Hyeok Ryeon-eung, who had twice ordered, “Kill each other!”
He taught that the only way to survive in the martial world was to rise by stepping over the corpses of others. So why would someone like him risk severe punishment to save Bu Eunseol, a stranger with no connection to him?
“Well…” Baek Jeoncheon let out a long sigh, lightly shaking his head. “I’ve asked him the reason several times, but each time, the Chief Instructor only said, ‘You’ll find out soon enough.’”
“‘You’ll find out soon enough?’” Bu Eunseol echoed.
“Exactly.”
The martial world was ruthless, yet the hearts of those who roamed it burned fiercely. But for Bu Eunseol, who was relentlessly training in martial arts for revenge, understanding Hyeok Ryeon-eung’s intentions was beyond him for now. A brief silence fell before Baek Jeoncheon clapped his hands lightly.
“I’d love to talk more with you, Young Master Bu, but time is short, so let’s get to the point.” Moving to the desk, he looked at Bu Eunseol and said, “Regarding this matter, the Hwa Wu Sword Sect and White Horse Temple have granted you a special privilege.”
“A privilege?” Bu Eunseol asked.
“They’ve requested the Demon Sect to allow you access to the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault for twelve hours—essentially, one day.” He placed a gleaming red token on the desk. “This is the Golden Ape Token, which grants entry to the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault.”
“What is the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault?” Bu Eunseol inquired.
“It’s the martial arts archive of the main sect, consisting of three floors. The Golden Ape Token allows access to the first floor.”
“The first floor out of three must be the lowest rank,” Bu Eunseol noted.
“That’s true, but in your current situation, the rank hardly matters,” Baek Jeoncheon said, gazing at the token. “Even the first floor houses over 25,000 exceptional Demonic martial arts texts.”
“25,000 secret manuals?” Bu Eunseol exclaimed.
“Yes. That’s why only the sect’s elite, who have achieved great feats, are allowed to enter the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault.”
“I see,” Bu Eunseol replied.
“In other words, it also means the chances of you passing this test are slim,” Baek Jeoncheon said with a grave expression. “That’s why they’re showing this kindness—to avoid future criticism.” Only then did Bu Eunseol realize they hadn’t discussed the most critical detail.
“What exactly is the test they’re demanding?”
“Oh, my apologies. I’ve been so distracted, I kept forgetting the most important part…” Baek Jeoncheon said with a sigh, his expression more serious than ever. “You need to withstand five moves.”
“Five moves?” Bu Eunseol repeated.
“Yes,” Baek Jeoncheon said, his eyes gleaming. “You must endure five attacks from a master chosen by White Horse Temple. That’s the test they’ve proposed.”
***
Myriad Demon Scripture Vault
It was the archive of the Demon Sect, said to house every secret manual of the Demonic Way. Bu Eunseol had initially imagined the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault as a towering, majestic structure, like a sky-piercing demonic tower.
“This is the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault…” But upon arriving with Baek Jeoncheon’s guidance, he found an enormous stone mountain, artificially carved.
“As it’s a repository for martial arts manuals, it requires complex mechanisms,” Baek Jeoncheon whispered, glancing at Bu Eunseol’s expression. “I can only accompany you this far. Present the token at the entrance, and you’ll be allowed inside.”
“Thank you for your kindness,” Bu Eunseol said, bowing deeply.
Baek Jeoncheon, watching him, let out a heavy sigh.
“Young Master Bu, may I offer a piece of advice?”
“Of course,” Bu Eunseol replied.
“The martial world is treacherous, and good people are rare.”
“I don’t understand what you mean,” Bu Eunseol said.
“There’s rarely kindness without motive. If there is, it usually hides an ulterior agenda,” Baek Jeoncheon said, looking up at the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault.
“In truth, granting access to the vault is no different.” He fixed his gaze on Bu Eunseol. “But from what I see, there’s surely a way to turn this crisis into an opportunity inside.”
“Turn a crisis into an opportunity…” Bu Eunseol murmured.
“Exactly. The stem always grows from the root,” Baek Jeoncheon said cryptically.
Though Bu Eunseol didn’t immediately grasp the meaning, he could sense the genuine concern behind the words.
“Thank you for your advice,” he said, bowing deeply again.
Baek Jeoncheon pulled a small, transparent porcelain bottle from his robes.
“This is a Grain-Averting Pill from the Fire Blossom Hall. One pill will keep hunger at bay for days, allowing you to focus on reading the manuals.” As Bu Eunseol accepted the bottle, Baek Jeoncheon smiled gently.
“I hope for a good outcome.”
The most critical factors in storing books are humidity and light. Humidity weakens paper’s stability and strength, so a dry environment is ideal for preservation. Additionally, prolonged exposure to light causes paper to discolor. In this regard, the interior of the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault was perfectly suited for storing books.
‘This isn’t an ordinary archive,’ Bu Eunseol thought, nodding as he surveyed his surroundings. The vault’s interior was dim, with only small oil lamps faintly dispelling the darkness. The air was crisp and clean, and large piles of charcoal were stacked throughout.
