“That child… the only one who can save her is me.”
Tang Gon was conflicted.
Even if the three major alliances of the martial world mobilized their best talents and forces, they could not find this moving treasure vault, the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship. And even if it appeared, it would vanish in an instant the moment supreme experts approached.
Yet he could not send others into such a dangerous place……
“Family matters take precedence above all else.”
His father, Tang Pae, had left a will emphasizing that caring for those around him was more important than the prosperity of the clan. Leading the Tang Clan was important, but he could not turn a blind eye to Tang Cheong, who was in danger.
In the end, despite being the clan leader, Tang Gon set aside all other matters and tracked the traces of the treasure vault alone. By the grace of heaven, he eventually discovered the mountain where the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship was floating.
“So that is what happened.”
After hearing the full explanation, Zhuge Seoun’s eyes gleamed.
“As the clan leader must have felt as well, it seems only specific types of people have entered this treasure vault.”
Thanks to the Zhuge Clan’s mysterious formation techniques, he had been able to investigate the interior while avoiding enemies. Known as a walking directory of the martial world, he had identified exactly what kind of people had entered.
“It is as if someone is deliberately selecting people.”
“I felt the same,” Tang Gon nodded. “I am not entirely certain, as I have not investigated everyone inside.”
“Even so, my intuition tells me that the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship itself is part of someone’s scheme.”
Tang Gon sighed and nodded. “It must be the work of the Abyss Faction. They have always operated this way.”
“Abyss Faction…”
Zhuge Seoun looked surprised. The term “Abyss Faction” was not commonly used in the martial world. The only time he had heard it was from Bu Eunseol and his sworn brother, Hyeok Sojin. Hearing Tang Gon use the same words gave him a strange feeling.
“Clan Leader, if it is alright with you, would you accompany me?”
Zhuge Seoun spoke without hesitation. ‘If I am with the clan leader, we should be able to unravel the secrets of this vault and escape safely.’
‘He is different from the rumors.’
The young master of the Zhuge Clan, Zhuge Seoun, was known for his gentle nature, though his reputation was somewhat exaggerated and his martial prowess was said to be unremarkable. However, contrary to the rumors, Zhuge Seoun displayed outstanding spirit, as if he had perfectly inherited the Zhuge Clan’s martial arts and formation techniques. His speech and demeanor were also exceptionally wise.
Of course, his sudden increase in power came from the fortuitous encounter he had with Hyeok Sojin at the Wind God Palace, but Tang Gon, unaware of this, simply thought the martial world rumors had been wrong.
“Very well.”
Tang Gon turned around and spoke in a low voice. “You should come out now as well.”
Surprisingly, he was speaking toward the pillar where Bu Eunseol was hiding.
‘He has improved greatly.’
Bu Eunseol smiled bitterly.
The Black Secret Arts transformed not only his appearance but even his bloodline and every pore into a completely different person. The original Bu Eunseol maintained a colorless and odorless presence so as not to be detected by anything. However, since he had perfectly transformed into the unorthodox Faction expert Jwa Ryeok, he was currently emitting the body scent of an ordinary middle-aged man.
That was why he could not fool Tang Gon, whose sense of smell was dozens of times sharper than a hunting dog’s.
“Not bad.”
Bu Eunseol revealed himself while imitating Jwa Ryeok’s rough and low voice.
“Jwa Ryeok, the Gold Blood Hand?”
Tang Gon clicked his tongue and nodded after recognizing the disguised Bu Eunseol’s face. “As expected, your nose for money is truly exceptional.”
It would indeed be strange if Jwa Ryeok, known as a leader of the unorthodox faction who went mad for money, did not come to the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship, which was rumored to be filled with treasures.
‘Should I reveal my identity?’
Bu Eunseol pondered for a moment but soon shook his head. He had come here to deal with the hidden Vajra Demon Sect. If they knew, they would risk their lives to help him. It would be better to continue hiding his identity.
