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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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The secret realm they had visited before had lost its red aura after they cleared its trials.
Even if they entered through the wide-open stone gate, they couldn’t access the hidden world, the secret realm, within.
The Sword Saint, who had visited later for investigation, said that it was simply a waiting period for the secret realm to reconfigure itself, and that it would reveal its power again once enough natural energy accumulated.
Sayoon glanced at the Sword Saint. Her eyes held the same wonder she felt when she first saw the secret realm, along with a hint of melancholy.
‘Master…’
Sayoon could see her eyes welling up slightly.
She was a master Sayoon could trust completely when it came to martial arts, but she was awkward and clumsy in other aspects,
And that made Sayoon cherish her even more. The Sword Saint, gazing at the secret realm, was remembering the past.
The pain she had to endure, the blood that stained her hands.
Ryuhyeon, sensing this, remained silent, not wanting to disturb her master’s thoughts.
How long did they remain silent?
The Sword Saint, her voice slightly subdued, pointed at the secret realm and spoke,
“It doesn’t seem dangerous.”
“Really?”
“Yes, it’s a rather familiar energy.”
I couldn’t sense anything like that. But since it was Master who said it, I couldn’t doubt her.
So, Ryuhyeon lightly nudged Sayoon’s back.
“Do you want to try it? Or…”
“Ah, I’ll do it.”
As Sayoon walked gracefully towards the secret realm, the same phenomenon occurred as before.
A red aura. As it enveloped her, the secret realm spoke, just like before.
[Who are you?]
“Sayoon, disciple of the Hongseong Sect.”
Simultaneously, the red aura shifted to Ryuhyeon.
[Who are you?]
“Ryuhyeon, disciple of the Hongseong Sect.”
And finally,
As the red aura settled on the Sword Saint,
[Who are you?]
The Sword Saint didn’t answer. For a moment.
She just parted her lips a few times, seemingly at a loss for words.
Then, as if prompted by the gazes of Sayoon and Ryuhyeon, she finally spoke,
“…Na Yerin, Sword Saint and Sect Leader of the Hongseong Sect.”
Her tone was unusually subdued.
Ryuhyeon and Sayoon were puzzled by her reaction.
Why was she acting like this? But the Sword Saint just stared at the secret realm silently.
Tension, perhaps even fear.
The two disciples were surprised by this side of their master they had never seen before.
-Rumble…!!
The gate of the secret realm opened.
What they saw inside was a hidden world.
As the space for their challenge was revealed, Ryuhyeon asked the Sword Saint,
“Shall we enter?”
“I’d like the other disciples to experience it as well. Considering that the previous secret realm went dormant after we cleared it once…”
If this was a secret realm left behind for the Hongseong Sect, it was only natural for their disciples to experience it.
Even though they had already done so once.
But the Sword Saint didn’t finish her sentence.
She just looked at Sayoon gently.
“Of course, I’m okay with it!”
Even the Sect Leader, the Sword Saint, hadn’t known about this secret realm.
It was the mysterious “Mister” who revealed its location, and he had sent a letter to Sayoon specifically.
What if “Mister” had revealed the location of this secret realm for the sake of the Hongseong Sect?
Then he could have just sent a letter to the sect.
But the fact that he specifically sent a letter to Sayoon meant that he wanted her to experience this secret realm.
Therefore, even if this secret realm was created by an ancestor of the Hongseong Sect, the decision ultimately belonged to Sayoon.
“Thank you.”
The Sword Saint smiled at Sayoon, whose gaze didn’t waver. And then, a caress.
As her white hand gently stroked Sayoon’s silver hair, Sayoon couldn’t help but smile brightly.
None of the disciples refused the midnight summons.
After hearing the explanation, all of them expressed their desire to experience the secret realm of the Hongseong Sect, and their qualifications were also met.
“But Senior Sister, is it okay for so many of us to enter the secret realm? Won’t the challenge become too easy?”
“There are cases where the difficulty of a secret realm increases when more people enter. And if there are formations, the damage can be greater with more people.”
Ryuhyeon, who had experience in secret realms, explained in place of Hongryeon.
