Chapter 249
Chapter 249
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 249
Chapter Title: Cultivator's Mountain (23)
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Grind!
Kang Si-chan ground his teeth as he turned his back on Park Chan-woo and Chi-woo.
'It should have been a simple matter.'
Just descending the mountain, he had brimmed with confidence.
Managing a mere Anton was nothing.
Preventing the secrets of the Mysterious Tower from leaking—or stopping it even if they did—that was his duty.
It should have been as easy as breathing.
Yet everything was unfolding in direct opposition to his expectations.
'The Black Dragon Prison. A jail that can confine even dragons, as its name implies. A hellhole where only the most egregious demonic heads are meticulously selected and locked away.'
The tower's secrets had leaked, and Anton had vanished.
The problem lay in the location where Anton had been confined.
Anton had vanished without a trace from inside the Black Dragon Prison, known as the prison of the black dragon.
And without leaving a single clue behind.
There was nothing to be gleaned—not who did it, when it happened, or why they abducted Anton.
'Even I couldn't infiltrate the Black Dragon Prison and kidnap Anton.'
Despite mobilizing everything at his disposal and investigating repeatedly, not a speck of dust had turned up.
It was impossible unless one had mastered stealth techniques at the pinnacle of perfection.
...Who could it be?
Someone who had mastered such stealth arts.
Was there anyone like that on this mountain?
'A secret weapon hidden by one of the other clans?'
It was possible.
Just as the Kang Clan had used the Demon Lord to create corpse puppets, the other clans might have been secretly amassing some kind of power.
That was why the Temple of All Gods was now thick with tension.
All the clans were eyeing each other warily, knives hidden in their bosoms.
Relations had never been good, but now they had reached an all-time low.
The reason was singular.
'...It's been fifty years since Tae-baek vanished.'
Fifty years had passed since Tae-baek entered closed-door training deep in the mountain's heart under the pretext of secluded cultivation, never to emerge.
With the mountain's master absent for half a century, the nine clans had begun harboring other thoughts.
Claiming that empty seat for themselves.
It would have been unthinkable before.
Tae-baek's power as the absolute being was so complete that even all the clans combined couldn't touch him.
But over the past fifty years, the nine clans had rapidly grown in strength.
A mountain without a master.
If they could overwhelm the others, they could become the new master!
'We shouldn't have fed them fodder...'
That was why.
It was crucial to avoid making noise or becoming a target.
Give the other clans an opening, and they'd draw the concentrated fire of all—no, not even the mighty Kang Clan could withstand that.
'At least that bastard has the research journal, so Anton alone won't be enough to target the Kang Clan.'
To make the Kang Clan a target, they'd need both Anton and the research journal.
But Park Chan-woo had the journal.
That swindler who took two Great Reversion Pills in exchange for keeping quiet about it.
...Thinking back, there was something suspicious.
Anton vanished the day after meeting Park Chan-woo.
Was all this truly coincidence?
'No matter how much secret scriptures they have backing them, it's impossible.'
He shook his head inwardly.
The Black Dragon Prison wasn't something secret scriptures could handle.
Besides, no one in those scriptures had reached the pinnacle in stealth arts.
Those lowly scum couldn't hope to attain perfection with their martial arts.
However...
'Park Chan-woo, Chi-woo...'
Their martial prowess was considerable.
Especially Chi-woo's internal energy—it exceeded expectations.
Ari-sa had vouched for their origins, but still.
"Number One, Number Two."
"Your orders, Young Master."
Two masters emerged from the shadows.
Among the limbs under Kang Si-chan's command, these were the most trustworthy.
They would hurl themselves off a thousand-foot cliff if he commanded it.
Above all, they handled tasks with the utmost certainty.
"Number One, go down to the secret scriptures immediately and investigate those two."
"Understood."
"Number Two, go to the Temple of All Gods' librarians and uncover everything connected to the name 'Chi-woo.'"
"Yes."
Swoosh!
The two vanished into the darkness without delay.
The clan wouldn't have properly investigated the secret scriptures.
He'd have to delve deeper himself.
Moreover...
'Chi-woo. The name rings a bell somewhere.'
It felt familiar, like something he'd heard long ago.
So long ago he couldn't even recall from whom.
The librarians at the Temple of All Gods, who knew everything about the mountain, might know the name.
"And Number Three."
"Yes!"
A burly man stepped forward.
Number Three. Unlike One and Two, he was a master who served at Kang Si-chan's side.
His martial might was unmatched.
"You watch and protect Park Chan-woo and Chi-woo. Make sure no other clans make a move on them."
"Got it."
As Number Three departed, Kang Si-chan let out a sigh.
The unrivaled Kang Si-chan reduced to playing babysitter.
The other clans wouldn't act openly, but the ones who took Anton might target those two.
