Chapter 99: Entering the Hall of Hell (2)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 99: Entering the Hall of Hell (2)
“Since you’re so intent on a life-and-death duel, I shall accept.”
I spoke, addressing him with casual disdain.
“However, did you bring the Duel Authorization Form from Chamber Leader Yuk?”
At my words, the brat blinked, his eyes wide with confusion.
“What authorization form for a life-and-death duel?! Are you scared?!” he barked, sensing something was amiss.
“Are you ignoring the Chamber Rules, which state that a duel between Squad Leaders requires the permission of their respective Chamber Leaders? I have no intention of refusing your challenge! However, as the man appointed as the Acting Squad Leader of the Blood Wind Squad under the Ninth Chamber, I must follow the laws of the Nine Demons Chamber. Are you saying you look down on your master, Chamber Leader Yuk, so much that you don't need his permission? Or are you saying the laws of this Chamber are beneath you? Since Chamber Leader Gu is currently unwell, I shall obtain permission from the Young Chamber Leader! You go and bring your authorization form as well!”
The Nine Demons Chamber had established the Duel Authorization Form as a law because high-level masters frequently ended up killing each other during duels. It was a measure to prevent such mutual destruction.
Even so, it was a rule that was rarely followed, making it a law in name only. It just went to show how many masters had died in duels for the Nine Demons Chamber to even bother creating such a regulation.
“Is that really necessary?! A warrior doesn't need a scrap of paper to duel! Where is the sense in such a foolish thing?!”
I smirked. The fool was slowly walking into my snare.
“Is that so? Then are you saying the decision made by the nine Chamber Leaders is foolish? Counselor Wu! How are those who oppose the decisions of the Chamber Leaders dealt with?”
Wu Isa caught on to my intent and shouted back.
“Regardless of rank, they are to be executed.”
“Then what are you waiting for? Execute this man immediately! Call the Inspection Team and arrest him! As the Acting Squad Leader of the Blood Wind Squad, I have a duty to uphold the law!”
It was a tactic that only worked because the guy was simple-minded and ignorant.
Now, instead of thinking about the duel, he was too busy arguing that such a law shouldn't exist. But I pushed him further into a corner.
“And wasn't a new law passed recently? The one stating that if a disciple intentionally opposes the decision of the nine Chamber Leaders, the master shall be held responsible for the disciple's transgression? Isn't that right, Elder Jang?”
This "law" was likely something they had cooked up with the Ninth Chamber Leader in mind. It was probably intended to be used against Ham Bi-hye and her followers, but when I turned it back on them, Elder Jang began to hesitate.
“Am I right or wrong? It’s all written here in the legislative records. Are you saying you don't know your own laws?”
If the Elder Council, who had passed the bill, claimed they didn't know it, they would lose face. Forced into a corner, he reluctantly admitted it.
“...That is correct.”
I pressed on the moment the words left his mouth.
“Did you hear that? Can you take responsibility for your actions? Your master, Chamber Leader Yuk, will have to bear the burden of your behavior! It seems you’ve quite made up your mind to bring shame upon him. Fine! I certainly never gave my permission for this duel. So, will you take full responsibility for everything that follows?!”
As I roared at him, the brat’s face turned as red as a ripe persimmon. He was boiling with rage and wanted to lash out, but he didn't know how to counter my logic, so he just stood there, seething.
“Get lost! If you want to duel me or have a life-and-death match, bring the authorization form first!”
I brushed past Wang Baek and stopped in front of Elder Jang.
“And from now on, do not speak to me so casually! I am well aware that even an Elder must show respect to a warrior of Squad Leader rank or higher! If you address me informally again, I will hold you accountable! Do you understand, Elder Jang?!”
I shouted at Elder Jang and then walked past him with an air of dignity.
The thrill I felt as I walked through the hundreds of warriors of the Iron Blood Demon Group was more intense than anything I had ever experienced. Wu Isa and I strolled through them as if we were taking a walk in a park.
In truth, my insides were trembling, wondering what I’d do if they suddenly drew their blades. I had walked in looking grand, but the path felt so long that I was breaking out in a cold sweat.