“Well, if you stay crouched here, you will probably keep your life.” Bu Eunseol spoke coldly. “Stop wandering around pointlessly and get out of here right now.”
He had already analyzed the changes in the grand hall’s internal formation. If one stayed still inside this hall without going further in, an exit would appear.
Tang Gon and Zhuge Seoun exchanged subtle glances. After carefully observing their surroundings following Bu Eunseol’s words, they realized he was correct.
“Brother Zhuge, you should stay here. If you continue onward, you will surely encounter disaster.”
Zhuge Seoun had already witnessed the bloody battles of the martial world people and was sickened by their cruelty. However, seeing Tang Gon’s imposing presence as a great master, he felt a surge of martial pride and shook his head.
“Isn’t risking one’s life what the martial life is all about?”
“Since I have come this far, allow me to help.”
Perhaps influenced by Hyeok Sojin’s boasting at the Wind God Palace, he pounded his chest and spoke confidently. “If you are with me, we will definitely uncover the secrets of this treasure vault.”
“With your skills, your head is more likely to fall off.”
At Bu Eunseol’s mocking words, Zhuge Seoun snorted. “Who is worrying about whom?”
Bu Eunseol ignored him and tried to enter the maze.
But Tang Gon stopped him.
“From what I see, Brother Jwa Ryeok has considerable achievement in formations.”
Tang Gon respectfully cupped his hands. “Would you accompany me? If you wish, I can offer a reward of one hundred thousand taels.”
He had noticed that Jwa Ryeok instantly grasped the hidden formation’s function within the grand hall, and realized that this man, known for his great achievements in internal energy, also possessed genius talent in the field of breaking formations.
“One hundred thousand taels?” Bu Eunseol deliberately showed a cruel smile. “If I sweep up the treasures in this vault, one hundred thousand taels is nothing.”
He then entered the maze as if uninterested and issued a warning. “Do not interfere with me at all. If you do, I will kill you all.”
With the martial prowess Jwa Ryeok was known for in the martial world, he would never dare speak like this to the Tang Clan Leader. However, Bu Eunseol deliberately hinted that he was not truly Jwa Ryeok while saying this to ensure they would not accompany him.
Tang Gon stared at Bu Eunseol’s departing back.
“Clan Leader,” Zhuge Seoun asked with a worried expression. “What is it?”
“Nothing. It is nothing.”
Tang Gon wore a bitter expression. “His gait and even the scent of his breath are completely different, yet somehow his aura strangely resembles someone I know.”
“Is that so? Who is it?”
Tang Gon, who had been making an odd expression, soon shook his head and walked toward the other path. “Let us go this way.”
As Bu Eunseol walked through the dizzyingly complex maze, a faint smile appeared on his lips.
‘He has grown so much in the time I haven’t seen him.’
In the meantime, Tang Gon had not only corrected his weaknesses of indecisiveness and excessive generosity, but had also undergone another transformation, clearly displaying the dignity of a great master of martial arts.
‘But from the Vajra Demon Sect’s perspective, he is still not even a threat.’
Reaching the Extreme Heavenly Realm was not enough to place one among the current generation’s supreme experts. In the end, someone of Tang Gon’s level posed no threat at all. The Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship had clearly recognized him as a ‘genius’ who had achieved great mastery in a particular field.
“To think that even Lady Tang is here…”
His expression soon darkened.
Tang Cheong’s martial arts and talent were outstanding.
If this were an ordinary treasure vault, he would have no worries, but this was the main base of the Vajra Demon Sect.
If any of the Vajra Demon Sect’s subordinates or the sect leader himself appeared, she would absolutely not be able to escape their grasp.
‘I must find and cut down the Vajra Demon Sect or destroy the treasure vault as quickly as possible.’
The way to help Tang Gon, who had come to find Tang Cheong, was to destroy the central mechanism of this mysterious treasure vault or behead the Vajra Demon Sect even a little faster.
—Aaaargh!
Screams echoed from somewhere within the maze.
