Chapter 124
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 124
Chapter Title: The Founder’s Decayed Tablet
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Whoosh.
In front of the Taiji Cave’s eastern chamber, where the flames of the bronze censer flickered toward the sky, the Daoists had been holding formation for two full days already.
The mountain had shaken several times, accompanied by ceaseless booming noises, but now it was eerily quiet, as if none of that had ever happened.
“Martial Uncle, it’s been two full hours since the sounds stopped.”
Azure Flower, who had been endlessly chanting the boundless water mantra, spoke up with worry.
“Shouldn’t we go into the Taiji Cave now and check...?”
“Outrageous! Are you planning to disregard his own expressed will to challenge it?”
Okhyeon opened his closed eyes and scolded her, then stared up at the night sky for a long while, as if gauging something.
“The celestial signs pointing to the Latent Dragon Captain remain strong. No, they’re even more vigorous than before.”
“But...”
Unlike the composed Okhyeon, Azure Flower’s face was plastered with worry that showed no sign of lifting.
She was beginning to dread the consequences if something had gone wrong.
Regret came crashing over her like a tidal wave.
What was that stubborn pride worth? What was Wudang’s honor worth...?
“Successor.”
“Yes.”
Okhyeon called Azure Flower softly.
“If he emerges unscathed, what do you plan to do?”
“Pardon?”
“The heavens are more chaotic than ever. The auras of the great stars that once lit the sky are waning, and the darkness grows thicker.”
“...”
“The diviner’s omens aren’t always accurate, but as the days pass, the red glow of the heavenly calamity intensifies—like the portents recorded in our archives before great upheavals throughout history. My meager learning and shallow dao arts prevent me from reading more details.”
“...”
“And then this child appeared. What I glimpsed was faint: mere hints of darkness and fire... I can’t say where his path will lead, but isn’t this also heaven’s will, a karmic tie to our Wudang?”
Okhyeon’s eyes grew deadly serious as he voiced the celestial signs he had read for the first time.
“So I decided to test him. If he passes the Ten Gates, it gives us cause to stand by his side against that darkness or fire. It would prepare us in advance for any potential turmoil.”
“That’s...”
“Let’s wait a little longer and see heaven’s intent. Boundless water...”
“...”
Wasn’t it just spurring him on for the sake of mutual pride?
A justification to determine Wudang’s future course...
Azure Flower sank into heavy thought.
She understood that her martial uncle had foreseen and prepared for things beyond her imagination.
But this was too irresponsible.
No matter how adept he was at reading omens and the stars, and even if the signs for him remained strong...
What if he failed to break through the Ten Gates and died?
He was the Latent Dragon Captain of the Orthodox Alliance. Even if it was his own choice, the fallout from his death was obvious.
“Haha, don’t worry so much. His martial prowess didn’t seem low, nor did he strike me as reckless. He wouldn’t charge blindly into danger.”
“But...”
Azure Flower bit her lip, unsure how to respond to his soothing words, when a small murmur came from nearby.
It was the Three Dragons of the Latent Dragon Squad, who followed Yu Hyun.
“This is getting worrisome now, isn’t it? The Captain’s lightness skill is already beyond anyone in the Beggars’ Sect, but it’s been two days already.”
“Yeah, true. He seemed plenty knowledgeable about hidden weapons too... Still, this delay is too much. They’re infamous, so not like our Tang Clan training mechanisms, but usually a day suffices.”
“No way something happened. He’s the one who mastered all of Nangong’s swords already.”
The other two nodded as if Nangong Seong’s relaxed words washed away their unease.
“But... what if? Even if it’s Wudang’s training mechanism...”
“...?”
For some reason, Jeok Seong frowned and spoke up.
“What if something happens to the Captain?”
“...?”
“You know how the Water Dragon King feels about him, right? The man who turned that massive Iron Formation Clan into a bloodbath at a single request from the Captain.”
“Huh?”
Azure Flower, who had been pretending not to listen, jumped in urgently.
“W-what does that mean?”
“Pardon?”
“What did you just say? Water Dragon King? The Iron Formation Clan’s destruction—what was that about?”
“Oh, you haven’t heard, Successor?”
“...”
Heard what?
Wudang wasn’t an info hub like the Beggars’ Sect.
Daoists immersed day and night in mountain cultivation—what interest did they have in worldly affairs?
The news they got was limited to the periodic bulletins compiled by the Orthodox Alliance.
She knew the Iron Formation Clan had been wiped out and unknown foes targeted Haenam Province.
But that was it.
Yu Hyun had mentioned Wudang’s changes for future preparations, but she didn’t know the fine details.
