and Dang Cheong was his sister.
Moreover, when he had visited the Dang family, she had always shown him kindness. Even the family head, Dang Pae, had a very favorable impression of him.
For these reasons, Bu Eun-seol held no hostility toward Dang Cheong.
He simply wanted to confirm how she had recognized him and if there was a fatal flaw in his disguise.
“Have you forgotten that I am a daughter of the Dang family?”
Dang Cheong said with a calm smile.
“I am the mistress of the Hall of Fragrant Poisons, where we specialize in fragrance-based toxins.”
Even within the Dang family, a clan of poison experts, Dang Cheong led the Hall of Fragrant Poisons, a gathering of the finest specialists in that field.
Her sense of smell was particularly acute, and it was said that in the realm of fragrant poisons, she was second only to the family head, Dang Pae.
“I am well aware that you are an expert in fragrant poisons.”
Understanding Bu Eun-seol’s implication, Dang Cheong smiled faintly.
“To create fragrant poisons, one must first become an expert in scents. I can distinguish dozens of smells simultaneously, and I can even combine fragrances to replicate an exact scent.”
A wave of confidence washed over Dang Cheong’s face as she continued.
“After you left the Dang family, Lord, I collected the scent from the bedchamber where you stayed.”
The corners of Dang Cheong’s lips curled up slightly as she glanced at Bu Eun-seol’s profile.
“And I created a fragrance identical to your natural scent.”
Bu Eun-seol was greatly surprised.
Not only did Dang Cheong possess a sense of smell as keen as a hound’s, but she also had the skill to combine tens of thousands of scents to create a perfect replica.
But what surprised him more… was why she had collected his scent and made a fragrance from it.
“Why would you make a fragrance of my scent?”
“Isn’t it obvious?”
When Bu Eun-seol couldn't contain his curiosity and asked, Dang Cheong smiled as if the answer were simple.
“At the time, you displayed remarkable abilities despite being unknown. I believed that you would soon become a figure who would sway the martial world.”
Dang Cheong’s eyes glinted bewitchingly in the sunlight.
“So, I prepared in advance to be able to identify you by your scent, no matter what you looked like.”
Bu Eun-seol swallowed dryly.
‘There are many people in this world with a keen sense of smell.’
Soyo, too, had used her exceptional sense of smell to determine the fake Divine Calculator’s age.
But Dang Cheong took it a step further, possessing the ability to identify a person by scent alone.
‘I’ll have to re-evaluate my Art of Deception.’
Bu Eun-seol had learned a new truth from this encounter.
Scent was another important means of identifying a person.
He realized that for a disguise to be perfect, it had to include not only one's gaze and actions… but also this new field of ‘body scent.’
“I see.”
Having grasped the situation, Bu Eun-seol cupped his hands.
“Thank you for your honesty. Thanks to you, I have learned something I had never considered before.”
He was sincere.
What if Dang Cheong hadn't been honest?
Not only would he have remained ignorant of the importance of scent, but he would also have never been able to guess how she had recognized him.
“Dang Gon, is he well?”
When Bu Eun-seol asked after Dang Gon, Dang Cheong paused for a moment.
But she quickly smiled and nodded.
“Of course. My brother is currently striving to master the family’s Eight Great Secret Arts. And he often speaks of you, Lord.”
A faint shadow of darkness crossed Dang Cheong’s brow.
Bu Eun-seol instantly sensed that something was amiss with Dang Gon.
It was strange for him to enter seclusion to master the Eight Great Secret Arts at a time like this.
“Did something happen to him?”
“Of course not.”
Dang Cheong wore a faint smile.
But her eyes still seemed dark.
Watching her, Bu Eun-seol made a decision.
‘Once I’ve handled my urgent business, I should pay a visit to the Dang family.’
As if reading his mind from his expression, Dang Cheong nodded.
“My brother would be overjoyed if you were to visit our home, Lord.”
“Would it be alright for me to go to the Dang family?”
“Of course. You’ve done many good deeds, haven’t you? Most people in the orthodox faction view you favorably.”
Her expression was completely at ease.
Had it been any other figure from the demonic path, no matter how close, she would have been extremely wary.
