Myst, Might, Mayhem (Novel) - Chapter 97 - Benefits (2)

Chapter 97 – Benefits (2)

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Translated by Jinmu

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net

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‘Ah…….’

At the words “advanced martial arts,” Mu Jang-yak wore a regretful expression.

That was only natural, because he had heard rumors about the treasure vault of Corpse Blood Valley.

He had heard that along with copies of the many advanced martial arts manuals in the main stronghold of the Heaven and Earth Society, there were also various martial secrets not even present in the main stronghold.

For a martial artist who trained martial arts, it would have been stranger not to take interest.

‘The advanced martial arts of Corpse Blood Valley…’

Mok Yu-cheon felt the same interest.

In his case, because he had always possessed passion for martial arts from the start, there was no way he could avoid being interested.

These were advanced martial arts of the Heaven and Earth Society, one of the powers that divided the present murim into three.

There was no choice but to wonder what kind they might be.

On the other hand,

‘Can this really be called any sort of special reward?’

Mok Gyeong-un felt little in particular.

Although he did aim to learn martial arts and grow strong for the sake of revenge, he also held doubts about whether learning many things would truly be of help.

-The more the better.

‘The more the better?’

While he wondered, Blue Spirit spoke as though she had read his thoughts.

-Learning many martial arts does not make one overwhelmingly stronger, but the more martial arts one knows, the wider one’s view becomes, and the broader one’s range of experience becomes as well.

‘Hmm.’

So his perspective would broaden.

If it meant that, then perhaps it would indeed help to know as many martial arts as possible.

As that was happening, Yi Ji-yeom, the Corpse Blood Valley Master standing on the platform, opened his mouth again.

“Three top plaques. It has been quite a long time.”

“That seems to be so. About eight years, was it not? That bastard… no, not that bastard any longer. It has been a long time since that lord.”

“I see. Then this is the third time.”

Since Corpse Blood Valley had been established, Mok Gyeong-un was the third person to obtain three top plaques.

At that moment, Mok Gyeong-un, who stood at the front, asked as though curious,

“I’m only asking out of curiosity, but has there ever been someone who obtained four or more?”

If one looked only at the gates themselves, there were six in total in Corpse Blood Valley.

But in truth, the fourth and final gates did not have top plaques.

Therefore, if one person obtained the maximum possible number of top plaques, four was the limit.

At Mok Gyeong-un’s question, senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi frowned as though displeased and said,

“How dare you address the Valley Master so…”

“Squad Leader Gwak. He is now a provisional unit leader.”

As Gwak Mun-gi was about to become angry, Yi Ji-yeom, the Corpse Blood Valley Master, reminded him of that fact.

At this, senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi bit his lip hard.

If he was a provisional unit leader, then he already held a rank above his own, which was only squad-leader class, but in his head he still did not acknowledge this bastard.

However, because he could not make a mistake before the Valley Master, he used somewhat more respectful speech.

“Provisional Unit Leader Mok. As the gates have not yet ended, please refrain from casually questioning the Valley Master.”

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un silently looked at Yi Ji-yeom, the Valley Master.

Seeing that, senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi twisted his face fearsomely, but,

“Since the beginning of Corpse Blood Valley, there has been exactly one person who obtained all of the top plaques… there was.”

‘Valley Master?’

Gwak Mun-gi looked at Yi Ji-yeom with a somewhat bewildered expression.

Ordinarily, even if the trainees were before the final stage, he would not have been someone who treated them gently or softly.

Yet now he was answering even such a question.

‘Why in the world are you acting like this?’

Was it perhaps because he thought this bastard was a spy sent by the Society Leader?

If that were the case, then he could understand granting him a certain amount of convenience, but would the Society Leader really use a hostage brought from the righteous path for the purpose of testing or watching the Valley Master?

In any event, such an attitude from the Valley Master was quite unexpected.

‘He obtained all of them?’

Interest flashed in Mok Gyeong-un’s eyes.

As for him, because he had encountered formations for the first time to begin with and had never controlled others before, he had failed to receive the top plaque in the sword formation gate.

Yet there was someone who had obtained all of them…

‘He sounds impressive.’

In truth, although Mok Gyeong-un himself was unaware of it, it was already truly remarkable that he had obtained this many top plaques despite not having properly learned martial arts for very long.

Perhaps if he had learned martial arts properly from the beginning, he might have become only the second person since the founding of Corpse Blood Valley to obtain every top plaque.

