Chapter 240
Chapter 240
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 240
Chapter Title: Cultivator's Mountain (14)
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Even reaching the 60th floor had been more than just a simple 'shock'.
No matter how you looked at it, the mountain's entrance was merely a place to prove the qualifications of those attempting the climb.
Climbing high floors or earning high scores didn't change the fact that it was still just the entrance.
Consecutive special-grade results?
Impressive, sure, but the Cultivator's Mountain teemed with powerhouses who surpassed even Isa Baek or Yulla.
Surpassing them would naturally earn a special-grade score.
But.
What if someone cleared the trial at a level never seen before—one that couldn't be quantified by any score?
...Could they still dismiss it as 'just an entrance examiner'?
Even if the heirs and disciples of the Nine Families skipped the entrance's three trials, could they pretend to be uninterested?
'No way.'
Isa Baek shook his head.
The Nine Families were the ones most wary of any 'new powerhouse' emerging.
That was why they openly rejected outer court disciples—it was all part of the same mindset.
They allowed the chance to climb but blocked anyone from ascending endlessly.
Until now, that had been possible because there weren't many Arhans from the outer courts.
No matter how strong they were, they hadn't drawn everyone's attention.
Thus, the moment they broke past the 60th floor, countless families turned their gaze to the tower.
The Nine Families were among them.
Especially.
"Aren't those Kangshi Sect Arhans over there?"
"Is it because Anton is the examiner from the Kangshi Sect?"
"Even so, isn't the number too high?"
"...It's Kang Shi-chan!"
"Nine Dragons Kang Shi-chan?"
The murmurs among the Arhans grew louder when Nine Dragons Kang Shi-chan—the Kangshi Sect's brightest young star—made his appearance.
For Kang Shi-chan, the direct bloodline of the sect leader guiding the Kangshi Sect, to show up at the mountain's entrance was simply unheard of.
'The Kangshi Sect. Looks like they do have something dirty hidden after all.'
Isa Baek was convinced as he watched them.
Inside this 'Tower of Mystery' lay the Kangshi Sect's shameful secret.
Something they couldn't afford to show in the safest, least suspicious place.
That must be why the sect's heavyweights and Kang Shi-chan himself had come.
Anton's face had gone from pale to a sickly blue-green.
Especially after spotting Kang Shi-chan—he could barely breathe.
"Two record breakers..."
"Who the hell are they?"
Meanwhile, both challengers had broken through the 60th floor.
The Arhans grew even more curious.
Nothing was known about them except that they were outer court disciples, unvetted entrants.
One would have been shocking enough, but two in a row shattering records?
When they passed the 70th floor, the Kangshi Sect's movements grew frantic.
They surrounded Anton with multiple layers of energy barriers.
Perfectly blocking any eavesdropping.
"...On which floor did we place 'that'?"
Kang Shi-chan asked in a heavy tone.
Anton shuddered violently as he replied.
"The, the 80th floor."
"80th... So just ten floors left."
"Th-they'll never reach it, I swear."
"Never? Didn't you swear no Arhan would ever reach above the 59th?"
"Th-that's... Arisa was under control..."
"Not because of you. Because we handled it."
"......"
"Remember this: we're keeping you alive solely because of 'that', not because we like you."
His voice was like that of a hellish rakshasa.
If Kang Shi-chan willed it, Anton's life meant less than an ant passing by.
But they spared him for one reason alone: 'that'.
The jiangshi they had turned into a demon lord.
Anton had recklessly contracted the jiangshi the Kangshi Sect had been secretly experimenting on, so they couldn't keep it in the sect anymore.
The jiangshi made from a creator's corpse triggered a 'Creation Abyss' the moment it was contracted.
That's why they built the 'Tower of Mystery' at the mountain's entrance as a cover for the trial.
The Nine Families had little interest in the entrance anyway.
Anton nodded frantically.
"Y-you're absolutely right."
"You'd better pray that challenger never reaches the 80th. Pray with every fiber of your being."
"L-leave it to me. It's not rigged to be that easy."
Gulp!
Anton swallowed hard amid extreme tension.
His mind went blank.
But it wasn't empty talk.
'From the 71st floor on, it's the realm of the impossible.'
He hadn't just placed his own jiangshi there.
He'd received help from the Kangshi Sect in case of emergencies.
Especially from the 71st floor onward, only top-tier demon jiangshi beyond 'special specimens' were deployed.
And even if, by some miracle, they reached the 80th...
'Instant death the moment they meet.'
...That demon lord was something the Kangshi Sect had painstakingly captured.
The finest corpse the sect had ever obtained with all their might.
Not your average demon lord—no, not one created by just anyone.
It was none other than the being called the 'Cradle's Creator'.
A true lord closest to the Demon King, on par with the moon's lord Aheta.
Unlike Aheta, though, this one had devoted itself purely to its own strength!
And after contracting, it had undergone every reinforcement imaginable.
No chance of winning.
No, they wouldn't even get close.
If both died inside the tower, it would all end without issue.
Yeah.
No need to worry.
Just groundless fear.