But Bu Eun-seol was known as a man of justice and integrity, to the point of being called a righteous man of the demonic path.
While those of the demonic path still found such an assessment uncomfortable, the favor of the orthodox faction could not be forcibly denied.
And she, too, trusted in Bu Eun-seol’s upright character.
That was why she could question him so casually, even though he had infiltrated Shaolin in disguise.
“That is a relief.”
As Bu Eun-seol smiled faintly, Dang Cheong asked.
“But what brings you to Shaolin?”
“I came to investigate something.”
“Investigate something?”
Bu Eun-seol hesitated for a moment before speaking.
“There is someone secretly nested within Shaolin. And he has summoned me here to test me.”
“Someone hiding in Shaolin summoned you here to test you? Why?”
“There are many complicated circumstances. However.”
Bu Eun-seol said firmly.
“I have absolutely no intention of harming Shaolin or coming here with ill intent.”
“I see.”
Dang Cheong nodded as if it were only natural.
“But no matter how powerful your martial arts are, you won’t be able to investigate Shaolin alone.”
She took a deep breath and continued.
“The only reason Shaolin can accommodate so many visitors at once is because all the disciples who were out in the martial world have returned and are staying within the temple grounds.”
“Mm.”
“If you were to be surrounded while infiltrating, something unbearable could happen.”
Bu Eun-seol nodded.
If not for the Divine Calculator’s test and provocation, he would never have come to Shaolin so recklessly.
However, there was one thing he was counting on.
If the Divine Calculator was truly testing him, and not just trying to cause him trouble…
He must have left an opening for Bu Eun-seol to enter Shaolin.
“It cannot be helped.”
Bu Eun-seol said resolutely.
“If my thoughts are correct, his reason for calling me to Shaolin isn’t simply to have me infiltrate and investigate this place. There must be a clue.”
“Mm.”
This time, it was Dang Cheong who hummed in thought.
After pondering something deeply, she met the eyes of the disguised Bu Eun-seol.
Within them flowed a will strong enough to melt steel.
But in those same eyes, Dang Cheong sensed a deep, inexplicable loneliness and sorrow.
And it was a sentiment that only the women who genuinely cared for Bu Eun-seol could perceive.
“Alright.”
Having made up her mind, Dang Cheong nodded.
“I’ll help you. With investigating the temple grounds.”
“You will help me?”
The unexpected words took Bu Eun-seol by surprise.
Since Dang Cheong was on good terms with the people of Shaolin, her help would be invaluable.
Connections.
Bu Eun-seol had always forged connections with various figures in the martial world, and he had never treated them lightly.
And now, the power of those connections was providing him with such great strength and trust.
“There is no need. This is my affair.”
But Bu Eun-seol soon rejected her kind offer.
He was worried that if Dang Cheong helped him, it could sour the relationship between Shaolin and the Dang family.
Finding the Divine Calculator was important, but for the sake of the Sichuan Dang family’s honor and for Dang Gon, he absolutely could not accept her help.
“There’s no need to refuse. No matter what happens, the monks of Shaolin will always be fond of me.”
As if reading his mind, Dang Cheong winked and said.
“Besides, you are the only one to have ever received my brother’s Pear Blossom Wine.”
“It’s alright. I’ll accept the thought.”
“This is my thought, too.”
Dang Cheong stared intently at Bu Eun-seol with a fervent gaze.
“I also want to be a friend who shares in your crises. Is that not allowed?”
He hadn't expected her to be so direct, and Bu Eun-seol hesitated for a moment.
If it were the usual Bu Eun-seol, he would have refused without a second thought.
But now he was wavering. Meeting the Divine Calculator was of the utmost importance to him.
If he could meet the man known as the greatest sage in the martial world, he was certain he could obtain information about the fiend who killed his grandfather.
“So I have to beg you to let me help.”
Dang Cheong sighed and said seriously.
“Do you think I’ll be a burden?”
“That’s not it.”
Dang Cheong shrugged and said.
“I am not only an expert in fragrances, but also in mechanisms and formations. My specialty is finding hidden devices.”
