Chapter 311
Chapter 311
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 311
Chapter Title: Entering the Biheaven Repository
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“Hahaha!”
The Murim Alliance Leader laughed heartily.
After a hearty burst of laughter, the Murim Alliance Leader looked at Cheonhwi and raised the corner of his mouth.
His beard twitched momentarily.
“In quite a hurry, aren't you? Is there a reason?”
His eyes sharpened like blades, piercing straight through Cheonhwi.
As if trying to gauge his intentions.
However.
“Just wanted to see it right away.”
Cheonhwi brushed it off lightly.
His question and gaze alike.
The Murim Alliance Leader's beard twitched slightly.
“...Is that all?”
“Pretty much.”
Cheonhwi shrugged nonchalantly as he replied.
The Murim Alliance Leader stared silently at him for a moment before finally speaking.
“Very well.”
“You mean right now is fine?”
“Once entry is permitted, you're bound to go in eventually. No need to put it off when you want it now.”
“I like the sound of that.”
As Cheonhwi smiled and spoke.
“Then does that mean the rest doesn't sit well with you?”
The Murim Alliance Leader retorted, seizing on his words.
Yet contrary to his tone, the Alliance Leader's gentle face bore a slightly twisted smile at the corners.
A playful grin.
Seeing it, Cheonhwi smiled back.
“Not all of it, just a little?”
“Hahaha!”
The Murim Alliance Leader threw his head back and laughed loudly once more.
Forgetting all pretense of dignity as Alliance Leader, he let out a refreshing guffaw before picking up his teacup.
And then.
Gulp—
He downed the remaining tea in one go.
He had tossed aside the tea ceremony etiquette he had observed until moments ago.
“This is far more comfortable, after all.”
Whispering to himself as he set down the cup, he shifted his gaze to the standing Cheonhwi.
The lantern light fell on the now-smileless face of the Murim Alliance Leader, casting shadows.
Though looking up from below, it somehow felt like looking down.
“The more I see, the more I like you.”
With those words, he scanned Cheonhwi from head to toe.
As if trying to take in everything about him.
Under the Alliance Leader's persistent, viper-like gaze, Cheonhwi twisted his lips and spoke.
“You should drop that notion right away.”
“Hm? What do you mean?”
“No matter how charming I am, I'm not into men.”
For a moment, the Murim Alliance Leader stared blankly at Cheonhwi, forgetting to speak.
Then he burst into loud laughter.
“Hahat! That's quite the amusing jest.”
The smile on the Alliance Leader's lips as he spoke in a laughter-tinged voice wouldn't fade.
He seemed in a good mood.
Soon, he turned his gaze to Jegal Gong and said.
“Guide the young hero.”
“Understood.”
Bowing his head in reply, Jegal Gong approached Cheonhwi and opened his mouth.
“Shall we go?”
As Jegal Gong and Cheonhwi prepared to leave.
“See you later.”
The Murim Alliance Leader bid Cheonhwi farewell.
Under the yellow lantern light, the Alliance Leader gazed at Cheonhwi with gleaming eyes.
Seeing this, Cheonhwi moved his lips.
“See you later.”
Returning the exact same farewell, Cheonhwi turned away without lingering.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Cheonhwi and Jegal Gong exited the pavilion and headed toward the Murim Alliance's grandest hall, the Martial Heaven Pavilion, which they had visited together before.
“Follow carefully.”
Jegal Gong spoke as before and passed through the peculiar door in front of them.
One, two, three. Four...
Doors opened and closed endlessly.
In the midnight stillness, the sound of doors opening following Jegal Gong's hand echoed unusually loudly.
And so, after opening the final door, Jegal Gong and Cheonhwi began descending the stairs.
Step, step.
As the two descended the endlessly long staircase in silence without conversation.
“Thanks to you, things have become a bit easier.”
Jegal Gong suddenly spoke up.
“Because you and the Mieojeoldae carried out all the missions perfectly, not only did we seize the advantage in the war against the Evil-Black Alliance, but we were also able to identify the spies. So I'm grateful.”
