The Life of a Wise Cult Leader - Chapter 218

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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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100th Floor Allmasters Chapter 218

49th Floor. Martial Realm. Secret Manual (3)

“Ahh…”

“Wh-what is this…”

Who was their gaju?

One of the Twelve Victorious Mountains. As the Head of Hwaun Sword Sect, he was a master who possessed outstanding talent and reached the pinnacle realm. There were even rumors that he would someday reach the transformation realm like the Martial Alliance Leader.

Yet he was defeated in a single strike.

A shocked silence filled with horror lingered. Kang Jun-hyeok was also surprised.

His opponent was a pinnacle master. And one who had reached the extreme at that. This meant he was among the highest-level masters in the first tier.

He had knocked out such an opponent with a single strike.

Even though his opponent had been careless and he had used Manbinggi’s martial arts to gather his strength into one, this was beyond his expectations.

‘I’ve gotten stronger.’

While climbing the tower, he had become even stronger.

Currently, he had reached the end of the second tier.

‘At this rate.’

The third tier wasn’t far off either. Kang Jun-hyeok smiled with satisfaction and clapped his hands.

“Your gaju has been defeated. Is there anyone else who wishes to step forward?”

“…”

The disciples hung their heads low.

No one could step forward.

A few hours later, the gaju who had awakened from unconsciousness hung his head with a dejected expression.

“I… acknowledge defeat. Follow me.”

“You’re accepting it more readily than expected.”

He had fully considered the possibility that they wouldn’t acknowledge defeat and would risk their lives to stop him. For a sect, martial arts manuals held that much value. The gaju spoke glumly.

“You are a martial arts refiner. One who purely observes martial arts and points out their improvements. I know you have no other ulterior motives.”

“Ah.”

Kang Jun-hyeok nodded.

His telling each sect about their improvement points was partly to reduce resistance like this. It seemed to have worked well.

“If that’s the case, you should have just guided me from the beginning instead of fighting.”

“…”

Even so, how could they show their martial arts to an outsider?

The gaju wanted to retort like that, but quietly kept his mouth shut. As the defeated party, he had no right to speak.

Following the gaju’s guidance, Kang Jun-hyeok entered a secret room inside the sect’s building. In the center, a single martial arts manual was placed.

“Wait a moment. There’s a formation deployed, so I’ll dispel it…”

“No need.”

Kang Jun-hyeok tore through the formation with his bare body and began reading the martial arts manual. The gaju hung his head with a gloomy expression.

‘…Where on earth did such a master appear from?’

The Head of Hwaun Sword Sect was strong.

Having reached the pinnacle extreme, he was among the upper ranks even compared to other heads of the Twelve Victorious Mountains. He was a master counted among the top ten fingers in the entire Martial Realm.

Such a person had been defeated in a single strike.

‘…Would the Martial Alliance Leader be capable of this?’

The Martial Alliance Leader who had reached the transformation realm, called the number one in the Martial Realm.

Having met the Alliance Leader several times, he knew that power.

That’s why he could also know that it was impossible. The Alliance Leader was certainly stronger than him, but not to the extent of defeating him in one strike.

‘Is he the successor of a hidden single-transmission sect?’

The gaju’s mind became complicated. And at the same time, he felt puzzled.

‘Why would he want other sects’ martial arts…’

Someone with that level of power would surely possess secret martial arts. He couldn’t understand at all why they would read countless martial arts spread throughout the world and point out their improvements.

Rustle.

The sound of paper turning was heard. The gaju suddenly came to his senses.

‘…He seems to be an outstanding master and excellent enough to point out improvements to small and medium sects’ martial arts, but.’

This place was Hwaun Sword Sect.

One of the Martial Realm’s peak sects. As one of the Twelve Victorious Mountains, it possessed superior martial arts. No matter how outstanding one might be, it wouldn’t be easy to learn.

Even he, who had reached the pinnacle extreme, took quite a long time when first learning the Hwaun Sword Technique.

Even Kang Jun-hyeok would find it impossible. Thinking this, the gaju recovered some confidence.

Thud.

Kang Jun-hyeok closed the book.

“I’ve learned it. Nothing special.”

“What?”

The gaju’s eyes widened. He learned the Hwaun Sword Technique?

No. That couldn’t be. How much had he struggled to learn that martial art?

“You’re lying…”

Kang Jun-hyeok lightly drew his sword and executed it.

Graceful swordsmanship, like dancing.

It was definitely the Hwaun Sword Technique.

