Chapter 36 – Red Cloud Secret Realm Entrance

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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“Kid. How did you know this is the most vulnerable part of the secret realm’s restriction?”

“…!”

The old man, who was staring blankly at Jin So-myeong, said while sipping from his gourd.

“Hmm. Was it a coincidence? Anyway, you are trying to enter the Red Cloud Secret Realm now? Haha. If you value your life, you had better stop.”

Just as he was too flustered to even reply. The old man, who drank his liquor heartily, laughed boisterously.

“Right now, the inside of the secret realm is… very hot! Hahahahaha!”

The voice instantly distanced itself as if echoing.

He had only blinked once, but the old man was already gone. It felt like being possessed by a ghost.

‘Could it be Foundation Establishment? …Or Golden Core?’

Standing blankly, Jin So-myeong swept his chest.

The difference in strength was so huge that he actually felt relieved. Since there was no reason for such a super expert to target him.

‘As long as the Supreme Great Ability isn’t discovered, it’s fine. Anyway, the secret realm right now is extremely hot?’

What did “very” hot mean to an expert like the old man?

Jin So-myeong, whose expression changed several times in a split second, turned straight back.

He returned to the Red Yang Sect without hesitation.

Thanks to the mysterious old man’s advice, he made a judgment.

That it was better to wait quietly and enter normally.

*

One week later.

Leaving his cave dwelling in the early dawn, Jin So-myeong headed to the entrance of the Red Yang Sect.

The entrance, which was usually quiet, was filled with a massive crowd, all of whom were disciples of the Red Yang Sect.

Gazing at them, Jin So-myeong approached a certain group of cultivators and clasped his hands.

“Greetings, Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters.”

When he greeted several seniors introduced by Beom Chang, bright voices returned.

“Oh, it is Junior Brother Jin. Are you all ready to enter the secret realm?”

“Yes.”

“At a young age like Junior Brother’s, you could challenge the secret realm that will be held thirty years later… Your determination is truly grand.”

“Haha… It is because I am a bit impatient.”

Jin So-myeong, scratching his head awkwardly, shook his head slightly.

How could he know what would happen in thirty years and aim for that time?

To him, whose lifespan was shorter than others, it was absolute nonsense.

Just as Jin So-myeong was greeting the cultivators of Beom Chang’s lineage amicably. All kinds of gazes poured in from the surroundings.

On the surface, some looked at him with pity for following Beom Chang, while others sneered, treating him like an idiot.

“Hmph. A young brat is already sucking up.”

Even—hilariously, there were eyes filled with jealousy.

They were envious of him getting along well with Beom Chang’s lineage, which was connected to a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator.

‘Haha.’

Pretending to hear nothing. Jin So-myeong, who finished his greetings, quietly went to stand on one side.

The commotion caused by his arrival did not last long either.

The front of the Red Yang Sect’s main gate was dyed with silence before long. It was filled only with a mysterious silence mixed with tension and excitement.

If soldiers gathered right before heading to a battlefield, would the atmosphere be any different…

It felt like somewhere deep in his chest was tickling.

Jin So-myeong, who controlled his slight excitement with meditation, looked around.

Since Beom Chang would come out soon, he did not worry, and he searched to see if Shim Woo-yeon was there, but she was not.

‘A pity.’

It seemed Shim Woo-yeon had no intention of entering the Red Cloud Secret Realm after all.

It was different from his expectation, but it was not particularly important.

In any case, her presence or absence did not affect the general trend.

“Senior Brother Beom Chang!”

“You are here!”

The entrance of the Red Yang Sect, which had barely quieted down, became noisy again.

It was because of Beom Chang, who walked out confidently with his shoulders squared.

“You really came! You are truly amazing!”

“Yes. Didn’t I say I am going to the secret realm? Hahahahaha!”

Beom Chang’s laughter, which was simply boisterous at first, gradually subsided.

“…Whew.”

