My Younger Siblings Are the Greatest Masters in the World - Chapter 145

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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145.

Seol Ryeoseon spoke in response to Seol Changho’s question.

“You have to choose one of two options. Will you appear ordinary, or will you stand out remarkably and draw attention?”

“We decided to appear ordinary.”

“That plan fell apart the moment we came here on our own feet.”

Indeed, the instructors were already keeping an eye on them.

“If we distinguish ourselves, we’ll be able to enter the main cult that much faster.”

“Even at the fastest, it would take three years, wouldn’t it?”

They hadn’t come with the intention of staying in the Demonic Sect for that long.

Seol Ryeoseon spoke with a meaningful smile.

“You two don’t seem to remember, do you?”

“Remember what?”

“If you take first place in the Valley of Death, you get a chance to meet the Cult Leader directly.”

Seol Mantong looked bewildered.

“There was such an opportunity?”

“You didn’t know because you weren’t first place.”

“Don’t tell me you were first place in the Valley of Death?”

“Hehehe…”

“Why are you only telling us this now?”

“I had forgotten too. But climbing Cheonwoong Mountain brought back old memories.”

“Then we definitely have to take first place. We can easily enter Ilwolgung.”

When the name ‘Ilwolgung’ came up, the Triplets’ gazes naturally turned backward.

In the center of the village where thirty thousand people lived stood a massive structure made of white marble.

That white building, constructed in an architectural style unseen in the Central Plains, was Ilwolgung where the Cult Leader resided.

Ilwolgung had much stricter security than the Forbidden City, making it difficult even for the Triplets to enter undetected.

Taking first place in the Valley of Death would allow natural entry into Ilwolgung.

“The problem is only one first-place winner can enter. Besides, you probably can’t stay long, right? You just meet the Cult Leader briefly and come out?”

Seol Ryeoseon, her brow deeply furrowed, thought about something before bursting out in frustration.

“Damn! I can’t remember at all! I’m certain I met the Cult Leader then, but I have no other particular memories.”

“If nothing special happened, then there wouldn’t be any special memories.”

At Seol Mantong’s words, Seol Ryeoseon muttered, “Is that so?”

Seol Changho said,

“One person enters and meets the Cult Leader. If the Cult Leader doesn’t meet them then, there’s definitely some problem.”

“If the Cult Leader comes to meet them, then the qi deviation story is bullshit.”

“Anyway, let’s take first place. All three of us with overwhelming skill compared to the other kids.”

There was no need to use internal energy to overwhelm the other kids.

Just by climbing with tireless steps, they arrived at the summit twice as fast as the others.

At the mountain peak sat one person in front of a campfire.

It was an old man with a beard grown to his chest and disheveled hair, all completely white.

“Hm? You arrived already?”

His pronunciation had a whistling sound due to his missing front teeth.

Seol Changho was startled upon seeing the old man.

‘Elder Hwang Dugong!’

It was definitely Hwang Dugong, who had been the Fifth Elder among the eight elders when the Triplets were in the Demonic Sect.

‘He must be well over ninety, but he’s still alive.’

A wave of nostalgia rushed over him.

Excluding Seol Ryeoseon and Seol Mantong, Hwang Dugong was the elder Seol Changho had been closest to.

Judging by their expressions, Seol Ryeoseon and Seol Mantong didn’t recognize Hwang Dugong.

‘Well, much time has passed and they weren’t that close to Hwang Dugong.’

Hwang Dugong spoke with a smile spreading across his face.

“Among all the kids who’ve come on Harvest Day so far, you seem to be the fastest. Hehehe!”

It was a distance that should take three hours round trip at the fastest, but they had reached the summit in less than an hour.

As the Triplets stood awkwardly on the flat rocky summit, Hwang Dugong gestured to them.

“Come here.”

Hwang Dugong wrote the character ‘arrived’ with a brush on the backs of the Triplets’ hands as they approached.

“Would you like to come warm yourselves by the fire?”

“No, we’re fine… sir.”

At Seol Changho’s reply, Hwang Dugong said, “The other kids won’t arrive for a while yet, so you could rest a bit.”