Just as a tiger isn't attacked even in the midst of hundreds of wolves because of its sheer presence, I nudged the Red Sword up slightly with my thumb.
Immediately, a ghostly energy, no less potent than before, swirled around me, making even my own hair stand on end. Overwhelmed by that eerie aura, the members of the Iron Blood Demon Group moved out of my way as I passed.
Wang Baek, the Iron Blood Dragon, could only scowl; he couldn't bring himself to stop me. Whatever else he felt, he couldn't pick a fight when I had dragged his master's reputation into the mix.
I cut through the center of the Iron Blood Demon Group and headed toward the Hall of Hell. A quick glance showed that Galwi’s face looked like he had just chewed on a pile of dung. He wasn't the only one with that expression.
Wu Isa spoke with a thin smile.
“Did you ask for the new legislative records before entering the training room because you anticipated this?”
“How could an Acting Squad Leader not know the laws of the Nine Demons Chamber? I’m sure there will be many more uses for them in the future.”
When I replied with a smile, Wu Isa looked at me with admiration.
“As a counselor, I should have prepared such things in advance. I am ashamed that Young Hero Eo had to do it himself.”
It all came from the instinct to survive. A small fry has to do whatever it takes to stay alive. A weakling often settles matters with things other than a sword; it was just a habit ingrained in my body, not some grand foresight.
Avoiding a fight whenever possible is the survival method of the weak. And I had no intention of changing that survival method just because I had become a master. I had no desire to show off with a level of skill that was as common as rocks in the Yangtze River.
“From here on is the Hall of Hell.”
The place Wu Isa pointed to was a massive structure, larger than two pavilions combined, standing four stories tall.
It was said that one wasn't truly a warrior of the Nine Demons Chamber until they had passed through the Hall of Hell; it was an essential rite of passage. However, it wasn't open to just any warrior. It was only accessible to the five main combat units of the Nine Demons Chamber, and only by passing through here could one gain the strength to approach the first-rate realm.
Even if they didn't reach the first-rate level, there were many cases where their destructive, practical martial arts allowed them to overwhelm first-rate masters. For that reason, the combat units of the Nine Demons Chamber were recognized for their prowess even throughout the Murim.
The first and second floors were general training areas for all Nine Demons Chamber warriors, while the third floor and above were for specialized training unique to each unit. Since the Blood Wind Squad was currently on the fourth floor, it meant they were nearing the end of their training.
Even though the training only lasted a month, the Hall of Hell was famous for producing better results than a year of training in other sects.
“It’s a place I never want to enter again.”
Perhaps because he had trained there himself, Wu Isa spoke with a shudder.
“Would you like to observe the training first?”
I nodded at Wu Isa’s suggestion. I wanted to see how the Twin Heroes of Guiyang, the Seven Cats, and the other members of the Demon Subjugation Group were training and how much their skills had improved.
“Mind if I take a look as well?”
Galwi, who still hadn't left, spoke up. For someone with the status of the Young Lord of the Black Fortress to ask to see the training of the Nine Demons Chamber’s elite units was less of a request and more of a provocation.
“That is impossible. Outsiders are not permitted to enter that place recklessly.”
“Is Young Hero Eo not an outsider?”
“He is currently the Acting Squad Leader of the Blood Wind Squad. How can he be called an outsider?!”
“Good grief. You discard old friends like old shoes just to gain a new one.”
Galwi grumbled and pulled something from his robe.
“Do you know what this is?”
“Is that not the Guest Token bestowed by the Chamber Leader?”
“Then you must know the purpose of this token.”
Wu Isa fell silent. The Guest Token was a powerful artifact that granted the holder the right to have any request granted.
“The Chamber Leader gave this to me this morning, saying I had been a great help to Lady Ham.”
Wu Isa’s face soured. He likely suspected that Galwi had made a huge fuss to squeeze it out of them.
“Very well. Since you wish to see it, let us go together.”
I was worried about showing the training of the Nine Demons Chamber’s elite units to someone who could be considered a potential enemy.
[Young Hero Eo, do not worry. They are currently in the final stages of their training, so even if he watches, he will only see a fraction of it. Moreover, I intend to show Young Lord Gal our strength as a warning. The reason he wants to enter the Hall of Hell now is to obtain the martial insights left on the stone walls of the final gate, but it will likely be in vain.]
