Chapter 172
"I won’t miss a single one from now on…!"
Sama Yuryeon steeled her resolve. In truth, she scanned her surroundings much faster than before, thoroughly detecting all the traps.
As she declared, she successfully identified every single mechanism trap in advance.
However, she merely identified them.
For example, she realized something would spill out from an opening in the floor, but she didn't expect that “something” to be cockroaches.
Tang Sowol shrieked and scattered poison in every direction, and I also unleashed a wave of killing intent to prevent them from getting close.
Still, the cockroaches came—crawling from below, flying in from above. While we could kill or drive them away, we couldn't force them in the opposite direction.
Which meant that Sama Yuryeon, who was at the front, had no choice but to be covered in them once.
In the end, Sama Yuryeon stood there, unconscious for about three seconds.
There were other mishaps too, like missing the timing to pass through a narrowing corridor and crawling out slowly (none of us expected her to be that slow). Or after safely passing through a trap that required stepping only on the correct tiles, letting out a sigh of relief, only to spot a ridiculous-looking scarecrow in the corner of her vision and falling backward in fright (truthfully, I knew it was there but didn’t say anything because it didn’t look dangerous).
Despite a few such twists, we eventually passed through the endlessly branching paths and arrived at a massive stone gate.
Just like the fake entrance, the words ‘Divine Thief's Hidden Vault’ were prominently carved into the door.
This must be the real entrance to the Vault.
Realizing that the trap-laden path was finally over, Sama Yuryeon collapsed onto the floor and muttered a string of curses.
“That Ghost Shadow Thief guy must have been some twisted pervert obsessed with tormenting people.”
“Well, that’s not far off. Strictly speaking, he tormented people to attract attention, though.”
“You speak as if you met him yourself.”
“Hmm? You didn’t know? Tang Sowol and I had ties with the Ghost Shadow Thief before he passed. Because of that connection, we received the complete map.”
“Oh.”
“For reference, we came here partly to retrieve his hidden treasures, but just as much to hold his funeral.”
“Isn’t this… grave robbing? Is this really okay…?”
Sama Yuryeon trailed off, and Tang Sowol replied with a faint smile.
“It was the Elder’s own wish. To stir up the whole Central Plains, to release the treasures he had long hidden back into the world, and to be buried in the deepest part, watching it all unfold.”
“That sounds more like…”
“More like a festival than a funeral, doesn’t it? I think so too. That’s why we must end this before it goes too far. It’s fine to enjoy the banquet, but getting drunk and making a mess is disgraceful.”
“I see. So since the situation grew bigger than expected, you plan to bring it to a close before it turns into serious conflict. I knew the Tang Clan was sensitive about grace and resentment, but I didn’t expect you to act first to grant a favor.”
Huh. So Tang Sowol had such plans too?
I had simply thought we were sending off the Ghost Shadow Thief after his death. I hadn’t really given much thought to the turmoil spreading across the Central Plains.
Just when I think I’ve gotten used to her, she shows me another new side.
As I nodded silently, Tang Sowol shook her head with a troubled expression.
“Granting a favor first? I only did what I had to as a member of the orthodox sects, and in the process, made sure it would benefit the Tang Clan. It's no different from what any other orthodox martial artist would’ve done. Had it been someone else, they would have made the same choice.”
“Maybe so. But what matters is that the person here now is the Sky-Winged Poison Phoenix.”
Sama Yuryeon smiled with a sly expression, as if she were plotting something.
But I knew. That was the smile she made when she was being sincere.
Strange. The Sama Yuryeon I knew was so twisted that she’d always scoff at upright declarations like that.
Maybe she hasn’t been twisted that much yet. Come to think of it, her reactions while breaking through the mechanisms were a bit clumsy.
She was bold, yes, compared to her martial skill, but compared to the pre-return Sama Yuryeon who never showed a weakness, she was full of openings.
If that’s the case, maybe we can bring her over to our side?
Not to the Tang Clan. Someone like Sama Yuryeon would shine best not in a stable environment like the Tang Clan, but in a chaotic place like the Dark Soul Unit.
She might still be a bit inexperienced, but she is Sama Yuryeon. Even now, she could easily secure a spot in the Dark Soul Unit, and one day, she’d rise to the rank of commander.
And since the Dark Soul Leader likes me, if I plant a favor with her now…
Both the leader and the commander of the Dark Soul Unit would owe me a favor.
That would be a major help when it comes time to form an alliance of orthodox and unorthodox factions before confronting the Demonic Cult.
Well, there’s no need to decide right now. As long as I do it before we part ways after this is over.
I nodded inwardly and raised my arms to the tightly sealed stone door.
“Alright. Let’s see what’s inside.”
“Hehe, I’m a little excited, Cheon Hwi-da.”
“Please, let it be good martial arts… please, good martial arts…”
Leaving behind Tang Sowol’s voice filled with genuine hope and Sama Yuryeon’s muttering, unable to abandon her regrets despite knowing better, I pushed with strength.
Ggrug—
I didn’t even push that hard, yet the stone gate opened smoothly.
And what greeted us inside… was a heavily glamorized portrait of the Ghost Shadow Thief.
Even if it was his younger self, I doubt he ever looked like that.
“If the Ghost Shadow Thief Elder didn’t paint it himself, he must’ve hired an artist. And of course, that artist would want to please whoever was paying him… well, that explains it.”
Tang Sowol and I, having seen the real Ghost Shadow Thief, shook our heads as we approached the painting.
Surprisingly, the painting was life-sized. I hadn’t realized it because I’d grown taller, but now I could tell it matched his actual height.
…Actually, maybe it’s a bit taller?