Spies? Ah, right, there were those guys.
Cheonhwi recalled what he had momentarily forgotten amid the missions and moved his lips.
“Then don't just say it—reward me in some way.”
“Aren't I taking you to the Biheaven Repository you wanted to enter?”
“Tch.”
Cheonhwi smacked his lips.
As promised, completing the missions granted entry to the Biheaven Repository, so it was hard to demand more.
Then Jegal Gong spoke again.
“Aren't you curious who the spies infiltrating the Murim Alliance are?”
A calm question.
But its content was weighty.
Cheonhwi stroked his chin.
Spies, huh...
“Not really.”
He had even forgotten their existence until Jegal Gong mentioned it.
No reason for interest now.
“Remarkable.”
Jegal Gong murmured lowly.
“Anyone else would be burning with curiosity to know who the spies in the Murim Alliance are.”
“That's them. Not me.”
Cheonhwi replied nonchalantly.
“I see.”
Jegal Gong soon fell silent.
Silence flowed.
Moments later, the end of the stairs came into view, and a brilliant light entered Cheonhwi's eyes.
'Hm, feels like it's been ages.'
In truth, it hadn't been long.
Less than a year since entering the Murim Repository.
But after traveling the jianghu and going through various events recently, it felt like ages subjectively.
Soon, Jegal Gong immersed himself in the light.
Step.
Cheonhwi too advanced toward the light.
Upon entering the light, two massive iron doors stood before them.
And in the center between the two doors was a single chair, where an elderly man with thick white hair sat reading a book.
The gatekeeper, Yuk Mugwang.
“Elder.”
“Hm?”
Yuk Mugwang looked up at Jegal Gong and Cheonhwi who had approached and let out a hearty laugh.
“Hohoho, this is unexpected.”
Yuk Mugwang rose from his chair.
“Strategist, I never dreamed you'd return here in such a short time.”
“Nor I.”
Jegal Gong replied expressionlessly.
As if accustomed to the sight, Yuk Mugwang smiled with his wrinkled face and spoke.
“Same purpose this time as well?”
“Yes.”
“I see.”
Yuk Mugwang, who had been eyeing the strategist with half-lidded eyes, shifted his gaze to Cheonhwi beside him.
“I figured you'd come again someday, but much sooner than I expected.”
Cheonhwi shrugged at his words.
“Is that so? Feels late to me.”
“Hoho, brimming with confidence.”
“Not confidence—it's a fact.”
“A fine attitude.”
Yuk Mugwang beamed, clearly pleased with Cheonhwi's boldness.
Soon he asked Jegal Gong.
“So where to this time? The Murim Repository again, or the Biheaven Repository?”
“The Biheaven Repository.”
“An excellent choice.”
Yuk Mugwang nodded approvingly.
He then approached the left door and lightly moved his hand, placing it against the surface.
And at that moment.
Flash!
Cheonhwi's eyes gleamed brilliantly.
His eyes, infused with the inner energy of the Plum Blossom Divine Art, meticulously observed Yuk Mugwang and the door.
His upper dantian opened wide, and his thoughts accelerated.
The world flowed slowly.
Within it, energy surged.
The qi flowing from his palm facing the door formed a pattern.
And the instant the pattern was complete.
Rumble—
The ground and ceiling shook as if an earthquake had struck.
Then the iron doors swung wide open, revealing the interior clearly.
Just like the sight when the Murim Repository had opened.
'So that's how you twist and channel the energy to open it?'
The corners of Cheonhwi's mouth lifted slightly.
He hadn't grasped the inner energy flow from the first viewing, but seeing it twice allowed him to discern the mechanism clearly.
If Yuk Mugwang knew, he would be horrified.
This place was the Murim Alliance's final bastion, built with a long history.
As such, the two doors were the crystallization of countless formations and spells created jointly by the Zhuge family and Mount Mosan Sect.
Moreover, the method to open them had been passed down solely through single heirs, known only to the current inheritor Yuk Mugwang and his secretly nurtured disciple.