She then looked around the Pagoda Forest and said confidently.
“Do you think you can find the hidden mechanism around this Pagoda Forest, Lord?”
“A mechanism?”
“Yes.”
As Bu Eun-seol furrowed his brow, Dang Cheong spoke with a look of conviction.
“The moment I entered this Pagoda Forest, I immediately knew there was a secret mechanism here.”
Bu Eun-seol scanned his surroundings once more.
But with his naked eye, he couldn't detect any trace of a mechanism anywhere.
“You’re saying there’s a hidden mechanism here?”
“That’s right.”
Looking around the densely packed pagodas, Dang Cheong pointed to one that stood about thirty feet tall.
“There’s a secret mechanism installed in that pagoda. Since this is where sarira are kept, the monks must have created a secret passage for easy access.”
Bu Eun-seol examined the pagoda Dang Cheong pointed at but could find no sign of a mechanism.
*Zing.*
At that moment, a white light emanated from Bu Eun-seol’s eyes.
He had resorted to using his All-Seeing Eye to inspect the pagoda.
‘She’s right.’
Only after activating his All-Seeing Eye did he spot the faint handprint and the minuscule crack on the front of the large pagoda.
There truly was a secret mechanism hidden in this pagoda.
However, even with his All-Seeing Eye, he couldn't tell how the mechanism worked or what kind of device was installed.
“Did you find it?”
Dang Cheong asked with a shrug, and Bu Eun-seol nodded.
“I did.”
“So? Can you trust my abilities now?”
‘I don’t know if this is real or not.’
The fact that she was on good terms with the high-ranking monks of Shaolin meant she had visited many times.
It was possible that Dang Cheong already knew about the mechanism here and was just telling him about it now.
“Oh? Right now! From your expression, I can tell you think I already knew about this mechanism. Right?”
Her intuition was uncanny.
When Bu Eun-seol was at a loss for words, she placed her hands on her hips, looking wronged.
“I’m genuinely trying to help you, but you still don’t believe me. Fine.”
Dang Cheong, appearing truly offended, turned her head away.
“Do as you please.”
She spun around and kicked a small stone on the ground.
*Tuk, tuk, tuk.*
But as the small stone struck the pagoda with the mechanism,
*Gr-r-r-rumble.*
With a low vibration, a section of the pagoda wall opened, creating a passage leading inside.
“Ah.”
Dang Cheong stared at the stone she had kicked and her mouth fell open.
Amazingly, that small stone had been the trigger for the pagoda’s mechanism.
‘Could all of this be the Divine Calculator’s arrangement?’
Watching this unfold, Bu Eun-seol’s eyes wavered.
The moment he saw the passage, gaping like a black maw, he had a gut feeling—could all of this be the Divine Calculator’s doing?
‘No, that can’t be.’
If that were true, it would mean the Divine Calculator had predicted not only that Bu Eun-seol would encounter Dang Cheong in Shaolin… but also that she would discover the mechanism in this very spot.
If he had predicted and planned all of this…
He wouldn't be human, but a god who could see the future.
‘If not that, then.’
Thinking of another possibility, Bu Eun-seol stared intently at Dang Cheong.
What if she was in league with the Divine Calculator? What if she had brought him here under the guise of coincidence and opened the mechanism?
That seemed far more probable.
‘The Divine Calculator is a man who had the Namgung family track down an artificial inner core just by offering the Jewel of Gratitude in return.’
If he could manipulate the Namgung family, who stood at the pinnacle of the Eight Great Families…
Manipulating the Dang family wouldn't be that difficult either.
“No way. Are you suspecting me now?”
Just then, Dang Cheong noticed Bu Eun-seol’s sharp gaze and her mouth dropped open.
“You… are an incredibly suspicious person.”
Her perception was as sharp as a blade.
Having instantly detected his suspicion, she whispered, seething.
“Do you think I conspired with someone to stage this?”
“I merely considered the possibility.”
“Fine. Then let’s go inside together.”
Dang Cheong huffed and pointed to the open passage.
“We’ll find out once we’re inside, won’t we? Right?”
Dang Cheong’s gaze and expression overlapped with the image of Dang Gon.
