Chapter 121
[Do you wish to challenge the trial of the second room?]
Simultaneously.
Sreureu…
A whitish gas, like a haze, rose only before So-ah’s eyes.
Only then did So-ah become certain.
‘Another fateful opportunity?!’
He couldn’t help but be delighted.
It had been a long time since he had overcome the trial of the first room of the <Ghost Valley Mountain Manor>.
At that time, with the <Great Purity Ultimate Divine Pill> he had acquired and the physical transformation he had undergone, So-ah had reached an even higher realm.
‘This is… a golden opportunity to kill two birds with one stone!’
That was right.
The Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons, true to its name as one of the three great forbidden zones of the world, was a place teeming with terrifying blood-sucking bats and poisonous insects.
But what if that perilous place was the second room of the <Ghost Valley Mountain Manor>?
In addition to the goal of obtaining the Tathagata Grass, it meant another reason to conquer the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons was added.
Furthermore.
‘I received an incredible reward from the trial of the first room… If I overcome the trial of the second room? Won’t I hit the jackpot?!’
There was a high probability that this would be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to seize an unprecedented gain.
“I… will challenge the trial of the second room!”
Having experienced it once before, So-ah shouted like a madman at the white gas without hesitation.
‘What’s with that guy?’
‘…What is he doing?’
The Poison King and Jeon Woo-chi, who had no way of knowing what was going on, tilted their heads and looked at So-ah with quizzical gazes.
But So-ah.
Smirk—
Just curled the corners of his lips.
***
“Did you really… obtain the map of the Ghost Valley Mountain Manor?”
So-ah briefly explained that he had now reached the second area of the Ghost Valley Mountain Manor.
Jeon Woo-chi, who already knew, let out a short exclamation of wonder, and the Poison King, who had also heard the legend, stared at So-ah with eyes mixed with a sense of mystery and envy.
“Yes. I received it as a gift from Grandpa Wi-ji when I was young.”
“Grandpa Wi-ji… Are you talking about the Heavenly Demon, Wi-ji Un?”
“Yes.”
“Hah… that fellow. He’s truly an amazing one. Not only did he catch the eye of the God of War and become his disciple, but he also received the map of the <Ghost Valley Mountain Manor> from the Heavenly Demon without any cost? The heavens are truly watching over him.”
“I do tend to be extremely lucky.”
“Keke. If you are truly that lucky, you should be able to come out of the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons alive.”
“I told you not to worry.”
So-ah hardened his resolve.
Then, just as he was about to take a step.
“Wait a minute!”
Jeon Woo-chi stopped So-ah.
“Why? Are you going in too, brother?”
“No. I’m someone who knows the value of my life.”
“Then?”
“Just a moment.”
Jeon Woo-chi hastily rummaged through his bag and took out a yellow talisman paper, cinnabar, and the magical tool he had received from his master, the Heavenly Will Brush. He then drew a talisman, mixing Sanskrit and ancient characters.
“So-ah. This is a <Protective Talisman> written with the Heavenly Will Brush, which realizes the will of the heavens, and the highest quality cinnabar. It will protect you.”
For a moment, curiosity sparked in So-ah’s eyes.
It was the first time in his life he had ever received a talisman.
“I don’t know how effective it will be, but thanks anyway, Brother Woo-chi.”
But as if that wasn’t enough, Jeon Woo-chi placed his hand on the crown of So-ah’s head and muttered an unknown language in a low voice.
“[email protected]#$%%&*……”
“…”
So-ah was bewildered by Jeon Woo-chi’s repeated mysterious actions.
But for some reason, at that moment, he felt a strange power welling up from inside his body.
“So-ah. I have offered a prayer of blessing. Please return safely.”
“Don’t you worry, brother.”
With their conversation finished, So-ah took a step forward.
Thus, to overcome the trial of the second room.
So-ah’s challenge to obtain the Tathagata Grass began.
***
“Huk… huk…”
How long had he been running?
Only after looking around and maximizing his ki sense to confirm that the enemy’s presence had disappeared did Wi-ji Chan gasp for breath.
His body was like a precarious shipwreck.
His clothes were tattered, and the marks of palm strikes, tinged with purple, were clear all over his body.
Also, seeing the dark tint in the fresh blood flowing from the corner of his mouth, his internal injuries must have been severe.
“Keuk…”
Nevertheless, Wi-ji Chan could not rest.
Soon, the Heavenly Demon Overlord Step unfolded again, and under the moonlight, his figure created afterimages like starlight.
‘How could the internal energy of those monks be so profound!’