Yet Cheonhwi had figured it out.
With just two viewings.
A shocking feat.
Unaware of this, the oblivious Yuk Mugwang entered the Biheaven Repository and beckoned Cheonhwi warmly.
“Come on in.”
“Same as before.”
Cheonhwi said to Jegal Gong as he stepped into the Biheaven Repository shrouded in deep darkness.
And at that instant.
Rumble—
The opened iron doors began closing again, and Jegal Gong outside spoke.
“The limit is half a day.”
With those words, the doors shut.
As darkness threatened to descend.
Flash!
Night pearls illuminated from all directions.
“Oh ho.”
Cheonhwi's eyes lit up.
Under the soft glow of the night pearls illuminating the interior, countless bookshelves stood.
An uncountable number.
'Reading all this in half a day? No way.'
Cheonhwi's eyes narrowed.
There were far too many.
Just what met his eyes seemed as vast as Mount Hua Sect's Ten Thousand Scriptures Pavilion.
“Gotta read fast.”
Cheonhwi moved his feet immediately.
Time was short.
In half a day, he had to see everything he possibly could.
Cheonhwi pulled out the book right in front of him.
At the same time, his upper dantian opened fully, accelerating his consciousness tremendously.
Soon his hand moved.
Rustle—
The pages flipped so roughly it seemed they might tear.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ “Alliance Leader.”
Returning to the pavilion, Jegal Gong called out to the Leader, who was tilting a wine cup instead of tea.
“Why do you call?”
“I have one thing I'd like to ask.”
“Speak.”
“I want to know why you accepted the spar.”
Jegal Gong said cautiously.
Cheonhwi's contributions were great, but the Biheaven Repository was not a place where entry was easily permitted.
With the promise of entry already made, there was no need to accept the spar.
Yet he had.
The Murim Alliance Leader he knew wouldn't accept without reason.
And as expected.
“Stronger than I thought.”
The Murim Alliance Leader said as he set down his cup with a clink.
The sloshing wine barely contained the precarious half-moon.
“Probably my equal.”
“...!”
Jegal Gong's eyes widened in shock.
Even he, whose expressions rarely changed, couldn't hide his astonishment at those words.
Early twenties.
Equal in martial prowess to the Murim Alliance Leader.
For an instant, he even wondered if the Leader was lying.
But he quickly composed himself.
The Leader was not one to lie about matters of martial skill.
Jegal Gong's face hardened rigidly.
“Then you should avoid the spar even more. If you're truly equals in the match...”
He blurted out urgently.
The Leader had to remain aloof.
For the greater plans ahead.
He was one who must be.
However, the Murim Alliance Leader shook his head and grinned.
“No matter.”
He emitted cold eyes.
Like a biting cold wave.
“No, it's even better. If so, he'll make perfect bait to draw those in hiding out.”
Jegal Gong's eyes widened.
He immediately grasped the intent.
“You don't mean bringing the Eight Martial Gods back to the jianghu...”
Unable to finish, the Murim Alliance Leader looked up and spoke.
“Dawn is breaking there.”
The half-moon and myriad stars illuminating the dark night sky were gradually fading in the dawn light.
Night departing, morning arriving.
Gazing silently at the slowly changing scene, the Murim Alliance Leader finally spoke.
“The current jianghu is like night.”
The present jianghu was a dark night.
And not just for a day or two.
For decades, it hadn't escaped the night wrought by the Eight Martial Gods' Nine Provinces and Three Evils era.
Living only in the dream they created.
“But that too ends now.”
The Murim Alliance Leader closed his eyes.
To end this eternally long night of the jianghu, dawn was needed.
A bright dawn to push back the night.
And that dawn would herald a new morning, raising the sun over the jianghu.
Slowly—
The Murim Alliance Leader's eyes opened.
The pupils revealed beneath his eyelids emitted a light even more radiant than the distant rising dawn.
Just then, the night sky vanished, and morning light spread.
Beholding it, the Murim Alliance Leader confidently moved his lips.
“In my hands, this night shall end.”