‘This is too dangerous, so I should stop there.’

He was curious enough to ask who had done it, but senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi was glaring as if his eyes were on fire, so it seemed difficult to go that far.

Perhaps Yi Ji-yeom, the Corpse Blood Valley Master, was also conscious of this, because he said,

“If your doubt has been resolved, then I will now tell you the reward that the one who obtained three top plaques will receive.”

“Yes.”

“The one who obtained three top plaques will…”

The trainees’ eyes focused on Yi Ji-yeom’s face.

If someone who obtained two top plaques received this sort of reward, then what kind of benefit would there be for someone who obtained three?

“Separately from the final gate, he may request instruction from one among the twelve grandmasters consisting of the Five Kings, the Three Sect Masters, and the Four Valley Masters, who may be called this Society’s highest masters.”

‘!!!!!!!!’

No sooner had those words ended than everyone’s expressions changed at once.

Of course, when one said everyone, the ones who showed direct reactions were Mu Jang-yak, Yeon Mu-ung of the Secret Gate Sect, and Mo Ha-rang of Mo Hwa House.

Because they belonged under the Heaven and Earth Society, they knew better than anyone how extraordinary this benefit was.

‘To be able to request instruction from one of the greatest masters of the Heaven and Earth Society?’

‘A reward on this level is given?’

‘…….Ah.’

How often in one’s life would one get to receive instruction from someone at the grandmaster level or from a master of the transcendently high realm?

Moreover, those tremendous masters were among the most outstanding in the Heaven and Earth Society.

There was no way they could help but envy this.

Even Mok Yu-cheon, who at first had listened without much thought, found the looks of envy from the others strange, and then suddenly realized it.

‘Ah!’

Among the executives of the Heaven and Earth Society were two people from the Six Heavens and Eight Stars.

The Six Heavens and Eight Stars were called the greatest masters regardless of righteous or evil affiliation, and two of the Five Kings were included among those Eight Stars.

Peerless great masters at the grandmaster level who had crossed the wall and reached the realm of transformation.

If the benefit was to be able to receive instruction from one of those people…

‘Damn it.’

Leaving aside righteous and evil camps, this was a little enviable.

It was not clear whether that meant becoming a disciple or learning one of their martial arts, but a chance to receive teaching from such peerless masters came perhaps once in a lifetime, if that.

In truth, it could be called an enormous stroke of fortune.

-There is no need to think about this, mortal.

No need to think about it?

-There are two masters of the realm of transformation. Choose one of the two and learn from them what you cannot learn from me. Because they are bastards who crossed the wall, it should be of great help to your enlightenment.

Blue Spirit, too, seemed to think this was a rather good benefit.

If so, it was not bad.

As that was happening, Yi Ji-yeom, the Corpse Blood Valley Master, continued speaking.

“If there is someone you desire, it would be better to think about it beforehand. Once you enter the main stronghold, the opportunity will be given.”

“Yes.”

“When you arrive at the main stronghold tomorrow, the final gate will be carried out. Before that, the owners of the top plaques will receive their rewards, while the rest should take time to rest.”

With those words, Yi Ji-yeom, the Corpse Blood Valley Master, was about to step down from the platform.

Then Mok Gyeong-un said,

“May I ask what kind of benefit there is for the one who obtains all of the top plaques?”

‘This bastard again!’

Senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi frowned.

Instead of stopping at the appropriate point, he was asking the Valley Master a question again.

He truly did not like…

“He may receive instruction from the Society Leader.”

At that instant, silence fell.

Gwak Mun-gi did not understand why the Valley Master was showing this bastard grace to such an extent, but seeing the reactions of those below, he found it rather interesting.

In Gwak Mun-gi’s eyes, he could see what the people below the platform were thinking.

‘Why are they like that?’

By contrast, Mok Gyeong-un could not understand their reactions.

Why were they all so shocked?

“The Valley Master has departed, so Provisional Unit Leader Mok should step down from the platform as well.”

Senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi said this to him in an authoritative tone.

So Mok Gyeong-un came down and, wondering, asked Mo Ha-rang of Mo Hwa House,

“Is receiving the Society Leader’s instruction really that surprising?”

‘!?’

At those words, Mo Ha-rang looked at him with an expression that said, Are you saying that because you truly do not know?

What in the world was going on?