The gaju lost his composure and gaped.

‘N-no.’

Even so, finding improvement points would be…

“Ever-changing and elegant, but sharp energy is hidden within. Does it grasp and draw in the flow of surrounding momentum?”

“H-how do you know the mysteries of Hwaun Sword Technique…”

“But it’s vulnerable to strong force. When faced with a strike containing extreme internal energy, it crumbles like clouds. It would be good to hide extreme power in each move.”

“…”

At Kang Jun-hyeok’s words, the gaju looked like he was about to cry.

Leaving behind the gaju who was dejected yet grateful, Kang Jun-hyeok departed from Hwaun Sword Sect.

“So this is the Twelve Victorious Mountains. It’s certainly excellent martial arts.”

His talent for martial arts wasn’t particularly outstanding. Without Manbinggi’s assistance and advice, it would have taken quite a long time to learn. But Manbinggi spoke in a displeased tone.

“Crude. Even a decent mid-level sect in this one’s world would be better than that.”

“That’s because your world is excessively unusual.”

Manbinggi’s world was one where the Nine Sects and One Alliance and Five Great Families existed. It was a crazy place where second-tier masters were common and third-tier masters could be seen frequently.

In terms of pure power alone, it belonged to the highest peaks in the universe, so comparing it made Hwaun Sword Sect seem pitiful.

After that, Kang Jun-hyeok continued collecting martial arts.

Returning to Dobuk Village. He acquired martial arts from the small and medium sects that were waiting, and attacked two more of the other Twelve Victorious Mountains sects to obtain their martial arts. As a result, he was able to obtain forty martial arts just on the 49th floor.

[Passive Skill: Divine Art]

[Grade: Unique]

[Proficiency: E]

[The divine art of the fallen one. All streams return to their source, so everything eventually reaches the great trunk. You have taken the first step toward that trunk.]

[Integrated Techniques]

[1. White Sword Technique (Intermediate)]

[2. Erllaon Hashika’s Dagger Technique (Lowest)]

[3. Scale Sword Technique (Intermediate)]

[4. Cold Water Sword Technique (Low)]

[5. Iron Wall Fist (Low)]

.

.

.

[44. Ten Thousand Swords Return to One (Intermediate)]

By obtaining numerous martial arts, his proficiency in Manbinggi’s martial arts increased further.

He became able to execute the mysteries and techniques he had previously learned more naturally and smoothly. It also became possible to expand the Realm of Absolute Suppression of Heaven and Earth a bit more.

However, he still hadn’t obtained new techniques.

He had a tickling sense that something was within reach, but it felt like something important was missing. Manbinggi spoke as if it were obvious.

[From the fourth technique onward, it’s different from the previous ordinary techniques. It’s close to a single wall. To put it in perspective, if you’ve achieved the accomplishment of First Voice (Il-seong) so far, now you’re trying to reach the accomplishment of Second Voice (I-seong). A more fundamental aspect is needed.]

“The previous techniques weren’t ordinary either. Is this a martial art that surpasses intermediate level? Hmm.”

At least wandering around the Twelve Victorious Mountains seemed meaningless. Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes darkened.

‘Should I seek out the Martial Arts Alliance Leader?’

The only second-tier expert in this world.

His martial arts might have an answer.

But something felt ambiguous. His intuition was telling him. That even if he sought out the Martial Arts Alliance Leader, no answer would come.

The 49th Floor was one of the worlds existing in the universe. Naturally, there were also Players who came from this world.

However, there was a considerable difference between the current universe’s world and the 49th Floor.

‘Was it said to be a world dominated by one massive collective?’

An absolute imperial nation was dominating everything.

‘The empire’s name was definitely Blood Shadow Imperial Palace.’

The level of martial arts was also quite high, with several top-tier experts.

If it were such a world, he could obtain the martial arts he desired.

But now, not even a fragment of it was visible.

‘Based on the timeline, it’s not that distant a story.’

From what Kang Jun-hyeok understood, the 49th Floor’s timeline was 100 years before the current universe. It wasn’t sufficient time for a massive collective to rise and devour everything.

The precursors of that could exist from this point.

‘I should have listened more carefully.’

Since past history was completely unimportant for climbing the tower, he had lost it from memory. Kang Jun-hyeok clicked his tongue.

There were still ten days remaining, so he would wait a bit longer. But if there was still no answer, he would seek out the Alliance Leader.

Kang Jun-hyeok made that decision.

That night.

Kang Jun-hyeok, who had been resting with his eyes closed in the old cabin of Dobuk Village, opened his eyes.