She was someone who had always shown him kindness. Even if she had conspired with the Divine Calculator, it likely wasn't with the intention of putting him in peril.
“No. I believe you.”
Bu Eun-seol waved his hand.
“But you should go back. I will investigate inside…”
But before Bu Eun-seol could finish, Dang Cheong slipped into the open passage.
*Grrrnd.*
The passage in the wall immediately began to close.
‘I have no choice.’
Bu Eun-seol had no choice but to quickly enter the closing passage.
“…”
Inside, it was as dark as pitch.
*Flick.*
Then, a light emanated from the hands of Dang Cheong, who stood in front, along with a wisp of white smoke.
She had taken out a fire starter from her robes.
“This is strange. I thought it would just be a secret passage for moving to another location.”
Looking around, Dang Cheong wore a slightly surprised expression.
She had expected it to be, at most, a hidden path for moving secretly within the Shaolin Temple grounds.
But it stretched on endlessly, and the passage was over thirty feet high, making its scale enormous.
“Did the monks build this just to sneak some grain tea?”
Dang Cheong joked with a hint of bewilderment as she walked down the passage.
Judging by its length, it clearly passed through the center of the Shaolin grounds, or perhaps even further.
“I don’t think the monks would install such a mechanism just to sneak a drink of grain tea.”
Bu Eun-seol said thoughtfully.
“Miss Dang. If things go wrong, could it not bring harm to the Dang family as well?”
He urged her once more.
“How about you go back now?”
“No. I’m curious now, too.”
Of all the women Bu Eun-seol had met, Dang Cheong was one of the boldest and most fearless.
Fearing he might try to stop her again, she quickened her pace down the passage.
“Huh?”
Dang Cheong, who had been moving swiftly, came to a halt.
The passage, which seemed to stretch on forever, had suddenly split into three paths.
“To think they built a maze of this scale in a place like this.”
She exclaimed in awe and shook her head.
“It seems this mechanism leads to some secret, forbidden area of Shaolin.”
A master of mechanisms and formations, Dang Cheong identified the trap in the branching paths at a glance.
“It’s not just a simple fork in the road; they’ve laid a Bewildering Hedge Formation to confuse the senses. So, the further we go, the more forks in the road will appear than there actually are.”
Muttering to herself, she unhesitatingly chose the path on the left.
“In that case, if we just keep choosing one direction and follow it, we should naturally reach our destination, right?”
What Dang Cheong suggested was a simple way to solve a maze.
But Bu Eun-seol calmly shook his head.
“That method is fine, but wouldn’t it take a very long time?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“I will try to find the exit quickly.”
Bu Eun-seol immediately activated his All-Seeing Eye.
A white light flowed from his eyes, and he began to see the traces of those who had passed through here long ago.
“Follow me.”
Taking the lead, Bu Eun-seol moved into the branching paths without hesitation.
Just as Dang Cheong had said, the further they went, the more their senses were confused, and the number of paths multiplied.
But Bu Eun-seol was completely unaffected by the formation’s power, and with his All-Seeing Eye, he was swiftly navigating the maze.
And the place they finally arrived at was a space blocked on all sides.
“It’s a dead end.”
Dang Cheong muttered in disappointment, but Bu Eun-seol wore a faint smile.
“No, this is the exit.”
“This is the exit? But it’s blocked.”
“If we’ve reached the exit and it’s blocked, doesn’t that mean there’s a separate way to open it?”
Bu Eun-seol stood before the blocked wall and activated the Thousand-Pound Drop.
With a click, the solid floor pressed down slightly, and then,
*Gr-r-r-rumble.*
A heavy iron door formed on the blocked wall and began to slowly open.
“This place is…”
Dang Cheong’s mouth fell open as she saw what was revealed beyond the open door.
Beyond the passage lay a vast space of over ten thousand square feet, bathed in a soft light.
Inside, bookshelves were erected, packed tightly with all sorts of books.
“The Scripture Pavilion.”
She muttered in a low voice.
This was none other than the Scripture Pavilion, where all of Shaolin’s scriptures and martial arts manuals were stored.