He repeatedly clenched and unclenched his fists like a person with an anxiety attack, and even kept licking his lips.

He was tense over the danger of the Red Cloud Secret Realm he was about to enter soon.

Just as the group was enveloped in awkward silence again.

“Beom Chang.”

“Yes? Ah! Greetings, Uncle!”

At the solemn voice suddenly heard, Beom Chang straightened his posture.

He bowed to his uncle, who appeared like a ghost at some point.

“Do you know why I did not stop you from entering the secret realm?”

“…I do not know.”

The Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator clasped his hands behind his back.

Looking slowly at the sky in front of hundreds of Red Yang Sect disciples, he spoke.

“We cultivators are people who defy heaven. One can never achieve greatness by growing up as a weak greenhouse flower!”

“Yes! Uncle is correct.”

Jin So-myeong, who was listening quietly from the side, also agreed inwardly.

Would geniuses who were provided with all resources abundantly break through realms easily?

Surprisingly, no.

It was a fact proven in countless histories.

One who did not know crisis could never achieve greatness. They did not have the qualification either.

“Cultivation, in the end, forces one to be alone at the very last. You too will understand the meaning of these words someday.”

The Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator, who was speaking seriously as if delivering guidance, suddenly smirked.

“Well, in that sense, that young wench Shim Woo-yeon did make a mistake. She will probably fail while trying to break through to Foundation Establishment and only waste a Foundation Establishment Pill.”

“…Hahaha! Correct!”

“There is no way a coward who can’t even go to the secret realm can become a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator!”

The disciples of Beom Chang’s lineage shouted high-spiritedly. They insulted Shim Woo-yeon who had avoided this place.

“…”

A group of Red Yang Sect disciples standing far away changed to displeased expressions.

This was because they belonged to Elder Shim’s lineage. There was no way they would feel good about competitors insulting their superior.

However, they could not make any reply because their leader, Elder Shim, was not present here.

Just as the festival-like noisy atmosphere continued.

The Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator, who was smiling contentedly, stared intently at Jin So-myeong.

“Are you the junior who is said to be staying close to my nephew lately?”

“Yes. Disciple Jin So-myeong. Greetings, Elder.”

Stroking his chin and closely inspecting Jin So-myeong, Elder Beom narrowed his eyes.

For a long time.

The Foundation Establishment old monster, who watched without saying a single word, suddenly burst into laughter.

“Haha. I heard you were at the 3rd layer of Qi Condensation, but you are already at the 6th layer. It is plain to see how diligently you cultivated during that time. You have truly worked hard.”

“…No. It is all thanks to Senior Brother Beom Chang who rented the high-grade cave dwelling to me.”

The surrounding senior brothers stared with startled eyes, but that was not important right now.

Ticking his tongue inwardly, he managed his expression.

‘Was I caught after all?’

He had hidden his cultivation realm using the Breath Concealing Art, but it was completely exposed.

He hadn’t intended to hide it seriously in the first place, but actually revealing that it was clearly visible to a Foundation Establishment’s eyes made him feel bitter inwardly.

“Yet it is strange. From what I heard vaguely, your spiritual root was said to be the lowest of the low…”

Although it was a gentle and kind voice, it gave him goosebumps like a snake crawling.

“Looking at it now, it doesn’t seem to be to that degree? It is quite in the upper tier among mixed spiritual roots. It can even be called a low-grade spiritual root.”

He felt his blood run cold, but he did not show it.

Instead, he smiled broadly and replied politely.

“Ah! No wonder. I found it strange that my cultivation became a bit faster lately. …Could it be that my spiritual root improved as I grew?”

“Oh. Does such a thing happen? Well. No one can boast of knowing perfectly about spiritual roots.”

The Foundation Establishment old monster, who smiled kindly like a grandfather next door, tapped his shoulder.

“Hmm? Looking now, your physical body is also quite firm. Did you perhaps learn a body tempering method?”

