The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 47

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Surviving in the Martial Realm as a Mage: Episode 47
Gong Jeol-gang was a Celestial Watcher.
Moreover, he held a position of considerable rank—an elder-class Celestial Watcher within Cheonsa-ok.
He had mastered the orthodox methods of celestial cultivation.
Among the Celestial Watchers, he commanded respect and held a certain renown.
Thus, his network of connections was broad and diverse.
Yet after abandoning Cheonsa-ok in what amounted to a hasty desertion, every thread of intelligence he possessed had been severed.
He had been consumed with the necessity of concealing his identity and erasing all traces of himself.
Once an elder-class Celestial Watcher of Cheonsa-ok, I had become no different from a mere mountain recluse.
There was no helping it.
Cheonsa-ok harbored masters of far greater caliber than myself.
The Master of Cheonsa-ok, Du Heon-won, and the other elder-class masters of that organization could not be underestimated.
Should three or four of them come hunting?
Without backing of any kind—and worse, now bereft even of my teacher Ilhyang—I would find myself in dire straits should my identity be discovered.
In any case, I had erased my traces with meticulous thoroughness to ensure survival.
Yet precisely because of this caution, I had learned of rumors circulating only within the Celestial Watchers’ world somewhat later than others.
“What in the world…?”
Among the Celestial Watchers, there existed a covert channel for trading goods and treasures.
It was none other than the Black Market—that shadowy bazaar the martial artists of Kangho used in secret.
After completing the modest Magic Tower construction my teacher Ilhyang had entrusted to me.
I had issued all subsequent tasks and found myself with a rare moment of respite.
Two days prior, I had seized this opportunity to visit a Black Market that happened to be opening nearby.
And there, I encountered a rumor I could never have anticipated.
“A secret realm has opened? The Share Secret Realm?”
“Hush! Shh! Goodness! Why must you be so careless, friend?”
“How can one be cautious about such a matter! Where exactly did you hear such a rumor?”
Concealing the frantic pounding of my heart.
I reached up to touch the black mask covering my face.
The Blue-robed Cultivator then tucked the Clarity Pellet he had purchased from me into his sleeve and answered in a hushed voice.
“This rumor is already rampant throughout the Celestial Watchers’ world. Nearly everyone knows of it. Even ordinary martial artists have caught wind of it.”
“I see…”
“The news spread with unusual speed, truth be told. So much so that some rootless fools have been recklessly clamoring to enter the secret realm.”
“You mean mountain recluses are mad enough to attempt entry into the secret realm for treasures?”
“Why would only Celestial Watchers be so afflicted? I’ve heard even ordinary cultivators have formed plans to rush there in groups. I myself have wisely refrained from such madness. But as you well know, this world is full of those willing to stake their lives for a taste of spiritual treasure. Apparently, an enormous number of mountain recluses have already rushed headlong into the secret realm. The numbers are quite substantial, I’m told.”
“Hmm…”
Initially, upon hearing the rumor of the secret realm, I had been utterly astonished.
But upon collecting myself, I realized this was no ordinary matter.
In Kangho, secret realms typically saw well-connected Celestial Watchers slipping in discreetly among themselves to claim the sweet fruits within.
‘After all, they could obtain information about secret realms from their ancestors in the Upper Realm.’
Even examining the records of Cheonsa-ok.
From long ago, information about the Secret Realm passed down by my ancestors was kept under strict control.
I dispatched only a minimal force to secretly harvest its fruits.
Of course, in that process, I clashed with countless groups of Celestial Watchers, and Cheonsa-ok lost many precious fighters.
Yet I always seized far greater rewards than what was lost.
From the perspective of the Celestial Watchers who held this information, the matter of the Secret Realm was something they had to desperately deny to others.
‘But now, even these riffraff know about it?’
Something had gone terribly wrong.
Warning alarms blared ceaselessly in my mind.
Worry began to creep in naturally.
‘Will Master be alright?’
The fact that Master Ilhyang was entering the Secret Realm was a secret known only to me.
The Water Bandits at the Water Sect believed Ilhyang had simply gone on a brief external excursion.
What they truly feared was not me, but the very existence of Ilhyang himself.
Hiding information was only natural.
‘If they learn that the Yangtze River’s Young Dragon has entered that place called the Secret Realm and cannot escape….’
There were more than a few who would be watching for any chance to flee immediately.
In fact, I had prepared for such contingencies.
I had brought out all the sailing ships I possessed, intending to return laden with provisions and supplies.
‘That won’t be enough. I need to completely sever all outside connections.’
The Secret Realm appeared at different times depending on the era.
It was common for people to remain trapped inside for as little as two weeks or as long as half a year to a full year.
‘If it were simply a matter of exploration taking a long time, that would be better….’
But if rumors of the Secret Realm spread so widely throughout All Under Heaven?
It was certain that tremendous conflict would erupt within it.
“I must return.”
I hastily completed my business.
I returned to the Ferry Dock, loaded supplies, controlled the Water Bandits, and headed toward Sungwha Island.
‘I need to tighten the screws on those Water Bandits a bit more.’
Since it was now almost certain that Master Ilhyang would not return for a long time.
I intended to assign such heavy duties to those enslaved Water Bandits that they couldn’t entertain any other thoughts.
‘That alone won’t be sufficient, so if necessary, I may need to weaken their strength….’
Perhaps I would need to mobilize the Water Bandits to subjugate the Five Dragon Stronghold downstream.
As I returned to Sungwha Island, my mind became increasingly tangled with complications.
* * *
An ancient ruin-like structure entered my vision.