“Our Captain formed a master-disciple bond with the Water Dragon King. From what I heard, the King actively sought it.”
“What? His disciple?”
“Yes. Come to think of it, the Sword King coveted him too, right? Said he’d definitely betroth him to his younger sister or something?”
“Yeah. And here I am suffering for it.”
Nangong Seong sighed and nodded.
“I heard when the Captain was dragged off by the Water Dragon King, the Sword King smashed every boat in the Yangtze fleet and dove in.”
“Yeah. Those two were mortal enemies to begin with, and with Uncle’s status, any harm would’ve caused absolute chaos.”
“Ah! Yu Clan Manor?”
“That’s right.”
“The Emperor’s former teacher?”
“Used to be. Now he teaches the Crown Prince, I hear. I didn’t know much, but they say His Majesty trusts him immensely. Hand-picked a martial arts manual from the imperial library and bestowed it personally, or so.”
“Personally?”
“That’s the word.”
“Wow! That’s some favor.”
“And that’s not all. Uncle once ran away from home to visit our Nangong Clan—total uproar. My uncle’s the type who’d leap out of bed at night for him. They mobilized troops across Hebei, Shandong, Anhui, and Jiangsu to search. On the Emperor’s orders, no less.”
“Damn, that’s trust.”
“...”
Azure Flower’s face drained white as their conversation snowballed.
What the hell was this?
Disciple of the Water Dragon King, prospective grandson-in-law of the Sword King, son of a man who could make the Emperor move armies.
Such solid backing? He wasn’t just some scholar-born warrior?
“If he gets hurt, it’s big trouble.”
“Yeah, chaos for sure. But look at Uncle—he won’t snitch even if a few limbs break or skin tears.”
“True... No way he’d get seriously hurt in Wudang’s training mechanism.”
They chuckled, reassuring each other.
But Azure Flower couldn’t.
I see. They think the Taiji Cave is just a training chamber.
Of course—only she, Yu Hyun, Okhyeon, and Unhyeon had that conversation back then...
“...”
She froze, not even blinking, her back slick with cold sweat.
The Wudang Ten Gates weren’t some training gimmick—they were a hellish, cruel death trap where no challenger had ever survived.
If—no, if Yu Hyun really died in there?
Disciple of the Water Dragon King, prospective son-in-law of the Sword King, son of a man who’d make armies march—and killed in Wudang’s mechanism...
Her mind went blank.
What had she done?
The stars be damned.
Visions of those two monstrous beasts and an enraged father she’d never met swirled in her head.
One misstep, and Wudang—centuries old—would flicker out like a candle in the wind. In her generation. Because of her petty pride!
“M-Martial Uncle...”
When Azure Flower whipped her head around, the serene sage discoursing on the heavens was gone.
“What are you all doing! Scour the Scripture Pavilion for every book on mechanisms and formations—now! Successor, what are you waiting for? Assemble Wudang’s elite warriors for a rescue—no, suicide squad! Hurry! We must save the Latent Dragon Captain!”
“...”
Only a ranting old madman remained, eyes wild with frenzy.
Damn, you crazy martial uncle...
If you knew, why even mention the Ten Gates?
What now?
If the Latent Dragon Captain ascends from there, Wudang ascends with him—hand in hand.
“What are you doing! Move! Wudang’s fate hangs by a thread! Screw the stars—our necks are on the block! We’re done for!”
“...”
Watching Okhyeon rage, Azure Flower thought:
Boundless water my ass—boundless bullshit.
Whatever time I have left, I’m never trusting the stars again.
* * *
“Hahk... hahk...”
Exhausted breaths echoed raggedly through the deep underground chamber.
Damn Daoists—what, you miners? Holed up in the mountains just studying mechanisms and formations?
Never in my life...
How’s it so deep? So varied?
Compared to the Wudang Ten Gates, the mechanisms and formations the Heavenly Mechanism Diviner taught were child’s play.
Well, today’s martial world is at its peak, while mine had collapsed entirely—makes sense.
Anyway, I made it to the end.
Using every bit of knowledge and martial arts I had...
Ten Gates, my ass—why North Dipper Seven Stars? Turns out it’s actually Nine Stars.
Left Pivot, Right Fill—what do I care?
Daoists and their star obsession. Come to think of it, Wudang has a Seven Stars Fist too?
Anyway, starting from the cavernous extremity that nearly killed me first, the illusion formation’s Gluttony Gate that almost had me eat myself to death with its mirages—Gourmand, Lush Venom... and finally the Breaking Army.
Cleared all ten gates.
Some tested knowledge, others demanded martial arts or poison resistance to escape alive.
“I swear on Yu Clan Manor—this was made to kill.”