“Yes.”

“Oh. It is not an easy path, but your determination is grand. I will cheer for you.”

“Thank you for the kind words!”

Inside the mind of the brightly smiling Jin So-myeong, only a single thought was filled.

‘I must leave as soon as I come out of the secret realm.’

He had planned to do so originally anyway, but he made a judgment that he should not hesitate.

The moment the Foundation Establishment old monster felt suspicion, Red Yang Market was no longer a safe place.

‘Should I go to Azure Elixir City, which is said to be a holy land of cultivation?’

Forcing himself to ignore the old monster’s gaze that felt persistent, he just smiled politely.

“Fine. Everyone who is going has gathered, so let us depart.”

The moment the Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator’s command fell.

Swish!

Hundreds of cultivators soared into the sky simultaneously. Each rode their flying swords and the like, flying toward the wasteland.

The one who stood out most among them was naturally the Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator.

Elder Beom just crossed the sky with his bare body while keeping his hands behind his back.

Unlike the Qi Condensation cultivators, he flew without relying on any external force.

How long did they fly?

Finally, they arrived at the location where the secret realm opened, which was their destination.

“Ha.”

“My goodness. There are far more than I thought.”

Exclamations were heard here and there. It was a sound coming from the mouths of the Red Yang Sect disciples.

It was no wonder.

This was because the wasteland, which had been desolate just a few days ago, was now filled with people.

All the way to the horizon.

A tremendous scale of people stretched endlessly.

‘Grand.’

They were all cultivators who flocked to enter the secret realm.

He could only marvel at the overwhelming scale of thousands, no, over tens of thousands.

Everyone here was not an ordinary human. They were superhumans who crushed rocks and bounded across the sky.

Even if only these people joined forces, ordinary countries would be conquered without being able to resist.

“Tch. Another group has arrived.”

“There really are disgustingly many. Where did they come from again… Huh?”

Just as the tightly packed cultivators were alert toward the suddenly appearing Red Yang Sect disciples.

“Everyone, get lost! We are the Red Yang Sect!”

Elder Beom condensed his spiritual Qi and wielded it like a whip.

Crack!

Frightened by that violent momentum, the rogue cultivators hurriedly backed away and opened a path.

“Hmph!”

Elder Beom, who snorted, walked confidently.

Passing by numerous rogue cultivators, he pushed relentlessly into the center where the entrance of the secret realm opened.

How long did they walk?

The steps of the Red Yang Sect disciples, including Jin So-myeong, gradually slowed down.

This was because the closer they got to the entrance, the center, the cultivation realms of the cultivators rose rapidly.

They were at least in the mid to late stage of Qi Condensation, and Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivators who came to lead them were also visible here and there.

“…Stop. Our Red Yang Sect will wait here.”

Jin So-myeong quickly scanned the surroundings.

There was not a single person who looked easy.

In particular, a dozen men in black were sitting confidently in front of the secret realm entrance despite being rogue cultivators.

No one told them to move out of the way.

This was because a sticky, unpleasant killing intent enveloped them.

Instantly.

Jin So-myeong’s gaze met one of the men in black.

The empty pupils in which no emotion was felt was somehow creepy.

“…”

Jin So-myeong, who frowned, turned his head. This was because it was not only the men in black who were staring at him.

Numerous experts situated in the center were observing the newly arrived Red Yang Sect disciples.

It was to the extent that his skin tingled at the blatant gazes filled with all kinds of purposes.

‘Unpleasant.’

It felt like being a monkey in a zoo.

As if they had thought similarly to Jin So-myeong, the Red Yang Sect group was enveloped in a bizarre silence.

How long did the uncomfortable time continue?

A disciple could not hold back and opened his mouth.

“Hmph. Everyone is high-spirited. It doesn’t matter. Since we are the rulers of the market.”

“Ahem!”

Elder Beom, who stood calmly with his hands behind his back, frowned.