Wu Isa’s sound transmission reached me a moment later.
Hearing that, I understood why Galwi was so desperate to get inside. He wanted to see the martial arts forms carved into the walls, which were only revealed to those who passed through the Hall of Hell.
Long ago, the various leaders of the Nine Demons Chamber had each left one of their martial insights as sword marks on the stone walls of the Hall of Hell. The intention was to inspire a spirit of challenge, and it had been a massive success. The current Nine Demons Chamber had grown strong because of the many warriors who had passed through the Hall of Hell.
For warriors belonging to the combat units, the Hall of Hell had become a regular training course they had to enter once a year during times of peace. Those who fell behind were eliminated, while those who passed became even greater masters.
Furthermore, Wu Isa knew Galwi’s intentions but believed he wouldn't be able to gain anything from the stone walls. Those who had actually gained insights from those walls could be counted on one hand. There was Gok-yo, the leader of the Dragon-Slaying Blood Demon Squad—the top combat unit—Yu Hong, the leader of the Black Dragon Exploding Demon Squad, and a few disciples of the Chamber Leaders.
Wu Isa himself had passed through the Hall of Hell several times, but he usually came out without having glimpsed even a shadow of those insights.
Perhaps because he thought he was finally getting in, Galwi’s face was flushed with excitement. Behind him, the Black Spirit Ten Guards followed their Young Lord with calm expressions.
“To enter the Hall of Hell, one must pass through this long, dark passage. It is because of this corridor that the place is called the Hall of Hell. It was named so because it feels like entering the underworld.”
One had to pass through this dark, long gallery to reach the Hall of Hell. We walked into the black passage, accompanied by a training instructor.
Because the passage was so dark, I opened my Circulating Dantian to its maximum to enhance my vision. Immediately, my surroundings became much clearer. If I hadn't gained sixty years' worth of internal energy in the training room, my vision wouldn't have sharpened like this.
Only now did I truly feel how beneficial internal power was. I could understand why masters struggled so hard to become even stronger. They wanted to feel this heightened state even more intensely.
But after walking a few more steps with my Circulating Dantian open, I came to a dead stop.
‘This feeling! Why is this energy lingering here?’
How could I ever forget that incredibly damp and eerie sensation I felt when I was fighting those bastards from the Ghost Pursuit Squad of the Demonic Cult League back in Sichuan?
‘It’s not just one or two. Are you telling me the Ghost Pursuit Squad has infiltrated this far and set an ambush?’
They must have colluded with someone inside the Nine Demons Chamber to bring the Ghost Pursuit Squad here. Otherwise, there was no way I would be sensing their energy.
I moved my feet slowly, pondering what to do. Should I inform Galwi or Wu Isa about them?
‘No. If I do that, that unlucky bastard Galwi will definitely pull back and leave only Wu Isa and me. He’s a guy who wants me dead, so I’d be lucky if he didn't attack me from the shadows himself.’
I was worried, knowing that the way Galwi looked at me was far from friendly.
‘But can Wu Isa and I handle an unknown number of Ghost Pursuit Squad members by ourselves?’
That would be reckless. If the Ghost Pursuit Squad had infiltrated this far, they were surely prepared to die. I knew all too well how terrifying a warrior who had abandoned all hope of survival could be. That was exactly when a weakling could defeat a master.
And these Ghost Pursuit Squad members weren't even weaklings; they were masters. If they were prepared to die, I could only imagine how ferocious their attack would be.
As we drew closer to the ambush point, I grew increasingly anxious. I had picked up their presence through the internal energy of my Circulating Dantian, but Wu Isa, Galwi, and the Black Spirit Ten Guards didn't seem to have noticed a thing.
In moments like this, I truly felt the excellence of the Circulating Dantian. But now was not the time to bask in such small joys.
‘In the end, the only way I survive is by dragging Galwi and the Black Spirit Ten Guards into this.’
Once my thoughts reached that point, a plan flashed through my mind like lightning. It was a very petty trick, but it was a viable one.