Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 28
>Chapter Title: Treasure Trove (3)
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No Moon Empty Sword
>Moonward Defeat Sword
The moment Mok Kyung-un imprinted this form, he saw someone in his mind—a pale-faced scholar-like figure wielding a sword and executing the technique.
-Shwaa shwaa shwaa!
The sword path evoked the image of a full moon brimming with light. The instant he saw it, goosebumps prickled across Mok Kyung-un's entire body.
He had entered a trance while imprinting the sword techniques Cheong-ryeong had recited upon entering the Blood Valley's treasure trove. But this form sent shivers incomparable to those.
Mok Kyung-un stared blankly at the form.
Watching him so immersed, Cheong-ryeong thought to herself.
'He shook off the bad luck, but to enter a trance the moment he sees it.'
His concentration is remarkable.
Judging by his trembling pupils, even this kid was deeply shocked by a form on a whole different level from the others.
She understood.
How awestruck had she been upon first seeing it in her lifetime?
No Moon Empty Sword: Moonward Defeat Sword.
It was the sword art of one of the world's top five peerless swordsmen from the lost era of ancient martial forests, known for its fiercest battles.
Though all but two forms were ruined, witnessing it had given her enough insight to complete her unfinished Moon Sword forms.
'If you grasp even a fraction of the value contained in those strokes, your swordsmanship discernment will improve by leaps and bounds, regardless of practice time.'
Just how much he'd comprehend at his level was another matter.
But unlike before, this trance was lasting unusually long.
Most other manuals ended around thirty breaths, yet he was still fixated on that form.
-Swish swish!
'No wasted movements.'
Mok Kyung-un repeatedly exclaimed in admiration while watching the middle-aged man execute the form.
The forms from previous sword arts had noticeable unnecessary motions or paths. But this one had none.
Each trajectory was beautiful yet utterly focused on slaying the foe.
'Ah...'
It was like beholding a work of art.
Its allure drew him to stare relentlessly.
To Mok Kyung-un, this sword art embodied the aesthetics of sword and death.
-Swish!
Mok Kyung-un began mirroring the form alongside the scholar-like middle-aged man in his mind.
At that instant,
-Shwaaaaa!
Deathly yin energy poured from Mok Kyung-un's body.
-What?
It wouldn't be visible to ordinary eyes, but Cheong-ryeong's ghostly gaze saw it clearly.
The surging deathly energy spread rapidly around him.
"You..."
Cheong-ryeong started to call out to Mok Kyung-un but stopped.
On second thought, deathly energy wasn't something living beings could sense, and given his state, he seemed to have gone beyond trance into true enlightenment.
'What insight could cause deathly energy to manifest outside his body?'
Intriguing.
The emanating energy rippled like waves.
Cheong-ryeong couldn't hide her inner surprise at the sight.
It might look like mere ripples, but to those like her—who had transcended walls and delved deep into martial depths—it resembled a sword scripture.
'This kid... no way?'
Was he assimilating with the strokes in the form and manifesting it in his mind?
Cheong-ryeong was dumbfounded.
It was utterly impossible at Mok Kyung-un's level.
One needed transcendent realm to visualize intent from characters or sword marks in their mind.
Yet Mok Kyung-un, not even grasping pinnacle, was doing it?
'...How many times will he shock me in a single day?'
Drawing intent from a form to gain insight.
Something she hadn't expected at all from his level was unfolding.
While Cheong-ryeong waited,
-Rattle! Rattle!
Near the end of the third floor lined with bookshelves, there was a cave-like entrance dug deeper into the cavern.
A red line was drawn there, and one bookshelf inside began shaking with noise.
But the sound wasn't loud, so neither Cheong-ryeong in the wooden doll nor Mok Kyung-un in trance heard it.
* * *
"Hoo."
Senior warrior Gwak Moon-gi of Blood Valley sighed with a face full of irritation.
Only Valley Lord Lee Ji-yeom and he knew this location, so he had no choice but to guide the juniors himself.
Now he had to wait a full hour here.
He bristled at having to do this for a hostage from the orthodox faction whom he didn't like.
'I don't get it. The Assembly Lord is one thing, but why is the Valley Lord doing this?'
The Assembly Lord's whims were nothing new, but Valley Lord Lee Ji-yeom didn't particularly like the Assembly Lord, even if she didn't show it openly.
So why grant favors to this guy who could turn the arrows on him, unlike usual?
'What could she be thinking?'
His mind filled with doubts.
-Rustle!
'!?'
At the rustling of bushes from somewhere, Gwak Moon-gi flinched and turned his head.
His eyes widened.
Behind him stood a slender figure in a bamboo hat with a veil, and a tall, handsome young man in his early twenties with a massive saber at his waist.