'I need to recover the journal as quietly as possible. And find out which bastards kidnapped Anton.'
But Park Chan-woo wouldn't hand over the journal easily.
What did he want?
A guy who demanded Great Reversion Pills just for 'keeping a secret.'
'Guess I'll have to raid the Myriad Treasures Vault.'
He clicked his tongue and shook his head.
That place overflowed with things more useful than Great Reversion Pills.
Asking the owner of the Myriad Treasures Vault left a bad taste, though.
Crack!
He clenched his fist tightly.
'...My patience isn't infinite, so don't test me.'
Three days later, great changes swept the mid-mountain slopes.
"I hear the Kang Clan is pulling out all the stops to recruit those two."
"Ari-sa from the Secret Scriptures has been visiting them daily."
"The other clans are doing the same."
A recruitment war had erupted over Park Chan-woo and Chi-woo.
It started with Kang Si-chan's visits.
With the Kang Clan's young master showing up openly day after day, rumors were bound to spread.
"They're from the Secret Scriptures anyway—what of it?"
"Would Kang Si-chan himself move for just any old Secret Scriptures Arhat?"
"Climbing to the 150th floor might not have been pure luck."
"Whatever it is, they've got something we don't know about."
"Rumors say the Kang Clan even gifted them Great Reversion Pills for recruitment."
"Crazy. They gave Great Reversion Pills?"
The Arhats' attention poured in.
The duo's value skyrocketed.
Especially the part about 'gifting Great Reversion Pills'—everyone gasped.
'I told him to keep quiet about the journal, not about receiving the pills.'
Of course, Park Chan-woo had deliberately spread that rumor.
He'd asked Ari-sa to let it leak out bit by bit.
Thanks to that, he shot to stardom on the mid-slopes.
It became accepted fact that recruiting him required treasures at least equal to Great Reversion Pills.
'Looks like the preparations are just about done.'
Park Chan-woo smiled faintly.
This was enough to inflate their 'value.'
Thoroughly using Kang Si-chan had drawn more attention than expected.
Now, it was time to move.
"What brings you to our sanctuary...?"
The Sanctuary of Sound.
As they arrived at the place where eerie melodies drifted, Arhats blocked the entrance.
Chi-woo stepped forward.
"We want to tour the sanctuary."
"...! Please wait a moment."
One Arhat hurried away.
Soon, another Arhat rushed in.
"Oh, if it isn't the mid-mountain heroes! Interested in our sanctuary?"
A man appeared, carrying an instrument on his back.
His eyes gleamed as he asked.
This place originally opposed the Secret Scriptures and Sword Sanctuaries.
But Park Chan-woo and Chi-woo's value had made them forget origins.
If they could recruit them, it would prove they surpassed even the Kang Clan—a golden opportunity.
"Our successor wants to study it a bit."
"Ah! In that case, you're welcome anytime. Come in, let me guide you!"
The man cheerfully led them inside.
Why it was called a 'sanctuary' became clear soon enough.
'A stone?'
A massive stone emitting melodies stood at the center.
The man spoke proudly.
"That stone is the Chalice of Sound. Only those permitted by us, those who qualify, can take the trial before the Chalice of Sound."
"That's the chalice...?"
Chi-woo tilted his head.
A mere rock as a chalice?
But that wasn't the only reason.
'That's no chalice.'
He was certain.
Park Chan-woo was too.
Because...
'Black Star.'
It was a Creation Abyss fallen from a destroyed world.
'An entrance to a Creation Abyss from a destroyed world.'
Moreover, an entrance only those meeting conditions could enter.
Those 'conditions' were permission from the ones controlling this stone.
'A fox's den.'
Park Chan-woo nodded and spoke.
"Can I take the chalice's trial?"
"...That might be tricky."
"If I fail, both of us join your 'Sanctuary of Sound.'"
"...!!"
The man's eyes widened.
Failure meant getting Park Chan-woo and Chi-woo for free.
So just let him attempt it.
No need to gift Great Reversion Pills or anything.
After a brief hesitation, the man nodded.
In truth, there was no real dilemma.
The trial was notoriously hard without guidance.
"...Very well. I hope you honor that promise."
The next day.
Number Two, who had gone to the librarians, returned and reported to Kang Si-chan.
Asking the Temple of All Gods' librarians about 'Chi-woo.'
Kang Si-chan frowned at the report.
"No access privileges? For me?"
It meant even inquiring about the name 'Chi-woo' required authorization.
But Kang Si-chan was the young master of the Kang Clan, one of the nine great clans.
If he lacked access, who the hell had it?
'Chi-woo... Definitely something there.'
His curiosity deepened.
And at that moment.
Ari-sa was reeling from a similar shock.
"The Heavenly Demon... You're saying he surpasses even Tae-baek as an absolute being, Father?"