But the Triplets declined again and left the mountain peak.

While descending the mountain, Seol Ryeoseon tilted her head.

“I feel like I’ve seen that old man somewhere.”

“That’s Elder Hwang Dugong.”

“Hwang Dugong? That blockhead Hwang Dugong?”

Because he was so rigid, Seol Ryeoseon used to call Hwang Dugong a blockhead.

“Yes.”

“When I last saw him, he wasn’t completely white like that.”

“A lot of time has passed.”

Meeting someone they knew made them feel the passage of time anew.

Seol Mantong tilted his head.

“But an elder guarding the Valley of Death? Wasn’t the top person in charge originally the Dangju? It’s been so long I can barely remember.”

Seol Changho said,

“Right. I remember it being about the Dangju level too.”

Seol Ryeoseon chimed in with “Me too.”

“But why is Hwang Dugong doing that nonsense on that cold mountaintop?”

“He might have been pushed to a minor position after losing a power struggle.”

At Seol Ryeoseon’s words, Seol Mantong chuckled.

“The Demonic Sect has gotten soft. If you lost a power struggle, you’d die from it.”

“He could still die from this.”

Seol Changho’s expression as he spoke was heavier than low-hanging storm clouds.

Sensing this, Seol Ryeoseon asked,

“You seem upset. Ah! Were you pretty close to Hwang Dugong?”

“I was.”

“Want to acknowledge him?”

“Are you crazy?”

“If he was pushed to a minor position, he could become our ally.”

“No matter how much he was pushed to a minor position, Hwang Dugong would never betray the Demonic Sect.”

“It’s not betraying the Demonic Sect, it’s returning the Demonic Sect to the Sun Moon Bright Cult.”

“Ryeoseon, are you serious about this?”

“If we were the former Samtaesang, we wouldn’t need such tactics, but we’re not that strong yet. We might need help.”

“Even so, Hwang Dugong as an ally? Do you know how deep Hwang Dugong’s loyalty to the Demonic Sect runs?”

“Wasn’t our loyalty deep too?”

At Seol Ryeoseon’s cold words, Seol Mantong added,

“We’re trying to return the current Demonic Sect to the Bright Cult. Maybe Hwang Dugong feels the same way we do.”

After thinking for a long while, Seol Changho spoke.

“All we’ve seen is Hwang Dugong being on the mountaintop. So let’s not get our hopes up too much.”

Halfway down the mountain, they encountered children climbing up with tired expressions.

“You, why are you just coming down?”

At the leading child’s words, the Triplets silently showed the characters on the backs of their hands.

“You already went to the top and back?”

“Stay strong.”

***

The meeting place was an abandoned mountain temple, and the time was when the sun had nearly touched the western mountains, calling forth darkness.

Seol Mujin, Jegal Jaeryeong, and Dang Gongseong went to the abandoned temple.

And two hundred Sichuan Dang Clan guards were positioned nearby.

Seol Mujin had opposed mobilizing the Sichuan Dang Clan guards, but he couldn’t break the will of Family Head Dang Gongmun.

Seol Mujin, who entered the abandoned temple right on time, discovered someone waiting.

A monk stood before an altar that was now full of spider webs since no one visited anymore.

The monk, who had six ordination marks on his forehead, wore red robes and appeared to be well over sixty years old.

Seeing the three people enter, the monk clasped his hands together and bowed.

“Amitabha. I have been waiting.”

He hadn’t expected them to arrive earlier than the appointed time.

Seol Mujin and Jegal Jaeryeong bowed their heads in greeting, but Dang Gongseong glared at the elderly monk with fierce eyes.

Dang Gongseong asked in a cold voice.

“Where is Cheonwoo?”

“Mancheonhwawoo first.”

“There should at least be proof that Cheonwoo is alive.”

“Sogaju is alive.”

“You expect us to believe the words of a shameless kidnapper?”

“Amitabha.”

Jegal Jaeryeong spoke.

“At least you know shame.”

“I will repay this sin with my death in the future.”

