Chapter 101: We Will Certainly Succeed

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In an instant, the training grounds were engulfed in silence.

It felt like even small breathing sounds couldn’t be heard.

The personnel gathered in the arena, without exception, stared blankly at Cheol Ryu-heun with dumbfounded expressions.

Each of them only blinked their eyelids as if finding it utterly absurd.

Sky Clear Stone Milk was an almost legendary elixir, and to explain more precisely, it referred to the milky liquid that forms on stalactites in caves within deep mountain valleys imbued with the mysterious energy of heaven and earth.

From antiquity, it was said that over several decades, it condenses into a drop the size of a small bead, and its color is cloudy like rice wine, and unlike ordinary liquids, it never falls down until someone touches it.

Furthermore.

In the case of a martial artist who had learned internal energy techniques, regardless of innate abilities or aptitude, putting just one drop in their mouth made it possible to newly gain no less than fifty to sixty years’ worth of internal cultivation.

It was efficacy of the highest tier among the natural elixirs existing in the world.

Like the Thousand-Year Divine Ginseng, which was the Triple King and had given birth to the current Divine Wind, it too was at a level where calling it “a gift bestowed by immortals” was no exaggeration.

However, throughout the one thousand year martial world history, those who had tasted Sky Clear Stone Milk numbered merely around twenty.

The reason was simple.

Setting aside everything else, finding a place imbued with the mysterious energy of heaven and earth was in itself a tremendous challenge.

Literally, it was as difficult as discovering a heaven-sent encounter of the ages.

Because it was an elixir of such high rarity, once you obtained it, you could name any price you wanted.

Yet… They were told that the Sky Clear Stone Milk, so rare in the mortal world and incomparably precious, would be used for bathing.

Cheol Ryu-heun, who had brought up those very words, was expressionless as always.

“What’s there to be surprised about.”

At Cheol Ryu-heun’s indifferent mutter, Hyeop Mu-geuk quickly straightened his expression and opened his mouth.

“Um, Sect Master, if everyone here is to wash, a truly enormous amount would be needed…”

His gaze said he absolutely couldn’t comprehend.

He didn’t doubt that it existed in this sect.

Last time, Cheol Ryu-heun had gone to the cave and brought back several bundles, so it must include Sky Clear Stone Milk for him to mention it.

However, the amount seemed absurdly insufficient.

Right, how many people are there…

For over one hundred people to all wash, even bringing a large jar full of Sky Clear Stone Milk would be insufficient.

He couldn’t readily calculate how much would need to be poured in.

Even if he had brought Sky Clear Stone Milk from there, and even if there was a lot, considering the size of those bundles, it was probably only the amount of a few small wine bottles.

That was precisely what was incomprehensible to Hyeop Mu-geuk.

The thoughts of others weren’t much different from his.

Yet Cheol Ryu-heun’s reply was.

“What enormous amount.”

“Pardon?”

“Don’t have doubts. Even just a few drops, what matters is only how you use them.”

Only then did Hyeop Mu-geuk grasp the meaning and nodded slightly.

“Aha… So that’s what you meant.”

Cheol Ryu-heun’s words meant that after truly filling with water, he would mix in the small amount of Sky Clear Stone Milk stored in the sect and attempt something.

Just then, Yeop Hwon beside him caught on and said.

“You must have something separately arranged. To bring about an effect through it.”

When Cheol Ryu-heun gave a slight nod, Guyang Cheon hurriedly opened his mouth.

“But Sect Master, even so, isn’t it too wasteful to use up all the Sky Clear Stone Milk on group bathing instead of drinking it? I don’t know what kind of effect it will have, but wouldn’t it be better to select personnel separately according to the amount and have them consume it…?”

“How bothersome. I can just go get more anyway.”

“Whaaat?”

Following the startled Guyang Cheon, Guyang Ji and Guyang In opened their eyes wide.

“Good heavens… Is, is that really true?”

“That you can obtain Sky Clear Stone Milk again…?”

“Yeah.”

At Cheol Ryu-heun’s brief answer, everyone including the executives like Yeop Hwon, Hyeop Mu-geuk, and Guyang Cheon was shocked again.

What…!

