Chapter 98
Chapter 98
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>Translator: Ryuma
>Chapter: 28
>Chapter Title: Treasure House (1)
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Mok Kyung-un couldn't hide his inner astonishment at the bookshelves encircling the entire chamber and the sheer volume of secret manuals filling them.
Setting aside martial arts, it was his first time seeing such a massive quantity of books since birth.
And all of them were secret manuals, no less.
Sword techniques, saber arts, palm methods, heart formulas...
The number was so vast that he had no idea where to even begin.
‘One hour.’
Before seeing this place, he'd thought it was quite generous.
But now, faced with this immense collection of martial arts texts, he wondered if time would even be sufficient.
Then, Cheong-ryeong's voice rang in his ear.
-All of them are useless.
"Pardon?"
Mok Kyung-un whispered in response.
She continued.
-The ones lining the surroundings are all third-rate manuals at best, the kind that low-tier or perhaps peak first-rate martial artists might covet.
"Is that so?"
-Can't you tell at a glance?
"Not even at a glance."
-...Well, a novice like you just starting out wouldn't have the eye for it.
Cheong-ryeong clicked her tongue.
But this wasn't Mok Kyung-un's fault.
Thanks to his various fortuitous encounters, superhuman memory, and the body that manifested it, he'd grown incomparably faster than ordinary prodigies. Considering his short time since initiation, his discernment couldn't be broad yet.
-You should be grateful to this sovereign.
"Is that right?"
-With your pitiful discernment, you couldn't possibly distinguish even the remotely usable martial arts.
"Well, that's true."
Mok Kyung-un readily admitted it.
His response deflated Cheong-ryeong.
From Mok Kyung-un's perspective, there was no reason to take pride in such a thing.
"Will you pick them out for me?"
-Didn't I say so? With your eye, you'd be wandering aimlessly forever, so this sovereign will select the worthwhile ones.
"That's something to be thankful for."
-Go up to the upper level first.
"Upper level?"
Was there an upper level here?
As he wondered, Cheong-ryeong spoke.
-Doesn't it reach the ceiling? Can't you see that?
"Ah."
Looking closely, there were walkways between the bookshelves at about two or three stories high.
From her tone earlier, it seemed she knew the layout well.
As Mok Kyung-un moved, he asked.
"Have you been here before?"
-As if.
"But you seem to know it quite well. Telling me to go up without even properly looking at the manuals."
What did she expect to be up there? Cheong-ryeong snorted.
-From the structure here, it's a replica of the main fortress's treasure house.
"Main fortress?"
-Yes. The main fortress has its own treasure house. It looks like they copied the manuals from there and brought them here.
"Ah, I see. Seems like needless hassle when even a few people couldn't properly go through them."
They could have just brought the good ones.
Cheong-ryeong scoffed.
-Hah! If you don't know, just stay quiet.
"Pardon?"
-Making a treasure house of copies by carving into a deep mountain cliff like this, instead of the main one, is likely preparation for the worst.
"The worst?"
-Probably against potential invasions.
"Invasions? In case the main fortress gets attacked?"
-Exactly. Think about it. Even the mightiest martial world factions inevitably weaken and crumble over generations, like the laws of nature.
"Ah. So they made copies in advance?"
-Likely. If the main fortress falls, burning or destroying the treasure house to keep it from enemies is standard.
"Destroying is easy, but moving or defending it is hard, so they prepared ahead."
-Yes. Whoever thought of this, it's a solid strategy.
"I see."
Mok Kyung-un nodded in agreement.
Having learned how martial artists cherished and coveted secret manuals, he recognized this as a massive asset to them.
Considering that, with this vast treasure house impossible to relocate at once, it was the right choice.
-Thud!
"...They don't maintain it much, do they?"
The wooden frame to the upper level creaked and shook more than expected.
Unlike the main fortress, this one in Blood River Valley wasn't used often, perhaps.
-What now?
"What do you think?"
-With your personality, you won't settle for just one or two necessities.
"Since we're here, it wouldn't hurt to check out a variety of useful ones."
Cheong-ryeong snorted at his words.
Mok Kyung-un's superhuman memory was helpful anywhere, but in this situation, it was perfect.
‘Just what I was curious about. Perfect.’
Cheong-ryeong had wondered the limits of his memory, which let him perfectly memorize anything at a glance.
This was a good chance to test how much he could commit to memory.
Meanwhile, at the treasure house entrance below, squad leader Yang Mu-won, who had lit incense to time the hour, looked up at Mok Kyung-un with puzzlement.
‘That kid...’
How did he go straight up there?
The lowest shelves held basic techniques alongside manuals suitable for third-rate to first-rate warriors.
The real gems started from the second level, yet he'd barely glanced below and headed up.
‘Hmm.’
It was natural enough that one might think he'd been here several times.
Puzzled squad leader Yang Mu-won soon decided to ignore it.
His duty was guarding the treasure house, ensuring the kid didn't sneak out unauthorized manuals.
Then,
‘Did he find something good?’
He saw Mok Kyung-un pull a manual from the shelf.
Even with trained inner energy and sharp eyesight, he couldn't make out exactly what from this distance.
But the second level had many advanced martial arts.
Peak or higher manuals, so whatever he picked would benefit the boy.
-Swish swish swish!
He saw Mok Kyung-un flipping through the manual rapidly.
Even flipping that fast, could he properly read the contents?
Yet he skimmed the entire thing and put it back.
‘Huh?’
Did he even read it properly?
Why skim so fast?
Even if only an hour, with the eye to go straight to the second level, he should pick carefully from there...