As he thought that, she said in a somewhat trembling voice,

“The Society Leader is one of the Six Heavens, who are called the summit of the present murim. Leaving everything else aside, to receive instruction from one of the six who are said to be the strongest under heaven…”

She could not finish the rest of her words.

That was how astonishing the reward was for obtaining all the top plaques.

Of course, in this intake no one had accomplished it, but if everyone had known this premise from the beginning, they might all have entered the gates prepared to die.

That was how supreme the fame of the Six Heavens was.

‘Is he truly that great?’

Seeing that they reacted more fiercely to this than to requesting instruction from the executives, it truly seemed to be something immense to them.

At that moment, Blue Spirit’s voice was heard by his ear.

-The Six Heavens? Haa…

Her voice was full of irritation.

In truth, she too had learned through Mo Ha-rang’s words that the Society Leader of the Heaven and Earth Society was one of the Six Heavens, those called the summit of the present murim.

After learning this, she seemed to be in quite a foul mood.

Well, it was understandable enough.

For her, whether in the past or present, the Society Leader of the Heaven and Earth Society was no different from the endpoint of her grudge.

‘…….The obstacle has grown quite large.’

Mok Gyeong-un clicked his tongue inwardly.

The Society Leader of the Heaven and Earth Society was someone close to the summit of murim…

His grandfather’s revenge came first, so he did not feel bound by it, but it was becoming harder and harder to resolve her grudge.

* * *

In a forest not far from the main lodging building of Corpse Blood Valley.

Mok Gyeong-un was following senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi.

Because he found Mok Gyeong-un distasteful, Gwak Mun-gi had not said a single word the whole way.

Then they arrived at a steep cliff.

Pointing at the cliff, which looked difficult to climb easily even with lightness skill, Gwak Mun-gi said without even turning around,

“Follow properly.”

-Flash!

Gwak Mun-gi used lightness skill and climbed the steep cliff.

He found footholds quickly, as though familiar with them, and climbed fast, and his speed was quite great.

‘Let’s see whether the bastard can really follow properly.’

Come to think of it, he had never properly seen the bastard’s lightness skill.

Could he really follow properly on a cliff this steep?

It was at that moment.

-Papapak!

‘Hm?’

Gwak Mun-gi glanced downward.

Mok Gyeong-un had already followed right up beneath him.

‘This bastard…’

It was absurd.

As for himself, because he had long roamed all of Corpse Blood Valley, he was able to move faster than anyone anywhere, but this bastard was not.

Moreover, with martial ability that only barely scraped into first-rate level, how was he climbing the cliff at a speed similar to his own?

Of course, the reason was simple.

‘There, and there, is it?’

Mok Gyeong-un was simply memorizing and following exactly the places Gwak Mun-gi had stepped on as he went.

Every place Gwak Mun-gi passed over had footholds one could step on to climb, so memorizing them and following after him was not particularly difficult.

Because of this, Gwak Mun-gi kept clicking his tongue in irritation.

‘Damn bastard.’

He had tried once to make life difficult for him, but since it did not work, he only felt worse.

If the bastard had failed to follow properly, he had intended to berate him by saying that even a provisional unit leader could not manage this much, but that had become meaningless.

-Pak!

At last, while climbing the cliff, Gwak Mun-gi slipped into a place that looked blocked off.

It was clearly blocked, yet his body passed through naturally.

‘A formation?’

Because he had experienced formations thanks to occult practitioner Jo Ui-gong, Mok Gyeong-un followed senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi without any doubt, passing through the cliff and entering within.

Once inside,

-Flare!

a huge cavern with torches lit here and there revealed itself.

In the center sat a scar-covered man who looked around fifty, seated on a stone chair with his arms folded.

Before him stood Gwak Mun-gi, who had entered first, but,

‘Tch.’

Seeing Mok Gyeong-un pass through the blocked wall and enter in one go, Gwak Mun-gi could not hide his disappointment.

Then the scar-covered man rose and said,

“I was wondering what it was. It has been a long time.”

“Yes. It has.”

“Since then, has it been about eight years by the count?”

“That is correct. So I have brought him to be admitted into the treasure vault as a reward.”

At Gwak Mun-gi’s words, the scar-covered man turned his gaze toward Mok Gyeong-un.

Then he wore a puzzled expression and said,

“What a peculiar bastard. He looks only to be at best barely first-rate, so how did he manage to obtain as many as three top plaques?”