Does he mean if we want Sky Clear Stone Milk, we can just get it right away?

My, that easily?

Is it connected to the secret location of ancient encounters he mentioned before?

Does he mean he didn’t bring out all the elixirs there but there’s still surplus?

Or maybe a new secret location with martial arts manuals, elixirs, treasures, and such…?

Soon, Cheol Ryu-heun uttered even more shocking words.

“Enough Sky Clear Stone Milk for everyone in the sect to drink a cup each with some left over is stored somewhere. Well, if I think it’s needed later, I’ll go get it.”

Simultaneously, the disciples felt their heads go fuzzy.

Wh-what!

This… this is crazy!

Even if we all share and drink a cup each, there’ll be some left over?

Whether they did or not, Cheol Ryu-heun strode across the training grounds and left an indifferent voice behind.

“Anyway, everyone tidy up your spots and prepare for bathing.”

“Yes, Sect Master!”

* * *

Mountain Patriarch Hall.

Cheol Ryu-heun, having come to the office, took off the White Peak Sword Sect Master’s distinctive martial attire, torn in places, and tossed it to one side.

‘I’ll need spares.’

Among fabrics, there was something called Heavenly Silkworm Thread considered the finest quality, and unlike ordinary silkworm cocoon thread, it was at least ten times tougher, so handling it required a certain level of internal cultivation.

Hence, in the case of craftsmen who specialized in Heavenly Silkworm Thread, many were from the martial world who had learned internal energy techniques.

Because of that, when processed into clothes, it was so expensive that ordinary people couldn’t even dream of buying them.

However, Cheol Ryu-heun planned to order martial attire woven from Heavenly Silkworm Thread in bulk this time.

Not only his own, but for others too.

Since money was already more than abundant.

If the supply quantity here fell short, his plan was to use Red Cat Merchant Guild’s capabilities to sweep up even those from other regions.

Having already changed into regular clothes, he opened the door of the cabinet beside the desk.

CLICK.

Inside, a small gourd bottle could be seen placed there.

It was Sky Clear Stone Milk.

Cheol Ryu-heun was planning to use it to produce yet another encounter-like result.

Even without consuming Sky Clear Stone Milk, he intended to strengthen the disciples’ entire bodies through another special method he knew.

Through the so-called Crown Opening Grand Method.

Having made them eat an assortment of various elixirs in conjunction with the arduous process of the peculiar body tempering method to achieve twenty years’ worth of internal cultivation rise had all been for the work to be done this time.

In other words, he had meticulously calculated and laid the groundwork.

To enable those still lacking much to take a step forward in the future to become ultra-first-rate sword path masters…

The Crown Opening Grand Method he was going to attempt today was essentially a great stepping stone toward the leap for the full-scale rebirth of Mountain Patriarch Hall.

He was confident.

That he would certainly succeed.

Why?

Because in the past, there already existed one person who had succeeded at the Crown Opening Grand Method using the bathing method with Sky Clear Stone Milk.

Dongbang Ya.

A rare powerhouse from about four hundred years ago who had been capable of spiritual communication with the Divine Martial Sword.

And.

A peerless superhuman who had obtained the alias of Martial Immortal because his martial prowess was said to have reached the realm of an immortal.

The essence of the very special Crown Opening Grand Method he had succeeded at back then, that knowledge and experience was fully dissolved in his head.

So wouldn’t it be stranger if it failed?

The unprecedented study of Seven Energies Returning to Origin that Dongbang Ya had mastered in the past had already been successfully recreated by borrowing Yeop Hwon’s body.

That wasn’t all.

His plan was to graft parts taken from supreme masters of other eras besides Dongbang Ya onto this Crown Opening Grand Method, so the possibility of failure was nonexistent.

An ambiguous smile rose at the corner of Cheol Ryu-heun’s mouth as he picked up the gourd bottle.

‘If everyone has a long way to go, I should teach them a shortcut. The Crown Opening Grand Method I’ve prepared is precisely that.’

* * *

Ximen Yue, having parted with Yeom Sang-ah after sharing passionate ecstasy, immediately arrived at the forest where the Swift Wind Unit led by Nu-heum was secretly hiding.