Someone was approaching.

Very cautiously, as if trying to hide their identity. Shortly after, the door opened and a man entered.

“Are you the martial arts refiner?”

“Who are you?”

“I am the head of Cheongpung Manor. My name is Cheong Ho-yeong. It’s an honor to meet the renowned martial arts refiner.”

Cheongpung Manor.

It was one of the sects among the Twelve Victorious Mountains. Kang Jun-hyeok leaned back against the wall as if finding it interesting. Unlike his composed attitude, Cheong Ho-yeong was extremely nervous.

‘…This person is the martial arts refiner.’

The supreme master who defeated the Head of Hwaun Sword Sect in a single strike.

Some even said he was a master who surpassed the Martial Arts Alliance Leader. To the tensely nervous Cheong Ho-yeong, Kang Jun-hyeok asked.

“For the head to come all this way secretly without a single guard. What’s the matter?”

“I have a proposal to make.”

The head took out a book from his chest and handed it over.

“This is Cheongpung Manor’s martial arts manual. Could you read this and tell me the points for improvement?”

“That’s easy enough, but it doesn’t seem like that’s all you want.”

Cheong Ho-yeong spoke calmly.

“This matter, I would appreciate if you could keep it secret from others.”

Kang Jun-hyeok smiled as if he understood.

“You want to preserve your reputation, is that it?”

“…Though it’s embarrassing to say, that’s correct.”

Kang Jun-hyeok had been barging into each sect, beating down the heads, plundering their martial arts, then telling them the points for improvement.

And just before leaving, he would loudly shout about what he had done.

Sects that experienced such events inevitably suffered great losses to their reputation. For a head to be defeated by just one person and have their sect’s secret arts analyzed. It was normal to not even be able to lift their faces.

However, not all sects feared Kang Jun-hyeok’s visits.

After all, he did reliably improve their weaknesses. In a way, it was no different from a fateful encounter. The reason why quite a few heads came to this place was precisely that.

“You want to preserve your reputation, but you also want to obtain improvements to your martial arts rather than ignore them… So you’re making a deal by secretly coming before I visit? That’s not a bad judgment.”

“Th, that’s exactly right.”

Cheong Ho-yeong answered in confusion. He hadn’t expected his intentions to be seen through so quickly.

The information about the martial arts refiner known to the world was that of a complete madman.

A crazy person who challenged all sects solely to obtain martial arts.

He had thought such a person’s thinking would be quite short, but everything was moving under thorough calculation. Cheong Ho-yeong nervously swallowed. Kang Jun-hyeok nodded.

“That’s possible. I can keep it secret from others. But why should I?”

Why should he give special treatment only to Cheongpung Manor?

Cheong Ho-yeong opened his mouth as if he had been waiting.

“Hundreds of years ago. There was a Gifted One. That Gifted One’s talent reached the heavens. Like you, martial arts refiner, he acquired the martial arts of countless sects. At the end of obtaining the secret techniques of all existing sects, he left a final message and departed for the immortal realm.”

[I shall gather the secrets of all the martial arts I learned and leave them at Cheonmu Gorge. Those who reach that place will be able to attain the ultimate principle of martial arts.]

Kang Jun-hyeok’s eyes lit up.

“This is the first I’m hearing of this story.”

Even future Players didn’t know such content. Cheong Ho-yeong was puzzled.

“Is that so? The story about Cheonmu Gorge has spread quite widely.”

Such a story wasn’t known in the future.

Either the story was naturally cut off.

Or someone deliberately cut it off.

Cheong Ho-yeong carefully continued speaking.

“The location of that Cheonmu Gorge was recently revealed. It spread very secretly, so only the heads of the Twelve Victorious Mountains know about it.”

“You’ll make a deal on the condition of telling me information about that place?”

“…That’s exactly right.”

“Hoho.”

Kang Jun-hyeok smiled. His intuition was telling him. That if he went to that place called Cheonmu Gorge, he could achieve his purpose.

“Good. Hand over the martial arts manual. I’ll tell you right away.”

“Are, are you sure? Shouldn’t you verify the information first?”

To fulfill the condition first without confirming whether the opponent’s hand was real or not. It was a foolish act. Kang Jun-hyeok spoke as if there was no problem.

“It doesn’t matter. If it’s fake information, I’ll just destroy your sect.”

“…I’ll tell you right away. No, I’ll write it down with a brush.”

Cheong Ho-yeong hurriedly stood up.

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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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