Mok Gyeong-un couldn't hide his inner astonishment at the bookshelves surrounding the entire space and the sheer number of secret manuals filling them. Leaving aside martial arts, it was the first time in his life he had ever seen so many books. And to think that all of them were secret manuals.
This sword art, that blade art, this palm art, that heart technique… The number was so vast that he had no idea where to even begin.
‘Two hours.’
Before seeing this place, he thought it was a generous amount of time. But now, faced with such a massive collection of martial arts books, he felt that it might not be enough. Just then, Blue Spirit’s voice echoed in his ear. -It’s all useless junk.
“Pardon?”
Mok Gyeong-un replied in a whisper. She then said, -The ones on the shelves around here are all secret manuals that only those aiming for the third-rate, or at best first-rate, realm would covet.
“Is that so?” -Can’t you tell just by looking?
“I can’t tell just by looking.” -…Well, it’s not like a mortal like you who has just started would have a discerning eye.
Blue Spirit said with a click of her tongue. But this wasn't Mok Gyeong-un's fault. He possessed various fortuitous encounters, a memory that surpassed imagination, and a body that could realize it, allowing him to grow at a pace incomparable to most martial geniuses.
But considering how long he had been training, it was impossible for him to have a broad perspective. -You should be grateful to this master, mortal.
“Is that so?” -With your pathetic eye, there’s no way you could distinguish the martial arts that are at least somewhat useful.
“Well, that’s true.”
Mok Gyeong-un admitted it quickly. At his response, Blue Spirit felt her energy drain away. In truth, from Mok Gyeong-un’s perspective, there was no reason to be prideful about such a thing.
“Are you going to choose for me?” -Didn’t I tell you?
With your eye, it would take an eternity, so this master will pick out the useful ones for you.
“Then I have you to thank.” -First, go upstairs.
“Upstairs?”
Was there an upstairs here? As he wondered, Blue Spirit spoke. -Can’t you tell by the way the bookshelves reach the ceiling?
“Ah.”
Looking closely, he saw that there were support beams between the bookshelves, high enough to walk on, at about the second or third floor level. But from the way she had been talking, it seemed like she knew the layout of this place well. So, Mok Gyeong-un asked as he moved.
“Have you been here before?” -Of course not.
“But you seem to know it quite well. Telling me to go up without even properly looking at the secret manuals.”
How could she tell him to go up, as if she knew what was there? At this, Blue Spirit chuckled and said, -Looking at the structure here, it seems they just moved the treasure vault from the main headquarters.
“The main headquarters?” -Yes.
The main headquarters also has a treasure vault. It looks like they made copies of the secret manuals there and brought them here.
“Ah, I see. It seems like a lot of trouble for something only a few people will ever see properly.”
He thought it would have been enough to just bring the good secret manuals. At that, Blue Spirit snorted. -Hah! If you don't know, just stay quiet.
“Pardon?” -The fact that they created a treasure vault of copies by carving into a cliff in these deep mountains, rather than at the main headquarters, is likely a precaution.
“A precaution?” -To prepare for a possible invasion.
“Invasion? You mean in case the main headquarters is attacked?” -Yes.
Think about it. No matter how powerful a martial world faction is, it was common for them to weaken and crumble as time passed and generations changed, just like the laws of nature.
“Ah. So they made copies in advance?” -That’s right.
If the main headquarters were to fall, it would be a natural step to burn or destroy the treasure vault to prevent it from falling into enemy hands.
“It’s easy to destroy, but difficult to move or protect, so they prepared in advance.” -Yes.
I don’t know whose idea this was, but it’s a good strategy.
“I agree.”
Mok Gyeong-un nodded his head in agreement. Having come to understand to some extent how much martial artists cherished and coveted martial arts secret manuals, he recognized that this was a huge asset to them. From that perspective, considering that this vast treasure vault couldn't be moved all at once, it was the right choice. -Creak!
“…It seems they haven’t maintained it very well.”
The wooden plank leading upstairs creaked and swayed. Unlike the main headquarters, the treasure vault in the Corpse Blood Valley was not used often, so perhaps that was why. -What are you going to do?
“What do you think I’ll do?” -Knowing your personality, you won’t be satisfied with just one or two necessary things.
“Since I’m here, it would be good to look over all the useful things.”
At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Blue Spirit smirked. Mok Gyeong-un’s memory, which surpassed imagination, was helpful anywhere, but in a situation like this, it was truly the best.