'Who dares?'
This was Blood Valley.
Who were these intruders?
Gwak Moon-gi reached for the sword sheath at his waist.
Right then.
-Pak!
'What?'
Before he could draw, the young man was pressing down on the back of his hand.
"You..."
"Judging by your uniform, you're a Blood Valley warrior. Calm down."
At the young man's words, senior warrior Gwak Moon-gi frowned.
This young man knew his identity.
The non-trivial lightness skill that blocked his draw in an instant suggested he was from the main assembly.
Thus, Gwak Moon-gi asked,
"Who are you?"
The young man pulled a plaque from his bosom and held it up.
'!!!!!'
Gwak Moon-gi's eyes bulged.
The pattern on the plaque was none other than the emblem of the Blade of Fate King.
* * *
Yawn.
Treasure keeper leader Yang Mu-won, seated and staring piercingly at the incense stick, stretched his yawn enormously.
Then he tilted his head down, shifting his gaze elsewhere—not to the incense.
It was toward the treasure vault filled with manuals.
'Hmm.'
The one he watched held a book and stared intently: Mok Kyung-un.
Until now, he'd skimmed the manuals casually.
But unlike the others, his intense focus on this one meant he'd finally found a suitable manual.
'Good for him.'
He might leave before the full hour.
As he watched Mok Kyung-un, Yang Mu-won suddenly jolted up and looked behind him.
'What?'
He sensed someone's presence.
It wasn't senior warrior Gwak Moon-gi.
This intruder was far superior in skill.
At this level, he could be considered leader-class.
'Who?'
If not Gwak Moon-gi, who entered?
-Step step!
As he raised his guard, footsteps approached.
In his view appeared a slender figure in a veiled bamboo hat, followed slightly by a tall young man.
Treasure keeper leader Yang Mu-won spoke in a voice loud enough for them to hear.
"Who might you be?"
Knowing this place's location suggested they were from the main stronghold.
But even stronghold folk needed permission to enter.
Then the tall young man drew something from his bosom.
He presented it, cupping hands in salute.
"You're the treasure vault keeper? I am Yeop Wi-seon, disciple of the Blade of Fate King."
'Disciple of the Blade of Fate King?'
Leader Yang Mu-won's eyes gleamed.
One of the Five Kings leading the Heaven-Earth Society, and his disciple here?
What was this about?
'And at early twenties, this level.'
Impressive.
Rumors weren't exaggerated: most Five Kings' disciples were assembly leader-class or higher.
His aura alone made victory uncertain.
But who was beside him?
'...Almost no presence despite being close. Can't even gauge his level with aura sense.'
An expert.
One surpassing even his pinnacle self.
Thus, leader Yang Mu-won was about to ask who the one beside Blade of Fate King's disciple was.
"I am treasure keeper leader Yang Mu-won. The one next..."
"You're the keeper, right? We're seeking a manual inside—may we enter?"
Before he could ask, the question of entering came first. Leader Yang Mu-won shook his head.
"Apologies, but per regulations, you can't enter freely."
"Regulations? Blood Valley's..."
"No. Assembly regulations. I don't know how Blade of Fate King's disciple learned of this place, but absent special circumstances, it's not open. If seeking something, go to the stronghold's treasure..."
"We need the original."
"........."
At Yeop Wi-seon's words, leader Yang Mu-won's eyes narrowed.
They knew this vault's secret of housing originals—wonder where they heard it.
Who leaked it?
Puzzled, leader Yang Mu-won soon shook his head again.
Even knowing originals were here, regulations barred entry.
"Sorry. Even Five Kings' disciples can't enter—please turn back..."
"Hah. I didn't want to go this far, Leader Yang. Do you know who stands before you?"
Face veiled—how could he?
As he wondered, the veiled bamboo hat figure lifted her robe hem, revealing a jade round plaque.
'!!!!!!'
-Pak!
The moment he saw it, Yang Mu-won knelt on one knee.
He cupped hands in formal salute.
"Leader Yang Mu-won greets the As..."
"Shh. Quiet."
The bamboo hat figure spoke.
It was a woman's voice, not a man's.
At her command, leader Yang Mu-won swallowed his words.
'How is she here?'
Leader Yang Mu-won tried not to show it, but inwardly stuck out his tongue.
Was this the famous her?
He'd heard rumors, but this was shocking.
'This level.'
His aura sense couldn't fathom her depth—rumors were true.
Emboldened by the veiled woman's prestige, Blade of Fate King's disciple Yeop Wi-seon spoke.
"Then may we enter?"
As he moved to enter with her,
-Pak!
Leader Yang Mu-won hurriedly stood and blocked them.
"What is this?"
"Apologies. But right now inside..."