Well, compared to the beautified face, that’s a minor issue.
The important part wasn’t the painting, but the large stone tablet engraved beneath it.
“This is… a brag.”
“I didn’t expect it to be this intense. Honestly, I think I’d want to brag a little before dying too.”
The tablet was densely inscribed with a list of places the Ghost Shadow Thief had stolen from and the items he had taken.
At the top was, of course, the Imperial Household. The stolen item?
…The Empress’s undergarments.
I’d heard the rumor, but seeing it in person still left me speechless.
The realization that he actually infiltrated the imperial palace to steal that really hit.
Below that were the names of the Five Supreme Clans and the Nine Great Sects, and then names of slightly less prominent but still prestigious factions.
Further down were personal names and titles.
All of them remarkable figures, though the items themselves felt oddly underwhelming.
Still, I hadn’t expected so many.
Some of the organizations still existed, but many were long gone.
As for the individuals, most were likely dead by now.
In other words, most of the stolen items had no owner to return to. We’d have to sort through them and see how many were actually useful.
“Well, it’s clear there’s a lot to see. Where shall we begin?”
“That’s obvious.”
Behind the portrait and the stone tablet were two large branching paths, each with two rooms.
Each room had a label above the entrance.
The left side had items stolen from sects and clans. The right side had items taken from individuals.
And the inner rooms seemed to contain the more valuable items.
“Let’s start with the Tang Clan’s items. Back then, the Sama Clan would’ve been far more powerful, so we might be able to retrieve everything in one go.”
“I agree. Sama Yuryeon, you remember our terms, right?”
“Yes. The Sama Clan’s martial arts. And a reasonable amount of gold—those will suffice.”
“You’ve seen what the Ghost Shadow Thief prepared, so you can probably guess… There might be no gold here. Or if there is, not much.”
“But you promised to give it.”
“I did. If there’s not enough, I’ll send it through the Tang Clan. Or perhaps substitute it with something else.”
“Something else…?”
Hearing something different from what was agreed, Sama Yuryeon narrowed her eyes even further.
I simply shrugged and walked inside.
The room was crude, carved from stone, yet fairly spacious. Platforms were arranged neatly in rows, and on each platform were stone boxes of various sizes.
Examining the nearest platform, I saw an inscription similar to the ones on the tablet.
It read where and what was stolen.
Mount Emei Sect, Love Letters of Bright Light Immortal Woman
“Love letters?”
“If I recall, the Bright Light Immortal Woman was a sect leader two generations ago. She rarely made public appearances, but she’s still alive and well…”
Tang Sowol tilted her head and opened the stone box. Inside was a smaller wooden case, and within that, a stack of neatly organized letters.
I skimmed through them.
“Hmm. These are… intense. But as far as I know, even though Mount Emei allows long hair, one must leave the sect to start a family.”
“Bright Light Immortal Woman still belongs to the sect. Uh… we should probably return this, right?”
Half the letters were erotic jokes, the other half cringeworthy love confessions. I folded them neatly.
Well, she was probably young at the time. Understandable.
We continued checking the platforms in order.
A pair of shoes belonging to the Chief of the Sal Valley, and a half-finished footwork manual he was writing.
A sculpture carved by the Patriarch of the Namgung Clan.
An old elixir stolen from the Wudang Sect shrine, along with more love letters exchanged with the Bright Light Immortal Woman.
And the sword sheath from the Zhongnan Sect that I’d heard about before.
With limited space in our packs, we had to selectively take what was valuable.
Finally, we came upon one of the names we’d been waiting for.
Sama Clan. Illusory Spirit Pill, Manual of the Soul-Thundering Sword
“Ah! The Soul-Thundering Sword is my grandfather’s technique! And the Illusory Spirit Pill helps with advancing sorcery, so it’s rare but extremely valuable in our clan!”
“That’s good. Since it belongs to you, go ahead and open it, Sama Yuryeon.”
“Thank you.”
Sama Yuryeon opened the stone box with a brightened expression. Inside was a small wooden case.
She opened the smaller case first, revealing a gray pill with an eerie aura. That must be the Illusory Spirit Pill.
She examined it closely, nodded with satisfaction, and tucked it away.
Then, she checked the Soul-Thundering Sword manual.
“Huh??”
“What kind of content is it…? Huh?!”
Sama Yuryeon blinked in confusion, and Tang Sowol, peeking over her shoulder, froze.
Curious, I looked as well.
“…You’ve got to be kidding me.”
It was a vividly illustrated erotic scroll. Surprisingly well-drawn, too—though a bit exaggerated.
Sama Yuryeon muttered blankly.
“Why… why is there an erotic scroll drawn by my grandfather here…?”
“Better that than the Sama Clan’s secrets being stolen.”
For once, Sama Yuryeon’s expression was truly dumbfounded.
She didn’t look very comforted.
Though she seemed a bit bitter, she collected the Soul-Thundering Sword scroll and we moved on to the next platform.
And finally, we found one marked Tang Clan. But reading the contents made us freeze.
Tang Clan of Sichuan. Golden Dragon Hundred Victory Technique, Blue Scorpion Paralysis Poison, Cheon Hwi-da’s Clove Oil, Tang Sowol’s Hairpin
“Ha… seriously.”
A dry laugh escaped me.
The clove oil was used to maintain my sword, and the hairpin was one Tang Sowol used frequently—hard to steal, but not a big loss.
Perfect items for a thief.
“So I didn’t lose it… it was stolen.”
I never imagined he’d steal from me and Tang Sowol, the very people who saved his life.
No matter how I think about it, the Ghost Shadow Thief really was crazy.