“Is Cheonwoo really alive?”

“If you just hand over Mancheonhwawoo, Sogaju will return home safely.”

“That’s not a lie.”

“Where is Mancheonhwawoo?”

“Before giving you Mancheonhwawoo, may I ask one thing?”

“I cannot promise to give you a proper answer.”

“Why do you need Mancheonhwawoo?”

The wrinkles on the old monk’s face deepened.

“I cannot tell you that.”

“You must know how terrifying a weapon Mancheonhwawoo is?”

“That’s why I’m committing such sins.”

“Who exactly does the monk need to kill that requires Mancheonhwawoo?”

“Amitabha. Please forgive me, but I cannot tell you that either.”

Jegal Jaeryeong asked again.

“Why did a monk from Podallap Palace set the meeting place here, far away, instead of at Podallap Palace?”

“I have my reasons, but I cannot tell you those reasons either.”

“Does the Gungju of Podallap Palace know about this?”

The elderly monk did not answer that question.

“The Gungju doesn’t know. Planning something like this without the Gungju’s knowledge—could it be that the person you need to kill is the Gungju of Podallap Palace?”

“The Sichuan Dang Clan just needs to exchange Sogaju for Mancheonhwawoo. Surely you wouldn’t kill Sogaju over something unrelated to you?”

“You’ve staked your own life for that unrelated matter.”

“If I don’t go to hell, who will go to hell? Amitabha.”

“Why are you trying to kill the Gungju you serve?”

“I said nothing.”

“I can read hearts more accurately than the words you speak. Why are you trying to kill the Gungju?”

“It’s merely our palace’s affair—outsiders need not know.”

“Since Sogaju is being held hostage, we have sufficient reason to know.”

“What would change if you knew?”

“Many things would change. So tell us. After kidnapping Sogaju, what is there to hesitate about?”

The elderly monk looked at them quietly before asking.

“Did you bring Mancheonhwawoo?”

Dang Gongseong said.

“The Sichuan Dang Clan absolutely cannot hand over Mancheonhwawoo.”

“You’re choosing Mancheonhwawoo over Sogaju?”

“That’s right.”

Bewilderment appeared on the elderly monk’s face.

“How can you make such a foolish decision?”

“Foolish! The Sichuan Dang Clan has never yielded to threats and never will!”

“Ah! How can you make me commit such great sins? Amitabha.”

The elderly monk, who let out a long sigh, spoke quietly.

“Please, can’t you reconsider that foolish decision? I truly don’t want to stain our hands with Sogaju’s blood.”

“The Sichuan Dang Clan’s decision cannot be reversed. So Podallap Palace should prepare itself.”

“Amitabha. It seems I won’t be able to leave this place alive.”

The shadow of one prepared for death was cast over the elderly monk’s face.

Seol Mujin, who had been silent until now, spoke up.

“Why are you trying to kill the Gungju?”

“What would change if you knew?”

“If the reason the Gungju must die is justified, I’ll grant that wish.”

“What do you mean?”

“You need Mancheonhwawoo to kill the Gungju, don’t you? I’ll become that Mancheonhwawoo for you.”

“You’re saying you’ll kill the Gungju?”

“If I kill the Gungju, you’ll release Sogaju. Of course, there must be a justified reason why the Gungju should die first. I cannot kill an innocent person.”

The elderly monk stared at Seol Mujin for a long time, as if trying to understand his true intentions.

“Do you really have the ability to kill the Gungju?”

“The results will speak for themselves. So tell me. Why must the Gungju die?”

The hesitating elderly monk spoke with a long sigh.

“The Gungju… has fallen into evil arts called the Art of Eternal Life and Immortality. How can a person live forever without dying? Even if that were possible, sacrificing a thousand maidens to perform such an abhorrent art is not something to do, not just as a Buddhist but as a human being. Yet the Gungju is trying to perform that wicked art. Already, a hundred women have died because of that art.”

Jegal Jaeryeong asked in shock.

“The Gungju really did such things? How could the Gungju of Podallap Palace, who serves Buddha, do such things?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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