"I know. The top scorer who got first place at Blood Valley gateway is inside picking a martial arts manual, right?"
"How did you..."
"Heard from Blood Valley's senior warrior at the cliff base."
They already knew via senior warrior Gwak Moon-gi.
Leader Yang Mu-won looked troubled.
"If you know, could you wait a bit? The vault allows only..."
"Quiet. She'll find what she seeks and leave. You're not telling her to wait for some mere initiate picking a manual, are you?"
"That's..."
Leader Yang Mu-won was in a bind.
Regulations required waiting if someone was inside.
But he couldn't block this veiled woman.
She held that much authority.
"...Understood. Enter. But per rules, quietly find and take only what you seek. That way..."
And try not to disturb the initiate picking.
He stopped short.
Judging they wouldn't bother a mere top scorer initiate.
"Huhu. Got it. After you."
Thus, they entered the vault depths.
Leader Yang Mu-won's fidgeting was beneath notice.
Inside, Blade of Fate King's disciple Yeop Wi-seon marveled to the veiled figure.
"Hah. It's remarkably similar."
"Indeed."
The veiled woman nodded in agreement.
He'd heard it mimicked the stronghold vault's layout exactly—and it felt so.
Scanning around, they headed to the upper floor.
Their sought manual was on the second.
"That guy up there must be the initiate who got three first places."
At that, the ascending veiled figure's gaze turned to Mok Kyung-un on the third floor.
Watching intently focused Mok Kyung-un, she spoke.
"Three firsts at Blood Valley—impressive."
Her words made Blade of Fate King's disciple Yeop Wi-seon's brow twitch slightly.
He soon smiled faintly.
"Not bad. But no Five Kings' disciple would settle for that. They'd get three or more, wouldn't they?"
"........."
Yeop Wi-seon indirectly boasted as Five Kings' disciples.
Meaning: if he'd participated in Blood Valley, he'd sweep all, not just three.
She saw through his intent but showed no reaction.
Instead, gazing at Mok Kyung-un, she murmured.
"An initiate with three firsts has high odds of becoming some executive's disciple."
"Perhaps..."
Likely.
With three firsts, highest among initiates—probably pass final gateway smoothly and get picked.
But to her continued interest, Yeop Wi-seon replied.
"If his talent stands out, sure. But executives have preferences, so who knows."
"Still, for future ties, lightly making acquaintance with such talent is wise."
Yeop Wi-seon inwardly bristled at her words.
He'd arranged this chance, yet she fussed over some Blood Valley initiate—not pleasing.
Yeop Wi-seon looked up at Mok Kyung-un.
Seeing his focus, he said to the veiled woman.
"Then, miss, wait a moment."
"No need for..."
"Directly approaching a mere initiate ill suits your station. I'll fetch him."
"...Fine."
With that, Yeop Wi-seon ascended to the third-floor bookshelves.
Arriving, he snorted derisively.
As suspected, the initiate was deep in trance.
Otherwise, aware, he'd have glanced at them below—not once.
Yeop Wi-seon found it odd.
'What to do.'
He glanced at the waiting veiled woman below.
Her interest in a mere initiate irked him.
Thus, he pondered.
'...Enlightenment, huh.'
So entranced he hadn't noticed Yeop approaching right up close.
Undoubtedly gaining insight—ongoing.
Normally, one wouldn't disturb, or if friendly, stand guard.
Misstep during enlightenment could shatter it, leading to regression or worse, qi deviation.
'...Not my problem.'
He just needed to bring the kid to her.
She couldn't wait forever.
Yeop Wi-seon smirked.
'Don't blame me. Just your bad luck.'
Without her interest, he wouldn't interrupt enlightenment.
As Yeop reached for Mok Kyung-un,
'A light touch, and that enlightenment...'
Right then.
-Swish!
Mok Kyung-un, blankly focused on the manual, turned only his head slowly sideways while keeping his torso still, and looked at him.
"What are you doing?"
'Huh?'
Their eyes met; Yeop Wi-seon couldn't hide his fluster.
Regaining senses at this exact moment?
Most awkward.
His hand hovered right before touching Mok Kyung-un's head—what to say?
Stall first.
"Uh... this is..."
"They say intentionally touching during trance or visualization induces heart demon—right?"
"........."
Yeop was speechless.
Why so quick on uptake right after snapping out?
Like a thief startled at his own footfall, Yeop fumbled,
"You know, then?"
"Hey, initiate. It's a misunderstanding..."
"No need for words."
"What?"
-Pak!
"Gahk!"
No chance to block or dodge.
In a flash, Yeop Wi-seon's head snapped back from a knife-hand strike of thumb and index to his throat.
[Chapter 28: Treasure Trove (3)] End