As the first-time disciples listened in awe, the Sword Saint added,
“And we also have to consider the reward. In the worst-case scenario, people might fight over the reward in the final chamber. That’s why it’s common to take only a limited number of trustworthy people.”
“What? Really? Then isn’t it dangerous for all of us to enter…”
“But with Hongryeon and Ryuhyeon entering as well, and since it’s a Hongseong secret realm… I don’t think there will be any problems even if many enter. However, I’d like to ask for your understanding before we enter.”
The Sword Saint put Sayoon forward and explained how they discovered the secret realm.
Those who already knew just listened, but the others, hearing it for the first time, looked at Sayoon with wide eyes.
Sayoon’s face quickly flushed as she felt the gazes of her senior sisters on her.
“So, regardless of what the reward is, I want Sayoon to have it. If you have any objections, speak up.”
There were none. Hongryeon grinned and nodded, while Ryuhyeon glanced at Sayoon, recalling her previous words.
No one in the Hongseong Sect was jealous of their youngest’s growth.
Moreover, the fact that he informed Sayoon of this location meant that he informed her specifically for her sake, and he probably wanted her to have the reward.
Coveting what belonged to others was a deviation from righteousness.
And if this could make Sayoon stronger, it was a good thing.
Therefore, all the disciples accepted the Sword Saint’s proposal with smiles.
Sayoon felt a lump in her throat, her eyes growing hot and her hands trembling.
As she lowered her head, fidgeting, the Sword Saint patted her head gently.
“Now, go on in.”
“Um… aren’t you coming in, Master?”
“Someone has to stay behind… That’s the Sect Leader’s duty.”
Hongryeon looked at the Sword Saint’s face with concern.
The Sword Saint just smiled faintly at her.
Seeing that smile, Hongryeon felt like it was a forced one, an attempt to hide her sadness.
Inside, they found a secret realm similar in atmosphere to the one they had visited before.
The only difference was that the energy emanating from this secret realm was slightly stronger.
“Be careful.”
Hongryeon, leading the group, was on high alert.
Even if this was a secret realm meant for the Hongseong Sect, it wasn’t without danger.
As they progressed and arrived at the first chamber, Hongryeon smiled wryly.
Unlike the previous secret realm, this chamber was like a long corridor. But the holes in the walls looked suspicious, and they had to pay attention to the patterns engraved on the floor and ceiling.
“Hmm…”
Just by looking at them, Hongryeon could tell what this chamber was for.
“The Star Flow Steps, and the patterns on the ceiling mean we have to use the Star Shooting Kick as well.”
Just those words were enough for the disciples to understand how to clear this chamber.
Star Shooting Kick was an offensive technique from the first half of the Hongseong Divine Art.
While the previous secret realm tested their mastery of the Star Flow Steps itself, this one tested their ability to apply it.
The Star Flow Steps and the Star Shooting Kick had good synergy and were often used in conjunction.
“I’ll go first.”
Hongryeon stretched lightly and took the first step of the Star Flow Steps.
At that moment, a long iron bar shot out from one of the holes in the wall.
It was flung with enough force to cause serious injury if it connected. As Hongryeon dodged it with the Star Flow Steps, another iron bar shot out.
Anyone who hadn’t mastered the Star Flow Steps would be pummeled by those iron bars and knocked out.
“Hup!”
But for Hongryeon, the Star Flow Steps were something she could perform even with her eyes closed.
She effortlessly dodged the iron bars and even kicked away a large club falling from above with the Star Shooting Kick, clearing the chamber with ease.
Standing at the end of the chamber, she waved to the other disciples.
“Now, you see?”
And so, their midnight training began.
As expected, this secret realm was similar to the previous one.
It was as if it was designed to test how well they had mastered the Hongseong Divine Art.
Trials and challenges.
Even though they were just repeating what they already knew, the Hongseong disciples didn’t complain.
Because some of them achieved minor enlightenment during the process of reaffirming their knowledge.
Although it was only at the level of reconstructing the techniques from the first half and finding new ways to utilize them, both Hongryeon and her disciples knew that such small realizations would accumulate and lead to growth.