He glared at the disciple who had just spoken, which was a gaze reprimanding him for his rash behavior.

At that moment.

“The Red Yang Sect is the ruler of the market? Those are not very pleasant words for our Three Great Families to hear.”

A middle-aged man in the center spoke in a gentle voice.

A heavy pressure weighed down on the Red Yang Sect disciples.

“Ugh!”

It was not a simple pressure. At the power which was enough to damage meridians if one let their guard down, several disciples broke into cold sweat.

There was no way Elder Beom would stay still at that threatening aura.

Whoosh!

He waved his hand roughly to dispel the pressure and glared at the middle-aged man.

“Old man Duan. To use force over words spoken by a mere child! Is that not too severe!”

“Haha. I merely admonished him lightly, why react so sensitively.”

One of the Three Great Families.

Elder Beom shouted at the old monster of the Duan Family, which ruled Red Yang Market along with the Red Yang Sect.

“If you act that way, would I stay still! I wonder how sturdy your cherished grandson is!”

A cold gaze directed toward a handsome young man.

Swinging a pure white fan gently, he spoke with a gentle smile.

“Elder. If there is anything I did wrong, please tell me. I will correct it immediately.”

“Hmph!”

The handsome young man who was not daunted even by the subtle pressure, the man with the name Duan Sa-ryang, folded his fan with a tap.

Stroking the cheek of the girl shivering right next to him, he comforted her.

“Hyang-ah. You do not have to be so frightened. Elder Beom is a broad-minded person. He will not get angry over a mere matter of this degree.”

“Yes. Yes. Young Master.”

The cheeks of the girl, who had been shivering in fear until just now, turned rosy.

At that posture like a single flower, the jealous gazes of numerous men poured in.

As if he did not fear those gazes.

Clack!

Unfolding his fan and smiling haughtily, he suddenly spoke while looking toward one side.

“Lady Cheong. Why are you hiding that beautiful face. If you fear others’ eyes, wouldn’t it be fine to be together with our Duan Family.”

“Lady Cheong? Who is that?”

“Could it be the rogue cultivator Cheong Hwa-ran, whom Duan Sa-ryang proposed to?”

Along with the murmuring commotion, everyone chased Duan Sa-ryang’s gaze, and soon gazes poured onto a woman with an ordinary face.

“…”

Frowning, she shook her sleeves and covered her face.

“I thank you for the words, but I have no intention of being together with the Duan Family.”

A brief answer. With that short speech as the end, she disappeared like smoke, hiding herself somewhere in the crowd again.

“Haha. Truly haughty… I wonder when you will show me your real face.”

The handsome young master swinging the white fan gently licked his lips. It was an attitude like targeting prey.

Jin So-myeong frowned. It was not because of the arrogant genius called Duan Sa-ryang.

It was because of the voice, cold and emotionless, heard much more secretly.

“Cheong Hwa-ran. Was she at the 9th layer of Qi Condensation… The young wench hid it well. I should deal with her soon…”

Jin So-myeong, who captured Elder Beom’s killing intent with his sensitive senses, fell into silent thought.

‘As expected, the Red Yang Sect has no intention of permitting another Foundation Establishment… Even if I, an inner disciple, challenge Foundation Establishment, it will be the same.’

No matter how much he thought about it, Red Yang Market was too narrow.

Stagnant and rotten.

Only frogs in a well would fight to occupy a narrow space. It was wise to leave immediately once he obtained a Foundation Establishment spiritual object.

Since a much wider world would unfold.

The biggest difference between the people of this world and Jin So-myeong was the height of their perspective.

Just as Jin So-myeong was imagining the future, he flinched.

In the distant sky.

This was because a sword larger than an ordinary super-large building was flying in.

“Golden Core! It is a Golden Core sword cultivator of the Giant Sword Sect!”

Simultaneously with someone’s shout.

The noisy wasteland became so quiet that even the sound of a needle dropping could be heard.