‘There are quite a few people here,’ he noted. Among the densely packed shelves, he saw figures reading manuals—young men and grizzled elders alike, none of whom spared him a glance. ‘Even such masters strive to advance their martial arts by even an inch,’ Bu Eunseol thought, noting the powerful auras of those inside, rivaling any martial arts expert.
‘Let’s take a look,’ he resolved, steeling himself as he scanned the shelves.
***
How much time had passed?
As Bu Eunseol browsed the shelves, he began to understand the meaning of Baek Jeoncheon’s words.
“It was indeed a trap,” he said, a bitter smile escaping his lips. “Reading new manuals before a life-or-death duel would only scatter my focus.”
The 25,000 manuals on the first floor were exceptional, each capable of making one renowned in the martial world if mastered. But if he spent his day reading new manuals out of greed, their lingering images would cloud his mind, rendering him unable to properly execute even his existing techniques.
“The Hwa Wu Sword Sect and White Horse Temple cunningly aimed to disrupt my concentration,” Bu Eunseol muttered, shaking his head and turning toward the exit without hesitation. As he approached the door, Baek Jeoncheon’s words echoed in his mind.
—The stem always grows from the root.
He stopped abruptly.
‘Why did Lord Baek say that?’ Had it been anyone else, he might have dismissed it. But he had felt Baek Jeoncheon’s sincere desire to help, and those words were not spoken lightly.
‘The stem grows from the root…’ As he mulled over the cryptic phrase, his eyes widened. Realizing something, he swiftly turned back and began scanning the shelves.
The vault held over 25,000 texts. Checking each one individually could take an entire day.
‘There has to be something,’ he thought. Instead of pulling books, he quickly scanned the titles on the spines. When he reached the innermost shelves, his eyes gleamed.
There, he found a manual titled Nanyang Single Turn.
‘As expected, there’s a manual from our sect.’ Reading and memorizing a new martial arts manual required immense mental effort. But studying a manual from the same lineage would serve as a reference, not a distraction.
He realized Baek Jeoncheon’s advice was to seek out a manual from Nangyang Pavilion.
“Nangyang Single Turn,” Bu Eunseol said, picking up the book without hesitation. Sitting before the shelves, he began reading intently, his eyes growing wider.
‘What in the world…’ Even his usually unflappable nature couldn’t hide his astonishment. From the first page, the manual was filled with curses and insults aimed at Nangyang Pavilion.
—Nangyang Pavilion, those fools, force disciples to risk their lives from the start under the pretense of practical martial arts. It’s no different from telling a crawling child to run. One must first preserve their life…
Bu Eunseol couldn’t contain his bewilderment. ‘Who wrote this, and why did they name it after Nangyang Pavilion?’ Despite his shock, he continued reading.
—Nangyang Pavilion’s idiots act as if they have ten lives, teaching martial arts without regard for survival from the very foundation. Their so-called basic martial art, Beast Way, is particularly absurd.
This garbage-like Beast Way technique originated as an ascetic practice from the Diamond Sect, known as Western Shaolin… Astonishingly, after the vitriol, the manual detailed the origins of Nangyang Pavilion’s secret technique, Beast Way.
‘Strange. The content is clearly written by a Nangyang Pavilion disciple,’ Bu Eunseol thought. The manual contained information only a sect disciple could know.
‘There must be a reason.’ Trusting it was written by a Nangyang Pavilion senior, Bu Eunseol patiently continued reading.
—Even if you’re lucky enough to master Beast Way, this bizarre technique needlessly heightens human senses, draining stamina and mental energy even when idle. Moreover, it blocks the path to advanced martial arts. Senses, by their nature…
As he read, Bu Eunseol’s expression grew increasingly peculiar. The manual pinpointed the shortcomings of Beast Way, which he had been unaware of.
—Maintaining such beastly senses is unwise. Just as one cultivates inner energy, focusing the mind inward through Inner Observation allows one to sense the external world through refined senses. Reaching this state leads to the realm of Traceless Coming and Going, where no trace of movement remains…
Bu Eunseol’s face, as he read, was filled with the wonder of a country boy arriving in the capital. The Nangyang Single Turn described methods to use inner energy to refine and strengthen Beast Way’s sensory abilities. ‘If I deeply master this method, I can discern an opponent’s movements without fully understanding martial arts principles,’ he realized. Only then did he understand why the manual was filled with insults.
‘They likely wanted only Nangyang Pavilion disciples to read it.’ By detailing Beast Way’s strengths and weaknesses, the author intended it for Nangyang Pavilion disciples alone.
Swoosh.
Like a stone statue, Bu Eunseol leaned against the shelves, engrossed in the manual. How much time had passed?
“Phew.” As he finished reading and let out a long sigh, a bell rang in his ears.
Ding.
It signaled the end of the day.
Groooom.
As he stood before the exit, the heavy metal door of the Myriad Demon Scripture Vault slowly opened.
“Hmm.” Shielding his eyes from the intense sunlight, Bu Eunseol stepped forward.
Step, step.
A young man approached him—Shim Wol, who had guided him to Manbak Hall.
“Young Master Bu,” Shim Wol said with a grave expression. “The time has come.”
Understanding the meaning, Bu Eunseol nodded.
The test of five moves, proposed by White Horse Temple and the Hwa Wu Sword Sect, was about to begin.
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