The interior of this massive treasure vault had a labyrinth-like structure with grand halls containing hidden treasures placed throughout. Wherever martial world people gathered or inside treasure-filled halls, it had turned into complete pandemonium.
Rumble—
Every time he took a step, faint mechanical sounds could be heard. As time passed, the maze constantly changed paths as if it were alive, seemingly intentionally gathering martial world people in one place to induce mutual destruction.
Even if one tried to move while avoiding others, the hidden traps and formations everywhere made it difficult to survive.
—Get out of my way!
—That’s mine!
Clang! Clang! Clang!
To obtain the spiritual herbs and secret manuals hidden in the grand halls, martial world people constantly swung their weapons at each other in a greedy slaughter.
However, those gathered here were not the leaders of the unorthodox faction, but all bright and talented young people.
Though it was sickening, this place filled with madness and chaos felt less like a treasure vault and more like a giant tomb.
‘In a way, this may be inevitable.’
Bu Eunseol had witnessed martial world people fighting over treasures many times before. In the past, he had only felt contempt. But as he came to deeply understand the lives of martial world people, he realized such actions were not simply due to greed.
To the powerless, the martial world was simply too cruel a place. The only way to escape a bottom-tier life or break free from oppression was to obtain powerful weapons or secret manuals. With no other choices, they willingly chose to become beasts, using any means necessary.
In the end, the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship was a crystallization of those desperate desires of martial world people, while simultaneously being a clever trap set by the Vajra Demon Sect that exploited those very desires.
‘This was probably not the original plan.’
When he had sent the Heavenly Scribe, Nahu, to Majeon, the Vajra Demon Sect must have been confident they could control Majeon. However, after the terribly mutilated corpse of Nahu, whom they had sent as a messenger, returned, they must have recognized the current state of the martial world and changed their plans.
‘This great chaos is also helping strengthen the Vajra Demon Sect.’
A pure white light began to rise in Bu Eunseol’s eyes. He could not let the young talents gathered here destroy themselves. To stop their fighting, he needed to unleash a certain level of vibration to check if there were monitoring eyes around.
‘Fortunately, there are none.’
Bu Eunseol, who had opened his eyes again, concentrated his internal energy in his left hand.
Tap. Tap.
At that moment, his thick fingers began to move lightly.
Whoosh—
At the same time, the young people who had been fighting madly all collapsed and began vomiting.
He had applied a technique derived from the Shaolin Temple’s ancient bell method. No sound was heard, but instead, a powerful, pure internal energy spread intense waves that could not be heard by the ears.
Some of those with weaker internal energy experienced qi deviation and coughed up blood.
But he could not adjust the waves to match each person’s internal energy level one by one.
‘They will not die.’
Thud! Thud!
Then, a dull sound like large masses moving echoed, and the fiercely fighting young people vanished in an instant.
“That is impossible.”
Bu Eunseol, who had revealed himself and was examining the interior, had his eyes sparkle.
‘They are really gone.’
In the brief moment he had raised his internal energy once, they had hidden from his senses and made the people disappear instantly?
‘Now that I think about it.’
The sounds of clashing weapons that had been heard throughout the maze had also disappeared at some point.
Excluding the young rising stars, the ones filling this place were the leaders of the unorthodox Faction and geniuses who had distinguished themselves in particular fields. In other words, people with the ability to wisely overcome any danger.
‘If they have all completely disappeared?’
Bu Eunseol clenched his fist.
Even Tang Gon, an expert in poison, and Zhuge Seoun, an expert in formations, would surely face danger.
‘They are in danger.’
Bu Eunseol returned to the place where he had first entered. However, the internal structure had completely changed, and it seemed Tang Gon and Zhuge Seoun had taken different paths. He could not sense their presence at all.
Bu Eunseol used unorthodox faction movement techniques to track the two. Fortunately, as members of the Eight Great Clans who held unique positions in the martial world, the distinctive characteristics in their martial arts and movement techniques were very clear, making it not difficult to follow their traces.