It was an unexpected trip to a secret realm in the middle of the night, but they gained much from it.
As they happily reached the final chamber,
Grrrr…!!
There it was, the Sonachal, the guardian of the secret realm.
But this time was different.
The Sonachal they had encountered before had injuries all over its body, but this one was unscathed.
Hongryeon, observing the secret realm monster, which was in perfect condition for battle, glanced at Sayoon.
Would she be able to do it?
“Can you handle it?”
“Yes.”
Hongryeon chuckled at her confident nod.
“Everyone else, stand by… Sayoon, is your sword alright?”
Sayoon looked at her sword at Hongryeon’s words. It was old and worn out. It had been damaged during the fight with the Fire Tiger and could break at any moment.
Hongryeon had bought her a new sword, but Sayoon had given it to Yoohee, who had fought the Fire Tiger with her.
Hongryeon was probably mentioning the sword out of concern for that.
“Ahaha… Senior Sister Yoohee’s sword was even older. I didn’t know when it would break… So, of course, she should be the one to have it. I’ll be back soon.”
There was no fear in her steps.
“Will she be okay?”
“She should be.”
As soon as Sayoon encountered the Sonachal, her sword moved. Swift, sharp strikes.
She didn’t seem to have any difficulty dealing with the Sonachal, effortlessly blending her swordsmanship with kicks, punches, and palm strikes.
“She’s a child who found her path after stepping into the realm of demonic possession.
Something like this shouldn’t be a problem for her.”
And her internal energy had also increased thanks to the elixir.
So, all they could do was watch.
‘And smile.’
The Sonachal was strong. But it wasn’t invincible.
Because Sayoon had starlight guiding her.
With each step, the starlight offered its support.
With the second step, the starlight revealed itself.
With the third step, the starlight urged her to become stronger.
With the fourth step, the starlight showed her the way.
As long as the starlight, guiding her path, remained clear, the Sonachal wasn’t a fearsome opponent for Sayoon.
-Roar!!
With a terrifying roar, the Sonachal, its arm severed, lashed out with a kick.
But the Star Flow Steps allowed her to gracefully evade the attack, and the Meteor Fist shattered the Sonachal’s thick hide.
Her sword, thrust forward, severed another arm.
-Screech… Screech…!!
Despite the Sonachal’s overflowing hatred, the Hongseong Divine Art remained unresponsive.
The star that illuminated her was too bright for her to be swayed by another’s hatred and lose herself.
So, she raised her sword,
-Slash!!
The final blow.
The sword, imbued with a faint, yet distinct red aura, descended like a bolt of lightning, cleaving through even the Sonachal’s tough hide.
“Phew…”
Although she had borrowed the power of a technique, manifesting Sword Qi wasn’t an easy feat.
Feeling a sense of emptiness as her dantian was drained, Sayoon retreated, and Hongryeon smiled at her.
“The enlightenment you gained from breaking free from demonic possession seems to be helping you greatly. You’ve already manifested Sword Qi.”
“It’s all thanks to Master and the senior sisters.”
And thanks to Mister.
Sayoon swallowed the words that were about to escape her lips.
“Good, you did well.”
Hongryeon patted her shoulder and led her to the chamber containing the reward.
It was a large chest. Sayoon, gazing at it, slowly opened the chest and gently took out what was inside.
It was a sword.
A longsword, sheathed in a jet-black, dark blue wooden scabbard.
Sayoon gently gripped the hilt. The feel of the leather against her palm was pleasant.
And when the sword, hidden within the dark blue wooden scabbard, was slowly revealed,
“This is strange. Are there cases where the weapon from a secret realm isn’t a special treasure?”
It wasn’t a special sword.
It was just an ordinary, somewhat crude-looking sword.
It didn’t even have a name engraved on it, which was a common feature for valuable weapons.
Hongryeon, examining the sword, which seemed less impressive compared to the elixir they received before, handed it back to Sayoon, who hugged it tightly.
“It’s still a treasure to me.”
Because he,
Mister, wanted her to have it.
And so today,
Another treasure was added to Sayoon’s collection, and the inner light within her grew a little brighter.
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