Thus, the party immediately rode their horses out of Wuyang and passed through two villages without rest.

Around the time the sun was going over the western mountain.

Ximen Yue, Nu-heum, and the others finally stopped their galloping horses only upon reaching a fairly large village and sought a place to stay for the night.

Before long, they found an inn with a relatively quiet interior compared to others and all tied their horses in front.

Before entering, Ximen Yue commanded in a quiet voice.

“You must have many questions about the manor events, but rest first. I’ll tell you later.”

The party answered with nods and each took a room on the second floor and lay down to relieve their tension and fatigue.

TRICKLE.

Ximen Yue sat alone at a dining table on the first floor of the inn and poured the premium liquor he had ordered into a glass.

Currently, there were only four guests inside, so the atmosphere was quite quiet.

‘Good.’

Ximen Yue found that moderate quietness pleasing.

Because many things had happened during the day, his head had been somewhat complicated, but now it finally felt like it was calmly settling down.

‘Yeom Sang-ah…’

-On the day Young Master Ximen perfectly achieves mastery of that power, the one at the top will eventually have to give up his position and disappear.

-From today onwards, I’ve decided to completely stand on your side.

‘Ha, how interesting.’

He hadn’t expected Yeom Sang-ah to say such things.

Had he emptied about three or four glasses?

A figure who had come down the stairs soon approached and stood near the table, letting out a heavy voice.

“I apologize.”

The identity of the figure who bowed his head along with the words of apology was Swift Wind Unit Third Squad Leader Nu-heum.

Ximen Yue filled the empty glass again.

“Why?”

At that, Nu-heum asked back with a flustered expression.

“Par… don?”

“I’m asking what you’re sorry about.”

“Ah, w-well… To the masked old man…”

When Nu-heum trailed off with a dismayed expression, Ximen Yue waved his left hand lightly and said.

“Don’t worry about it.”

“But… As a subordinate serving the Young Master, it’s natural that I feel apologetic. If I had detected his presence from the start…”

“Do you think it was a mistake from carelessness?”

“…”

“You know well too. That it was unavoidable.”

Ximen Yue’s words meant wasn’t Nu-heum himself keenly feeling the gap in skill.

Well, it was true.

When they had exchanged blows earlier, Nu-heum had already keenly realized that the opponent was a powerhouse he couldn’t handle.

Just then, Ximen Yue drained a glass and gave a chin gesture.

“Take a seat. I have something to tell you.”

“Yes, Young Master.”

When Nu-heum quickly sat in the opposite chair, Ximen Yue poured liquor with a TRICKLE and opened his mouth.

“Actually… Yeom Sang-ah appeared there.”

“…!”

At the unexpected fact, Nu-heum’s eyes went round.

“It turned out she had come to relay that person’s orders.”

“Orders?”

“Yes. To immediately halt this mission.”

“Oh, then… Does that mean there will be no reprimand for today’s events?”

“That’s right. Because of the sudden mission halt, the existence of the Ghost Shadow Sword Technique is no longer an important matter.”

“Did you also hear the reason such an order was suddenly given?”

“Of course.”

When Ximen Yue nodded once and answered briefly, Nu-heum’s curiosity intensified.

“What is it?”

“It’s because of another party that was searching for the Ghost Shadow Sword Technique besides us, that bothersome existence.”

“My, so that was it. Just who on earth is that…?”

“Severing Finger Sword Venerable.”

The moment Ximen Yue revealed that identity, transparent ripples spread in Nu-heum’s eyes.

Severing Finger Sword Venerable was the alias of an unorthodox swordsman, one of the six supreme masters representing the Hubei region, the so-called Six Extremes of Hubei.

“As you know, the Ghost Shadow Sword Technique booklet that Severing Finger Sword Venerable is currently looking for has been ruthlessly torn and destroyed. But… Cheol Ryu-heun said this in front of me. That all those essences are in his head.”

“…!”

The moment Nu-heum grasped the hidden meaning, a cold and distinct smile rose at the corner of Ximen Yue’s mouth.

“Ha, isn’t it interesting? How he’ll react when he, who boasts such outstanding martial prowess that even one of the Five Supreme Martial Experts of Hunan here tasted defeat, learns of that fact.”