Even in that state, Wi-ji Chan trembled with rage as he recalled the White Lotus Cult monks who had fought a life-and-death battle with him.
It was the first time in his life he had faced masters of such a dreadful internal energy technique.
Furthermore, the way they twisted their joints and muscles at will to block his escape routes and unleash palm strikes made them seem less like humans and more like mollusks.
‘Just how many masters like them are stationed in the White Lotus Cult?’
On one hand, he was afraid.
The demonic beasts he had witnessed firsthand were enough to make him shudder, and on top of that, a mere three White Lotus Cultists had pushed him, who had reached the pinnacle of demonic arts, to the brink of death.
After half a shichen passed…
Wi-ji Chan, having reached the entrance of a desolate village.
Thud—
Lost consciousness and collapsed like a rotten old tree.
***
As soon as he entered the Valley of Ten Thousand Poisons, a thought came to So-ah’s mind.
‘It said I had to attain the enlightenment of the peerless realm to overcome the trial of the second room…’
The peerless realm.
Symbolizing the 「Profound Realm」, it was a divine state known to allow one to master the divine skill of perfect mastery and to be able to face one hundred thousand enemies with one’s own strength.
In his lifetime, Moyong Cheon had reached it, Wi-ji Un had surpassed it, and currently, throughout the entire Orthodox Path, it was an absolute realm achieved only by Great Master Gongseung and Master Yong-gak.
‘I have experienced all the stages of the Manifestation Realm: Three Flowers Gather at the Summit, Five Ki Return to the Origin, and physical transformation, but…’
The peerless realm was still far away…
‘…Will I be okay?’
It was a moment where he found himself ‘worrying’ for the first time in a long while.
However.
‘Aish! What can I do if I’m not okay? I have to overcome it no matter what.’
It was true that he had not yet reached the Profound Realm.
But So-ah had something to believe in.
It was the total amount of his internal energy, which was overflowing as if it would explode.
The spiritual pills he had taken so far ranged from the <Lesser Rejuvenation Pill> to the <Great Purity Ultimate Divine Pill> to the <Greater Rejuvenation Pill>.
Moreover, it was common for a person to absorb only 10 to 30 percent of a spiritual pill depending on their ability, but thanks to the nature of the Great Whale Heart Law, which was not biased towards either yin or yang, So-ah had absorbed over 90 percent.
He wasn't in the Profound Realm, but in terms of internal energy, he would not fall far behind even when compared to Great Master Gongseung or Master Yong-gak, who had entered the Profound Realm.
Was it because of that calculation?
A rough shout burst from So-ah’s mouth.
“Come at me! You bat bastards!”
***
The swarm of bats began to attack So-ah with a shriek so horrifying it made one’s hair stand on end just by hearing it.
‘Damn… this is crazy, for real.’
So-ah was truly experiencing what it felt like to be at death's door.
The bats were more ferocious than he had expected.
Just hearing the sound of the wings of the bat swarm, rushing at him like blood-starved demonic beasts, gave him goosebumps.
Moreover, they possessed a speed that would make one’s tongue stick out, a speed that was impossible for even a decent martial artist to follow with the naked eye.
‘I see why it’s called one of the three great forbidden zones. At this rate, even a peerless master would die here… Phew!’
So-ah’s thought was not an exaggeration.
Furthermore, this was a stone cave shrouded in pitch-black darkness.
Even if one were a peerless master, what would happen if they were to face tens of thousands of blood-sucking bats flying like rays of light without a clear line of sight?
They would be unable to overcome the psychological pressure and would soon have their blood sucked dry.
However.
So-ah’s eyes, as he beat the bats flying at him while letting out nauseating high-pitched shrieks, were filled with a crazed light.
“You little!”
Kwang, kwang-kwang
“Bat bastards!”
Kwa-gwa-gwa-gwang!
“Dare to suck my blood?”
Papapapapak!
“Not a chance, you things!”
Every time the Heaven-Shattering Consecutive Cannon was unleashed in the form of a chain of double fists, dozens of blood-sucking bats became a handful of lonely souls.
Just then.
So-ah’s shoulder, which had been wiping out the bats with unstoppable momentum, flashed! It emitted lightning.
In that fleeting moment.
So-ah witnessed a strange phenomenon.
A bat with bared fangs, before it could even reach his shoulder, was electrocuted and fell to the ground with a plop.
‘…What was that?’
He was puzzled.
But.
‘Could it be… the effect of Brother Woo-chi’s protective talisman?’
The quick-witted So-ah could easily guess that it was a defensive effect caused by Jeon Woo-chi’s <Protective Talisman>.