‘I was just getting curious. This is perfect.’
Blue Spirit had been wondering about the limits of a memory that could perfectly memorize something seen only once. This was a good chance to see just how much he could memorize.
As this was happening, Yang Mu-won, the division master and guardian of the treasure vault who was about to light an incense stick to time him at the entrance, looked at Mok Gyeong-un with a puzzled expression.
‘That kid…’
How did he go straight up there? The bottom shelves of the treasure vault actually held basic arts and martial arts secrets suitable for third-rate to first-rate warriors to learn. The real gems started from the second-floor bookshelf, but as soon as he entered, he barely glanced at the bottom and went straight up.
‘Hmm.’
Anyone watching would think he had been here several times before, he looked so natural. The puzzled Division Master Yang Mu-won decided to stop thinking about it. His duty was to guard the treasure vault, and he just had to watch and make sure the boy didn't secretly take out any unauthorized secrets.
Just then, ‘Did he find something useful?’ He saw Mok Gyeong-un pull a secret manual from a bookshelf. No matter how good his eyesight was from practicing internal energy, he couldn't tell exactly what he had pulled from this distance.
However, from the second floor onwards, there were quite a few profound martial arts. There were secret manuals intended for those at the Peak Realm or higher, so whatever he picked would be a gain for that boy. -Rustle, rustle, rustle! Mok Gyeong-un could be seen flipping through the secret manual as if skimming it.
He was flipping through it quite fast. Would he even be able to read what was written inside at that speed? But after flipping through the entire book, he put it back on the shelf.
‘Huh?’
Did that kid even read it properly? Why was he skimming it so quickly? Even if he only had two hours, if he had the eye to go straight to the second floor, he should be choosing carefully from there… -Thud!
Mok Gyeong-un was seen pulling out another secret manual. Then, just like the first time, he was seen flipping through the pages at a tremendous speed with a rustling sound.
‘…What is he doing?’
At that speed, he wasn’t skimming; he was just flipping. Could he even understand what was written by reading like that? But Division Master Yang Mu-won wasn't the only one thinking this.
‘This kid?’
Was he even looking at it properly? He was flipping through the book at such a fast pace that it was closer to just opening and immediately turning the page rather than reading. Just in case, Blue Spirit asked. -Mortal.
Are you really memorizing it? If you flip that fast… -Rustle!
Rustle! Rustle! Thud!
Mok Gyeong-un closed the last page of the secret manual and whispered.
“Yes. Of course, I’m memorizing it.” -!?
He’s… memorizing it? No matter how good his memory was, shouldn't he at least read the words to some extent to memorize them? From what she could see, Mok Gyeong-un wasn't skimming; he was opening the book and immediately flipping to the next page.
And yet, “If I’m not trying to understand it right away, I can memorize it just by looking.” -What? At Mok Gyeong-un’s words, Blue Spirit was momentarily at a loss for words. He was reading the content almost in passing—no, it was closer to just seeing it.
And he memorized it all? For a moment, she was dumbfounded. Even she, a vengeful spirit, had a memory different from humans, but even that was difficult for her.
‘…An unbelievable memory.’
She had thought his memory was unbelievable from the start, but this was beyond human limits. As she stood there, stunned into silence, Mok Gyeong-un asked her.
“What other useful secret manual is there?” -Another?
You really…
“Really what?”
For a moment, she was about to ask if he was even human. From accepting the death energy to his memory, he didn’t just surpass ordinary humans; he was on a transcendental level. It was strange for her, a vengeful spirit, to say such a thing, but he truly didn't feel human.
Blue Spirit, who had been staring blankly at Mok Gyeong-un, finally came to her senses and said, -Ne…xt is… huh? Why is that there?
“What are you looking at?” -Where you're looking right now, yes.
Look at the third one on the bottom right.
“Pure Manifestation Leg Technique?”
Judging by the words ‘kick art’, it seemed to be a martial art that used the feet. Blue Spirit said to Mok Gyeong-un, -It’s the kick art of a faction called Bright Obedience Leg Sect. It was offered by a faction that joined the Heaven and Earth Society in its early days.
It’s a kick art distinguished by its speed and variations, and with a little refinement, it could easily be classified as a transcendent profound martial art.
“Transcendent profound?”