‘They broke through the formations installed in the maze and moved forward.’
Instead of wandering aimlessly, Tang Gon and Zhuge Seoun had seen through the structure of the maze and the principles of the formations, and were heading straight toward the center.
‘Gone.’
However, from a certain point onward, their traces vanished as if by magic. It was as if they had been sucked into the air or had dissolved like smoke in the middle of the passage.
‘Did they fail midway and get trapped in a formation?’
Bu Eunseol soon shook his head. Even if they had failed to break the formation, it was impossible for Tang Gon and Zhuge Seoun, who were well-versed in formations, to suddenly become trapped.
‘In the end, the mechanism activated just like before and made them disappear.’
The interior of the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship was a place controlled according to the will of the Vajra Demon Sect. Although there was no presence right now, subordinates might be hiding secretly or monitoring eyes might be watching.
‘Just how is this possible?’
Even if the Vajra Demon Sect leader himself had appeared and kidnapped them, there was no way Bu Eunseol would not have sensed it.
If their traces had vanished so cleanly, then…
‘It is highly likely to be an ancient secret art or divine technique that I do not know.’
Come to think of it, this treasure vault was far too strange. A normal treasure vault that hid treasures would not select specific types of people, nor would it try to classify people with such elaborate devices.
‘Should I just destroy it?’
Killing intent rose in Bu Eunseol’s eyes.
He had already achieved his initial objective simply by entering using Jwa Ryeok’s identity. Whether the Vajra Demon Sect was here or not, if he returned to his original appearance and destroyed the interior using the Black Secret Arts, he could eliminate the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship, which was throwing the martial world into chaos, in one go.
‘No, I cannot.’
If he forcibly destroyed a place whose interior was not fully understood, those trapped inside—including Tang Cheong—might die, and Tang Gon and Zhuge Seoun could also be endangered.
‘To find Brother Tang, I must first identify the source of this mysterious mechanism.’
To install such secretive mechanisms in a vault of this size, a complex structure like a neural network would be necessary. ‘If the mechanisms are intertwined like a complex spider web, that is actually better. I can trace them one by one like finding the pulse and locate the center.’
Bu Eunseol first leaned his back against a wide and even section of the wall. A smooth, flat surface was better for spreading out his super senses widely.
He recalled the secret principle of the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi that he had realized in Cheonchuk.
In the past, the Wind God Palace Lord Hae Yeon had become the wind itself and instantly found the hidden exit of a giant labyrinth. Bu Eunseol had also recalled that method when trying to find the barrier in the Ajanta Caves managed by the Poison King.
Instead of spreading the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi outward, he had learned the method of becoming the wind himself, which allowed him to find the hidden exit of the Ajanta Caves.
Now was the time.
He would once again unfold that secret and try to find the heart of the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship.
‘It is always like this.’
A strange thought suddenly crossed his mind. Looking back, everything felt as if it had been predetermined. Could all the processes he had realized and learned in Cheonchuk have been preparation to destroy this Vajra Demon Sect’s treasure vault?
When he reflected on it, not a single thing had been in vain or meaningless… Everything seemed connected.
As if it were inevitable.
‘Idle thoughts later.’
Saaaah—
As he became one with the wind, a strange sensation spread throughout his body. The surrounding noise and commotion receded into the distance, and his mind became as calm as a mirror without a speck of dust.
‘Do not try to see with your eyes. You must feel it completely.’
Closing his eyes and directing all his nerves to his feet and the ground, his super senses spread out like a spider web. He felt a faint pulsation beneath his feet.
The entire treasure vault was like a living tree, and the mechanisms controlling it were hidden deep underground like roots.
‘Complicated.’
The mechanisms were intricately intertwined like the blood vessels of the human body, with fake mechanisms hidden like traps in between. If he had touched or sensed those fake mechanisms, an alarm would surely have sounded.
Bu Eunseol, as if he had become the god of wind, filtered out the traps of the fake mechanisms using only his super senses and began pouring his senses endlessly toward the location of the real mechanisms.