The building, constructed from fairly solid sandstone, had only its floor and pillars remaining.
Given the considerable scale, it appeared to be a structure that had required a large workforce to construct.
“No. No, this is….”
As I approached one of the pillars of the ruined building, I realized it was not simply a structure built by human labor.
“Magic.”
“Have you discovered something?”
I nodded slightly in response to Chul Mu-geuk’s question.
This building had been constructed by a fairly high-ranking mage.
‘At least a 5-Circle Master.’
With earth magic as the foundation.
To create a structure of this scale, one would need to handle elemental magic across the board with considerable proficiency.
And that would require expending a tremendous amount of mana.
As my thoughts reached that conclusion, I began circling the surrounding buildings, searching for something.
And then.
“Hmm….”
I drew my brows together and frowned slightly.
“What is it? Did you find something troubling?”
Chul Mu-geuk had been watching me search for something on my own this entire time, and seeing my increasingly grave expression, he finally decided to press me directly for answers.
‘But I know far too little to make sense of this.’
Secret Realms were originally treasure troves primarily claimed by the Celestial Watchers.
Occasionally, those who weren’t Celestial Watchers—
That is to say, there were instances where those from the Murim became involved.
‘But most of those encounters ended poorly.’
When I learned that a Secret Realm had appeared in Chul Family Territory,
I had opposed involving ourselves with it.
But the Family Head of the Chul Clan, Chul Jung-myung, could not abandon his desire for the Secret Realm.
He asked me, the strongest master of the family, to investigate the Secret Realm’s exploration.
‘Still… we’ve been fortunate so far.’
Joining hands with this mysterious Celestial Watcher named Ilhyang to explore this place was, in a sense, a stroke of luck.
Most Celestial Watchers were somewhat hostile toward outsiders and those from the Murim.
‘Hmm. But since we don’t seem to be helping at all….’
Simply asking for half the shares as the discoverers of the Secret Realm
wouldn’t be shameless, would it?
Just as Chul Mu-geuk reached that point in his thoughts,
I gazed toward a distant point, my eyes narrowing, and soon whispered softly.
“We must flee, Senior.”
“Hmm?”
“Someone is coming from that direction. Approximately thirty of them.”
“Hmm….”
Chul Mu-geuk’s lips pressed firmly shut.
Without hesitation, he shifted his position and spoke.
“Set our direction.”
“Let’s head left, the way we came. We need to distance ourselves as far as possible from where we entered.”
Though the desert stretched endlessly in all directions with nothing but sand, I harbored no concern about losing my way or sense of direction here.
‘Because Geumok is with me.’
As long as Geumok, the spirit of wind, was with me.
No matter how chaotic the flow of mana was in this secret realm.
The probability of me losing my way converged to zero.
[…I smell blood. It’s dangerous.]
I nodded at Geumok’s whisper and wove a simple spell on the ground before.
Following closely behind Chul Mu-geuk and his disciples.
‘I erased the traces, but will it work on those bastards?’
The ones approaching reeked of blood, but they were Celestial Watchers—a rare sight in this world.
The concentration of qi they possessed was remarkably pure compared to ordinary martial artists, making them unmistakable.
‘The blood scent vibrates through the qi they carry, which is why.’
Moreover, their qi was a type I had encountered before.
‘The Heavenly Blood Sect, wasn’t it?’
Those whom Kangho called the Blood Cult.
The very ones who had clashed with Mansizong were now swarming into the secret realm in a group.
‘How did they get in? Wasn’t there only one entrance?’
I felt slightly frustrated by how little information I possessed about the mysteries of secret realms.
If I had known better, I should have asked Gong Jeol-gang about secret realms in more detail.
Mistaking it for a dungeon had complicated matters.
‘Will they chase us?’
While maintaining distance with a vague sense of unease.
Unfortunately, those bastards began moving precisely in the direction my group had traveled.
“They’re chasing us.”
“Hmm….”
The distance was still considerable.
At least half a day’s worth of travel or more.
But.
Dragging a long tail through a place where we didn’t even know the way wasn’t a good idea.
‘Who knows what other bastards might be lurking here.’
Seeing that the Heavenly Blood Sect was present, I couldn’t completely rule out the possibility of others.
So it seemed better to resolve this as quickly as possible.
“What would be the best course of action?”
Chul Mu-geuk refrained from offering his own opinion now that we had entered the secret realm.
This place was never particularly familiar to martial artists.
He had resolved to rely entirely on my judgment as a Celestial Watcher.
“Since we’re maintaining distance, let’s think of a method while we move.”
“Understood.”
Those bastards would certainly grow exhausted as well.
I hoped they’d tire before us, but even if they didn’t, there was no other option for now.
‘With Geumok and me, we’d have a higher chance of winning in a direct confrontation, but….’
I stroked Geumok’s soft fur, lost in thought.
I couldn’t guarantee a perfect victory, that much was certain.
If a confrontation erupted, Chul Mu-geuk and I would emerge unscathed, but that was about all I could promise.
Chul Mu-geuk’s disciples—Yang Cheon-jo and the other two—their fates remained uncertain.
Based on my calculations using the Heavenly Blood Sect as a benchmark from my previous encounters.
‘Geumok and I would perish. Only Senior Chul Mu-geuk would survive.’
Once that judgment crystallized, frustration gnawed at me.
So Ilhyang resolved to move in silence and devise a strategy.
After nearly two hours of running.
Ilhyang’s eyes suddenly gleamed as he gazed toward something ahead.
An unexpectedly useful variable had presented itself.

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