Anton tried to calm himself.
And soon enough.
"...Th-they stopped!"
Anton let out a joyful scream.
One had given up midway!
They'd reached a whopping 73rd floor.
No more light flowed out.
And not just that.
"H-he's coming out!"
One challenger had abandoned the climb.
The entrance glowed as someone emerged.
"Who's that?"
"Outer court disciple, they said. Ever seen him before?"
"...First time."
Several outer court Arhans tilted their heads at the newcomer.
Arisa felt the same bewilderment.
He looked freshly of age, with a boyish face.
Broad lines and a manly aura, but he didn't feel like a fearsome master.
Plus, a complete stranger among Arhans.
If he was an outer court talent like that, she should've at least glimpsed his face before.
Yet he bore no visible wounds despite reaching the 73rd floor.
However.
"What a worthless test. No value in climbing further—pure garbage."
Chiwoo scowled as he spat that verdict.
He could've gone higher but chose not to.
Not content with turning demons into jiangshi, they'd completed them as vile experiments full of atrocities.
The higher you went, the worse the jiangshi's conditions became.
He couldn't even bear to touch them.
Ignoring the stares, Chiwoo stood at the entrance with arms crossed, gazing up at the tower.
Only then did the Arhans realize.
"...There's still one left inside."
That one was still climbing.
And even.
"......They reached it after all."
"Ahh...!"
The challenger had finally, truly arrived at the 80th floor.
The demon lord jiangshi.
The 'Cradle's Creator' opened its eyes.
"Someone has invaded my 'cradle'."
No emotion in its voice.
Since becoming a jiangshi, it had no memories from its time as the 'Cradle's Creator'.
But as an overwhelmingly powerful being, the jiangshi itself had developed a sense of self.
It retained only an instinct-like awareness: kill the invader breaching its cradle.
"I praise you for reaching this far. But you cannot defeat me within this 'cradle'."
The Cradle's Creator was confident.
This place was its Creation Abyss, the cradle.
A realm of its own making—no one could handle it here.
Growing stronger per floor?
Just a setting forced by its excessive power.
The 'Cradle's Creator' was mighty by nature.
Unlike typical demon lords, it had honed its 'pure prowess' to an unimaginable degree—the demon closest to an Arhan.
Reaching the 80th floor proved the opponent far exceeded its level.
The Cradle's Creator had awaited such a foe.
The Cradle's Creator assumed a stance.
At the same moment.
"...Something's off."
It tilted its head.
No strength.
Mana output far lower than expected—way too low.
Mana wouldn't form, and overall physical abilities had plummeted unbelievably.
Maybe around level 30 at best.
The Cradle's Creator looked at Park Chan-woo and spoke.
"My consciousness screams this can't be. By your standards, I should be reinforced to level 80. Yet I'm barely around 30. You... what level are you?"
"Curious?"
Park Chan-woo smirked in response.
Honestly, it was intriguing.
A jiangshi with consciousness—a creator, no less!
The very architect of this Creation Abyss was questioning him.
At least dialogue was possible.
Meaning he could extract some benefit before fighting.
"If you're curious, answer my question first. The technique to turn demons into jiangshi—is it demonic in origin?"
The Cradle's Creator froze.
No clear memories remained.
But vague images flickered.
Memories of the moment it became a jiangshi.
Were the techniques used demonic?
-Kill. Kill. Kill!
A sudden headache struck.
Pain it shouldn't feel.
This was a command engraved as a jiangshi.
Normally, it should kill any intruder on the 80th floor instantly.
Yet the Cradle's Creator held back.
This absurdly low-level being sparked an intense 'curiosity'.
"A technique involving demons."
"...Interesting."
Park Chan-woo let out a laugh.
Was this truly the Arhans' mountain?
He could somewhat understand why the 'Tower of God' had willed him here.
He'd need to uncover the full corrupted tale of this mountain.
"Now it's your turn to answer. What's your level?"
"Negative."
"...?"
"58."
"...Huh?"
The Cradle's Creator tilted its head again.
This, too, was 'impossible' by its understanding.
How could a negative level 58 reach here?
But it didn't feel like a lie.
The math checked out, as he'd said.
Park Chan-woo asked again.
"Are you the end? Or is there another floor after?"
"...I'm quite curious about that myself. This 'cradle' was born from my instincts. But I don't recall anything beyond."
"Then I guess I'll have to kill you first."
"Not sure you can. I don't plan on losing."
He got the point: absurd strength relative to its level.
But that was it.
The Cradle's Creator had achieved the same impossible power for its level.
It wouldn't lose in a clash.
At that moment.
Park Chan-woo drew 'Baal's Sword'.
Grrrrr!
The sword roared like a beast.
But the authority this time wasn't 'Gluttony'.
"Time to try it out at last."
Try what?
As the Cradle's Creator wondered inwardly.
"'Absolutist'."
"...Didn't you say it was definitely the 80th floor?"
Kang Shi-chan asked.
Anton lay there half-fainted, mumbling incoherently.
He couldn't answer.
Because.
"...Then why is light coming from the 81st floor?"