The effect of the <Protective Talisman> repeatedly shone.
The blood-sucking bats that flew in aiming for So-ah’s blind spots were, without exception, suddenly electrocuted and killed every time the lightning flashed.
‘As expected, Brother Woo-chi! You gave me something amazing.’
For a moment, his heart soared, and his confidence swelled.
‘…Come to think of it, this is totally a cheat, isn’t it?’
The key to this fight was how well So-ah could cover his blind spots.
In the darkness where his vision was not guaranteed, if he relied solely on his reflexes to kill the blood-sucking bats flying at him from all directions, an unavoidable opening would surely appear.
But what if the protective talisman activated unconditionally and protected his body?
So-ah would enter a temporary ‘invincible state’.
‘That’s it, you bastards! I’m abandoning defense now. Only attack.’
In the darkness, So-ah’s eyes gleamed.
Now, it was time for a massacre.
***
Among the techniques of the Ten-Second Invincible Arts, the one that could deliver the most wide-ranging damage was, ironically, the ‘Iron Armor Great Rotation’, which was specialized for defense.
Although the ‘Iron Armor Great Rotation’ was a defensive art, it held the mystery of generating a huge tornado upon execution, making it an excellent choice for the current situation of having to annihilate tens of thousands of bats.
As a result.
Kieeeeeeeek!
Kieeeeeeeek!
Kieeeeeeeeeek!
Tututututuk.
The corpses of the bats piled up high inside the cave…
Tseutseutseutseu…
All sorts of poisonous insects that couldn't even get close to his hair due to the protective effect of the talisman were roasted by the lightning, emitting a savory smell.
“Hoo…”
A quiet silence soon descended upon the cave that had been filled with horrific shrieks.
“It’s finally over.”
A full half shichen.
The life-and-death struggle in the darkness seemed to have concluded.
In that moment.
The white gas rose again in So-ah’s vision.
Strangely, the gas held a dazzling white light, and because of it, So-ah felt nauseous seeing the pile of tens of thousands of blood-sucking bat corpses piled up like a mountain on the cave floor.
“Uuuk… ugh… this is creepy.”
On one hand, he even felt that it was fortunate he had fought in the darkness.
If he had faced the bats and insects with his vision secured, he would have likely given up midway out of disgust.
But So-ah soon came to his senses upon hearing the summons ringing in his head.
[O challenger… Do you wish to challenge the trial of the second room?]
‘What kind of bullshit is this?!’
He was dumbfounded.
He had clearly expressed his intention to challenge before entering the cave, and after going through half a *shichen* of hell, he thought it was finally over…
[If you wish to challenge, follow…]
Along with the summons, the white light leisurely flew deeper into the cave.
“Don’t tell me… this wasn’t the trial?!”
His bewilderment soon turned to anger.
‘I went through so much hell for half a shichen!’
He had madly caught blood-sucking bats to the point where his arms and legs ached.
‘It wasn’t even passing the first gate… or anything like that, it just hadn’t even started yet? Wow… you’ve crossed the line, for real.’
They say that when you get too angry, you laugh instead.
Truly dumbfounded, So-ah let out a hollow laugh.
‘Ah, whatever! I thought things were going too smoothly.’
But he had no choice.
In the end, So-ah shot forward like an arrow and followed the white light.
***
After chasing the white light for about a shichen.
So-ah found the exit of the cave and, still following the white light, passed through it.
At that.
A jaw-dropping paradise unfolded before his eyes.
A gentle breeze brushed through his hair, and a beautiful flower garden bloomed in a wide expanse of greenery.
The dynamic movements of brocade carp jumping in the babbling stream, and the scent of pine that pricked his nose.
“…It’s pretty, but what is this all about?”
He was on the verge of being mesmerized by the unexpected beautiful scenery, but So-ah, who knew the truth that all beauty holds poison, soon exercised caution and maximized his ki sense.
Just then.
“Right… of course.”
The real 「trial」 appeared before So-ah’s eyes.
“But isn’t this a bit too much?”
It was none other than.
Hwik, hwik
Kukukung!
Hwiiiik!
Eighteen Vajra Copper Men, unleashing fists, palms, and kicks that cut through the air, were shining with eyes boiling with fighting spirit, as if they had been eagerly waiting for So-ah.
‘No wonder the reward for the second trial was the <Vajra Copper Man Divine Pill>…’
He was so dumbfounded that he couldn't even let out a sigh.
“Ah! You’re joking, right? The Profound Realm? Not the Profound Realm, but even the Life and Death Realm, how can anyone win this?”
How is this any different from facing eighteen Master Gwangwons