‘There it is.’
Having finally found the source of the mechanism, he unfolded his movement technique.
Following the pulsation he felt from his feet, he moved through the maze for a long time until a faint stone chamber appeared.
Upon entering, he felt an alien flow that seemed to flow backward toward the abyss. This stone chamber was clearly where the central mechanism controlling the vault was hidden.
‘But how do I enter?’
To go inside, he needed a way to operate the hidden mechanism in the chamber. He had investigated it, but he could not detect anything.
Then it must be vibration.
A person of the Vajra Demon Sect’s level would never allow another person to freely enter and control the vault.
Each sect had special internal energy techniques that generated unique waves. Even when luring people to the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship, had they not used waves?
If it could not be detected even by Void Heart Command, it must have been hidden using a unique wave.
Bu Eunseol raised the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi even deeper and more delicately.
Tap.
Finally, he felt a specific wave.
The moment Bu Eunseol detected the wave, the entire stone chamber shook greatly as if the solidly embedded masses had been struck, as if wary of outsiders.
‘It feels alive…’
Bu Eunseol raised his super senses once more and began to precisely analyze the vibrations.
Because of the large resonance, it was very difficult to detect the hidden waves. The waves were small and subtle, and their source kept changing, making them hard to capture.
But Bu Eunseol did not give up and continued to pour in his super senses and Wind-Cloud Divine Qi.
Tap. Tap!
Finally, he captured a clear source. Deep inside the stone chamber, he felt a wave that continuously spread vibrations but had a subtly off rhythm.
‘Found it.’
Bu Eunseol, who had spread the Wind-Cloud Divine Qi, began sending out vibrations that matched the wave exactly. However, it felt somewhat unnatural and twisted.
‘Let me try using the Heavenly Heart Mirror Technique.’
The Heavenly Heart Mirror Technique could even see into the opponent’s internal energy circulation. No matter how clever the wave, he should be able to detect it perfectly.
At last, Bu Eunseol created a wave that perfectly matched the vibration.
Whoosh—
The ground beneath the stone chamber instantly opened its mouth, and his body began to be endlessly sucked downward.
Thick, sticky liquid could be felt from all directions.
Bu Eunseol held his breath and descended for a long time.
Thud.
When he reached the bottom, an endlessly dark space appeared. The floor continuously squirmed and felt slippery.
‘Strange.’
An ominous sense of unease washed over him. At first, he thought it was due to the bizarre structure or powerful energy.
However, the walls of the passage were excessively sticky, and in some places, a faint regular vibration spread as if a heart was beating. The ground underfoot felt solid yet strangely elastic.
The air was mixed with a fishy blood scent that stung the lungs, a disgusting stench, and an indescribable foul odor.
‘Disgusting.’
Just breathing in the stench lightly made him feel as if he would lose consciousness instantly. It was a revolting smell like one would encounter inside a beast’s maw. In addition, there was suffocating humidity and faint heat, causing pain as if his lungs were being twisted.
Bu Eunseol drew the Silent Tiger Soul Sword and forcefully split the stone wall.
What flowed out from the split surface was not rock powder. It was a sticky, dark red, disgusting fishy liquid.
Inside the split wall, wriggling muscle fibers were entangled, and faint blue vein-like strands pulsated grotesquely.
‘The Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship was not inside a mountain.’
A chill ran down his spine.
He had thought it was simply built following the principles of an ancient forbidden formation technique, but the internal structure that interlocked and rotated like giant gears, and the lights running along the floor and walls…
All the unease he had felt until now…
‘It was the qi flow of a living being.’
The moving treasure vault, the Ten-Thousand-Li Treasure Ship.
This was the living, moving main body of the Demon Sect, imbued with the Vajra Demon Sect’s Blood Life Formation.
It was a giant trap that lured and swallowed martial world people, deluding the martial world.
It was a death mechanism that executed the will of the Vajra Demon Sect.
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