By qi sense, the level the man felt from Mok Gyeong-un was at best barely reaching first-rate.

Yet to come here, one needed three top plaques.

That was not something possible with only this level of martial ability.

To him, Mok Gyeong-un said,

“Pardon me, but who are you?”

“You mean me?”

“Yes.”

“Hahahahahahaha. I am the keeper of the treasure vault that guards the treasure vault here in Corpse Blood Valley.”

“Treasure vault keeper?”

At Mok Gyeong-un’s question back, senior martial artist Gwak Mun-gi said in a warning tone,

“This is Unit Leader Yang Mu-won, who is in charge of the treasure vault. If you incur this lord’s displeasure, you may be trapped within the mechanism formation of the treasure vault, so show the proper respe…”

“Aaah, that’s enough. Since when did I ever bother with such things?”

“………”

Their hands and feet really did not match.

As he thought that, the scar-covered man, Unit Leader Yang Mu-won, waved his hand and said,

“You may leave now.”

“Pardon?”

“Or were you planning to keep waiting here? You know well enough that you cannot.”

“………Understood. I will withdraw and wait below.”

“That’s right.”

At the expulsion order from Yang Mu-won, the keeper of the treasure vault, Gwak Mun-gi at once passed through the illusory cliff wall made by the formation and exited outside.

Once he left, Unit Leader Yang Mu-won asked Mok Gyeong-un,

“Shall we finish what we were saying just now? How in the world did you obtain as many as three top plaques?”

At that question, Mok Gyeong-un tilted his head slightly and said,

“Naturally, because I did better than the others.”

“……..”

At those words, Yang Mu-won, who had been frowning, suddenly burst into hearty laughter.

“Hahahahahaha. True enough. That is correct. Surely the Valley Master would not have given top plaques to some worthless bastard.”

“……….”

Mok Gyeong-un showed no particular reaction.

At this, Yang Mu-won, who had been laughing heartily, seemed awkward and scratched his head.

‘Well now.’

At least the bastard who came eight years ago had been someone he could talk with, but this one had such flat reactions that he was no fun.

Well, unfortunate though that was, his duty was not conversation.

Turning around, Unit Leader Yang Mu-won gestured with his hand.

“Follow me.”

“Yes.”

Mok Gyeong-un walked after him.

Then Unit Leader Yang Mu-won pointed with his finger toward the inner part of the cave and said,

“If you go inside there, there is the treasure vault that holds the secret manuals. As you have heard, the only secret manual you may carry out from within the treasure vault is one volume. Even that, you must copy out here before you leave.”

“Yes.”

“You will be given about one shijin so that you may choose carefully. If you fail to choose anything within that time, then by rule you must simply come out. Do you understand?”

“Yes.”

“Ah. And there is a place marked by a red line, but there… you should avoid entering there if possible.”

“Pardon?”

To the questioning Mok Gyeong-un, Unit Leader Yang Mu-won spoke as though trying to frighten him.

“Long ago, in there… no, there is no need for you to know that much. In any case, if you pass the red line, you will see something frightening enough to make your flesh crawl. So do not let my warning pass by your ears.”

‘Something frightening enough to make one’s flesh crawl?’

He had spoken so incoherently that Mok Gyeong-un did not know what he was talking about.

As he wondered, a huge iron door came into view before he knew it.

When Unit Leader Yang Mu-won put his hand on the blank wall beside it and fiddled with something,

-Creeeeak! Boom!

the iron door opened by itself, revealing the inside.

Within was a cavern even larger than the entrance, and the walls on all four sides were completely filled with secret manuals.

Pointing inside with his hand, Unit Leader Yang Mu-won grinned and said,

“If you do not already have something in mind, your head will rot quite a bit merely from choosing which secret manual you want. I will tell you when the time is up, so remember your one shijin.”

“Yes.”

“Now go in.”

So Mok Gyeong-un was about to step inside.

Then he suddenly stopped and said,

“Ah. May I ask just one thing?”

“What is it?”

“You mean I can only take out one book that is a secret manual, correct?”

“Correct.”

“Then simply looking through them is fine, right?”

“Why ask such a thing? Naturally, if you are to choose a decent secret manual, you must look through the contents. No one takes issue over something so trivial.”

At those words, Mok Gyeong-un twitched the corner of his mouth and said,

“That is fortunate indeed.”