For real. Guaranteed.
Whoever in Wudang built this wasn’t ordinary vicious.
Cursing nonstop inside, Yu Hyun glanced down at himself.
His fine silk uniform was a joke—torn to shreds, parts melted yellow by poison...
That bastard Zhuge Su-beom.
Why not make it from heavenly silkworm thread or some treasure?
No tearing, brush off poisons—no need to change.
Gotta ask Dad for one later. Essential for this brutal jianghu life.
Before entering the final room, Yu Hyun took a deep breath.
Another door opened right after breaking the dogshit Breaking Army Gate.
It opened automatically—must be the last.
“...Flashy as hell.”
He scanned the room warily, but no major threats.
Yu Hyun stepped in cautiously, face tense.
No changes—good.
“Phew...”
He exhaled long, relaxing, and slowly approached the pedestal at the far end.
A small box sat atop it, begging to be opened.
He probed carefully—no traps.
“This must be the sacred relic the old man mentioned.”
Hands shook with tension as he went to open it.
What could it be?
Wudang’s ancestral treasure—had to be amazing.
Maybe a huge reward for whoever reached here?
Some secret elixir or gem unknown to the world...
Yeah, has to be. Why else ten insane mechanisms?
Gulped, then slowly lifted the lid.
“...!”
A radiant glow leaked from the widening gap.
Ooh, holy. No idea what, but already holy!
Calming his pounding heart, he flung the lid open fully, revealing the object’s brilliant form...
“...”
Brilliant...
“...A stick of wood?”
Blinking in disbelief, Yu Hyun slammed the box shut.
“Haha, illusion formation on the box? First time for this.”
Heavenly Mechanism Diviner never mentioned it, but in this vast jianghu, a formation or two he didn’t know? Sure.
Steady mind, no illusions—open again. Then surely...
“...The hell! Same thing!”
Inside: a wooden tablet etched with “Taiji”. Blackened, half-rotted.
Flipped, poked—nothing but rotting wood.
Staring blankly at it in his hand, Yu Hyun muttered with a twisted face.
“Sacred relic? This piece of shit?”
Risked his life for this? After all that hell... a rotten wood scrap...?
His grip tightened, then he hurled the tablet away with savage force.
“Arrrgh! You crazy long-nosed Wudang bastard sons of bitches!”
* * *
“Damn, all smashed.”
It was the item they wanted, so he tried gathering it roughly, but it shattered—too much force or too rotten.
Whatever, fuck it. Just wood.
Yu Hyun swept the fragments into the box and sat to recover his qi.
Just finishing the Spirit Heart Core Method when a commotion hit—Wudang Daoists who should’ve waited outside rushed in.
“A-are you safe?”
“...”
Spotting Yu Hyun, Okhyeon and Azure Flower dashed over, eyes scanning him worriedly.
These bastards thought I was dead?
“Thank goodness, thank goodness. You have no idea how worried I was...”
Okhyeon pretended to wipe tears while thumping Yu Hyun’s shoulder.
Sure you were, you damn conman geezer.
Yu Hyun smirked inwardly, nodding along to their tale of following in case of trouble, finding everything already broken so no need to dismantle, when...
“Ah, no—this! C-could it be!”
“...?”
Azure Flower suddenly gawked at the box.
The wooden tablet I threw?
Okhyeon turned too, then bellowed with bulging eyes.
“Ooooooh! This box! Then this! These splinters! The ones our Fourth Ancestor carved with all his insights!”
“...”
Huh? What? Who carved what?
“Unbelievable! So this was it? Such a treasure hidden in the Ten Gates!”
Okhyeon and Azure Flower knelt, tears streaming as they marveled. The accompanying Daoists bowed reverently toward the fragments.
That... was that important?
“What a pity. Surely he inscribed his insights in those words... Studying them could’ve unlocked ancestral wisdom, advancing our Wudang swordsmanship immensely...”
“Indeed. But strange—the cracks look fresh, not long broken...”
“It was like that when I first found it.”
“...”
Yu Hyun pulled a shameless poker face.
After staring hard for a while, Azure Flower and Okhyeon sighed deeply in regret.
“Sigh, this treasure shattered from the start. So heartbreaking.”
“Martial Uncle, let’s head out first.”
“Yes, we should.”
Okhyeon snapped out of it and hurried off after Azure Flower carefully packed the box.
“Hey, let’s go.”
“...”
As they all filed out, Azure Flower prodded the oddly rooted Yu Hyun.
But he just grinned, unmoving.
His foot ground a few unshoveled splinters into hiding.
You go first. I’ll be last. Hurry...
Hey, you! Don’t shine that torch on the floor!