-Thud!
Mok Kyung-un pulled another manual.
Then, just like before, he flipped through it at incredible speed with a rustle.
‘...What’s he doing?’
At that pace, it wasn't skimming—it was just paging through.
Could he grasp the content like that?
But Yang Mu-won wasn't the only one thinking this.
‘This kid?’
Is he really examining it properly?
The pages turned so fast it was closer to instantly flipping than reading.
Cheong-ryeong asked, just in case.
-Mortal. Are you really memorizing them? At that speed...
-Swish! Swish! Swish! Thud!
Mok Kyung-un closed the last page and whispered.
"Yes. Of course I'm memorizing."
-!?
Memorizing... them?
Even with great memory, you need to read to memorize.
To her, he'd barely opened and immediately flipped pages—not even skimming.
Yet,
"I'm not trying to comprehend right now. Just seeing it is enough to memorize."
-What?
Cheong-ryeong was speechless at his words.
Reading almost in passing—no, just glancing—yet claiming to have memorized the whole thing?
She was dumbfounded.
Even as a lingering spirit, her memory differed from humans', but this was impossible.
‘...Insane memory.’
She'd known it was absurd, but this transcended human limits.
As she gaped in shock, Mok Kyung-un asked.
"What's the next good manual?"
-Next? You really...
"Really what?"
She almost asked if he was truly human.
Absorbing death energy was one thing, but this memory surpassed exceptional—it was transcendent.
It felt inhuman, though saying so as a spirit was ironic.
Staring at Mok Kyung-un, Cheong-ryeong snapped out of it.
-Ne...xt one... Ah? Why is that there?
"What are you looking at?"
-The one you're at now. Third from the bottom on the right.
"Sequential Profound Leg Technique?"
Labeled as a leg technique, so a kicking art.
Cheong-ryeong told him.
-It's the Sequential Radiant Legs from the Sequential Radiant Clan. Offered when they joined the Heaven-Earth Society early on. A kicking art noted for speed and variability. With minor adjustments, it qualifies as transcendent-level martial arts.
"Transcendent?"
According to her, advanced martial arts targeted peak or early transcendent realms.
Those with potential and insight beyond early transcendent were transcendent supreme.
If transcendent supreme, then
"Why is this here?"
She'd said such things belonged on the third level.
At his question, Cheong-ryeong muttered incomprehensibly.
-Well, who knows. This sovereign classified Sequential Profound Leg Technique as transcendent supreme and placed it on the third level originally.
But if it was down here,
‘...That bastard.’
It wasn't impossible.
He'd denied and overturned everything of hers.
Snorting dismissively, she said.
-Anyway, it's worth learning. This sovereign guarantees—no other kicking art in the Heaven-Earth Society matches it.
Its variations and speed made it ideal against bare hands.
At her words, Mok Kyung-un flipped through Sequential Profound Leg Technique, memorizing it.
She stuck out her tongue, still unable to get used to it.
Truly mad memory.
Counting, he'd memorized a whole book in about fifteen breaths.
-Swish! Thud!
"Next?"
-Fifth down on the right.
"Yes."
At this rate, he could memorize dozens, maybe hundreds, before leaving.
Did he need to go that far? But knowing them would vastly broaden his martial insight.
Hadn't the ancient imperial official Hwang-sang achieved meridian unblocking and qi enlightenment just from reading thousands of Daoist manuals, becoming a peerless master?
Each manual held unique insights, so if this mortal had talent, he'd gain something.
-Swish! Swish! Thud!
"Next."
She still couldn't adapt.
It was instantaneous.
-The one next to it... Hmm.
"What's wrong? Another Sequential Profound Leg Technique?"
-No, that's not it. That Tai Chi Flowing Palms is from the Wudang Clan.
"Wudang Clan? Another sect?"
-...You keep revealing the limits of your knowledge.
He knew too little about the martial world.
Cheong-ryeong explained.
-The Wudang Clan is the pinnacle of Daoist martial arts, the top sect even among the righteous factions, beyond mere famous ones.
"Impressive place."
-Yes. Not for nothing one of the Nine Great Sects and One Clan.
"Nine Great Sects and One Clan?"
-No time to explain each, but roughly—the nine top righteous sects and one clan. Wudang is one.
"I see. Better learn this too then."
-No. Actually, I was going to say skip it.
Mok Kyung-un looked puzzled.
"Why? If it's from such a renowned place..."
-Of course it's useful. But Daoist arts for you might be... Hm.
"Why?"
-Might be poisonous.
"Poisonous?"
-Most of the energy in your body is death energy. Daoist arts are based on nurturing life. Botch it, and it could clash with your death qi—that's the concern.
"Ah, I see."
Her worry made sense.
In that case, maybe best not to learn, but
"...I'll memorize it anyway."
-What? No need to...
"No. Who knows when it might come in handy."
"Come in handy?"
"Didn't you tell me before?"
-What?
"You can identify a sect or style from wounds or traces left by martial arts."
-Yes.
"Can't we use this well for that?"
-You don't mean...
Mok Kyung-un smiled faintly.
Cheong-ryeong clicked her tongue inwardly.
Once he learned something, his applications were things others wouldn't dream of.
A terrible foe if made an enemy.
As Mok Kyung-un pulled the Wudang Clan's Tai Chi Flowing Palms manual,
"Hm...?"
He looked puzzled at the book.
Part of the manual was dark red, as if stained with blood.
And it seemed quite old.
He asked.
"Didn't you say they only gathered copies?"
At his question, Cheong-ryeong also sensed something off.
The book in his hand appeared to be
-...the original.
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