According to Blue Spirit, martial arts that aimed for the Peak Realm or Supreme Realm were called profound martial arts. And martial arts that had the potential and enlightenment to see beyond the Supreme Realm were to be classified as transcendent profound martial arts. But if it was a transcendent profound martial art, “Why is it here?”
She had said it should be on the third floor. At this question, Blue Spirit muttered as if she didn't understand either. -Well. I can’t know that.
I originally classified the Pure Manifestation Leg Technique as a transcendent profound martial art and placed it on the third floor. But the fact that it had been moved down meant, ‘…Was it him.’ That possibility wasn't entirely out of the question.
After all, he had denied and overturned everything about her. Snorting as if it were pathetic, she said, -In any case, it would be good to learn the Pure Manifestation Leg Technique. I can guarantee that you won’t find a kick art of this caliber in the entire Heaven and Earth Society.
Its variations were that diverse and its speed so swift that there was nothing more suitable for empty-handed combat. At her words, Mok Gyeong-un flipped through the Pure Manifestation Leg Technique and memorized it. She shook her head, unable to get used to it no matter how many times she saw it.
It was truly an insane memory. He could memorize almost an entire volume in the time it took to count to fifteen. -Rustle!
Thud!
“What’s next?” -The fifth one on the bottom right.
“Okay.”
At this rate, it seemed he could memorize dozens, no, hundreds of volumes before leaving. She wondered if there was a need to memorize that much, but it would certainly be an opportunity to broaden his perspective on martial arts.
Long ago, didn't an Imperial official named Huang Shang achieve enlightenment about qi and have his meridians cleared just by reading thousands of Daoist school secret texts, becoming a peerless master? Each secret manual holds its own enlightenment, so if this mortal truly has the talent, he would surely gain something from it. -Rustle!
Rustle! Thud!
“Next.”
She really couldn't get used to it. It was instantaneous. -Next to that… hmm.
“What is it? Is there another martial art like the Pure Manifestation Leg Technique?” -No, it’s not that.
That Taiji Soft Palm is the palm art of the Wudang Sect.
“Wudang Sect? Is that a martial sect too?” -…I am constantly seeing the limits of your knowledge.
He truly knew nothing about the martial world. At this, Blue Spirit said, -The Wudang Sect can be called the pinnacle of Daoist school martial arts, a sect that is called the best, surpassing even the prestigious families within the righteous path.
“It’s an amazing place.” -Yes.
It's not one of the Nine Sects, One Gang for nothing.
“What’s the Nine Sects, One Gang?” -I don’t have time to explain everything, so to put it simply, there are nine sects and one faction that are called the best even within the righteous path.
One of them is the Wudang Sect.
“Is that so? Then I should probably learn this too.” -No. Actually, I was about to tell you not to learn it.
At those words, Mok Gyeong-un asked with a puzzled expression.
“Why is that? If it’s a martial art from such an amazing place…” -Of course it would be useful.
However, for you, a Daoist school martial art might actually be… hmm.
“What’s wrong?” -It might be poison to you.
“Poison?” -Most of the energy occupying your body is death energy.
However, the martial arts of the Daoist school are based on the principles of life-nurturing. That’s why I hesitated, because if you learn it incorrectly, it could clash with the death energy.
“Ah, is that so?”
It seemed natural that Blue Spirit would be concerned. If that was the case, it might be better not to learn it, but, “…I’ll memorize it anyway.” -What? Why would you…
“No. How do I know if I’ll have a use for it?” -A use for it?
“Didn’t you tell me before, Blue Spirit?” -Tell you what?
“That just from the wounds or traces left by a martial art, you can tell which sect it belongs to and what style it is.” -I did.
“Couldn’t I use this knowledge in a similar way?” -You don’t mean…
Mok Gyeong-un smiled brightly. Seeing this, Blue Spirit inwardly clicked her tongue. Whenever this boy learned something, the ways he thought of applying it were things others would never even imagine.
He was the kind of person you should never make an enemy of. As Mok Gyeong-un picked up the secret manual called Taiji Soft Fist of the Wudang Sect, “Uh… um?” Mok Gyeong-un looked at the book with a puzzled expression.
It was because a part of the secret manual was dark red, as if blood had been spilled on it. Moreover, the manual seemed quite old. At that, Mok Gyeong-un asked.
"Didn't you say these were all copies?"
At Mok Gyeong-un's question, Blue Spirit also felt that something was strange. The book now held in Mok Gyeong-un's hand seemed, for all intents and purposes, -…to be the original copy.