The guardian lion's clone walked towards me, fiddling with the Black Tiger (黑虎) mask. His steps were incredibly agile, unlike any movement I had seen before.
'If I can just land a strong blow, the clone will disappear.'
It doesn't have to be a level that would injure a person; even a light touch would do. After all, a clone made of qi (氣) is extremely unstable. Therefore, I just need to graze him to win.
Rumble
The guardian lion's clone raised his left hand. A condensed Wind Bullet (風彈) was already forming, and I couldn't gauge its potential power. The space around the Wind Bullet was visibly distorted, indicating its immense strength. The guardian lion smiled coldly.
"Is it the Thunder God Style (雷神流)? The Eight Spirits of Thunder (雷靈八式)?"
"Do you know the Thunder God Style?"
"Haha, you're putting on a show. The Wind God Style and the Thunder God Style have been rivals for the longest time, so it's natural that we know each other's techniques well."
Just by seeing the simple hand gesture, his words seemed true. Considering he is the leader of the Wind God Style, he might know more about the Thunder God Style than I do.
Rumble
The guardian lion's clone raised his left hand. A condensed Wind Bullet (風彈) was already forming, and I couldn't gauge its potential power. The space around the Wind Bullet was visibly distorted, indicating its immense strength. The guardian lion smiled coldly.
"Brat of the Thunder God Style. Let's see your skills."
Whoosh!
As he flicked his fingers one by one, terrifying Wind Bullets (風彈) were launched at me at an incredible speed. I hurriedly moved my spear to deflect the attacks, managing to block four out of five. One grazed my waist.
Just as I was about to adjust my stance and counterattack, the guardian lion's clone, appearing like a ghost, suddenly threw a punch.
Boom!!
"Ugh!"
I received the punch head-on, releasing my inner energy, but the heavy impact penetrated to my bones. Even though it was only about 20% of his strength, I felt my breath momentarily stop. From this single blow, I realized the vast gap in power between me and the guardian lion.
My breath was cut off, and I was pushed back a few feet.
'Damn, he's too strong...!!'
I just need to graze him. If I can just graze him, I can make the guardian lion's clone disappear. With this in mind, I scattered the Lan (欄) attack. Dozens of spear slashes (槍殲) swept through the air, but the clone, which had entered within a few feet of me, suddenly split apart.
Swoosh
"Ah..."
It was an incredible movement technique. The clone moved like a ghost, completely avoiding my spear slashes (槍殲) and flowing like the wind. It was a level I couldn't match with my current skills. As I stared in amazement, the clone whistled and retreated.
Then he chuckled.
"Why are you so surprised? Is this your first time seeing the Wind Soul Step (風魄步)?"
My face turned red.
He casually grabbed the hand gesture of the Wind God Style and said,
"Brat, watch carefully."
Whirring
A sound like a swarm of bees buzzed around the clone. As I tensed and prepared, the guardian lion said,
"This is the Wind God Style's secret technique, Wind Demon Annihilation (風魔滅盡)."
Swish Swish Swish
"......!!"
At that moment, the clone began to multiply, walking steadily towards me. Surprisingly, instead of disappearing, new clones seemed to form with each step. They surrounded me in a circle, but I didn't dare attack. Each clone's qi felt real, making it impossible to discern the true one.
'Is there really such a martial art in the world?'
After nearly twenty clones had formed, they began to attack one by one. I swung my spear to block their bare-handed attacks and strike the clones, but they didn't disappear. Instead, they grew stronger and attacked me head-on, forcing me to use the Thunder Spirit Step to retreat.
Boom
I began to perform the Heaven Thunder Infinite Spear (天雷無極槍) technique. The qi at the spear tip intensified, and the Thunder Spirit Qi fiercely attacked the clones. Using the first three moves of the Heaven Thunder Infinite Spear, I managed to repel more than half of the clones. One of the clones surrounding me laughed.
"Hehe, Heaven Thunder Infinite Spear! You've learned it all, haven't you?"
"Stop showing off!"
I clenched my teeth and gathered the power of the Heaven Thunder Infinite Spear. As my mind focused, the essentials of Lan (欄), Na (拏), and Cha (刹) were etched in my mind. My movements became more precise and faster, and the storm of spear flashes (槍閃) turned the area within a few feet into a deadly space. Each time a clone was caught by the spinning spear blade, it was torn apart.
Crack!
"Ah...!!"
I gasped at the sudden attack. A clone had appeared like a goblin and struck my face. I endured it with protective qi, but my head spun. If the attack had been slightly stronger, it could have broken my neck.
At the same time, the clones surrounding me shouted in unison.
[Ultimate Blood Wind God Fist (求極血風神拳)!]
Then, as if on cue, a barrage of hand strikes (手刀), kicks, punches, and knee strikes (膝擊) rained down on me from all directions.
Crack
[Shadow Fist (影拳)]
"Ugh."
Crack
[Combat Sutra (搏經)]
One side blocked an attack, and another side was kicked in the stomach. I swung my spear, but there was nothing there.
Crack
[Ho Su (鎬洙)]
"Oof."
Crack
[Chang Gua (裝掛)]
As I retreated, a palm strike and a stomp to the dantian came at me.
Crack
[Phil Bao (泌寶)]
As I bent over, an elbow struck my back.
The clones took turns, kindly announcing the names of their techniques as they beat me. Some appeared like goblins, grabbing my limbs and trying to break them. Each one had the skill level of a master (名人), making it impossible to escape once they got close.
If I hadn't used my immense inner energy to strengthen my protective qi to the extreme, I would have been killed already.
Crack
[Wall of Privacy (璧私)]
Crack
A palm strike (掌低) hit my chin from below, momentarily knocking me out.
Crack
"Ah!"
I screamed as I was pummeled relentlessly. Using my immense inner energy to strengthen my protective qi, I barely held on, but stars were dancing in front of my eyes. I finally realized why I was being beaten so badly.
'Damn... I can't distinguish between the clone and the original at all! And with the ability to pass through my attacks and change positions at will...'
The most extreme clone technique I had ever seen! Even Li Guang, who could also create clones, couldn't match this level of precision, number, and skill. After being beaten for a while, I used the key technique of releasing a large amount of inner energy to explode.
Boom
[Roar!]
I simultaneously unleashed a lion's roar. A flash of light radiated from my body, dispelling the clones. Once the process was over, I faced the clone again, who was leaning against a tree with his arms crossed, looking relaxed.
The guardian lion, looking at me who was badly beaten, said with interest,
"You're at the level to receive the Thunder God Style's advanced techniques. And that immense inner energy is intriguing. Hahaha..."
I gritted my teeth at the relaxed guardian lion. As I suspected, the guardian lion was a being on a different level. Miho's reluctance to fight and her attempt to avoid him was not unfounded.
Even with just 20% of his strength, the difference in skill was like that between an adult and a child, making it impossible to even touch him. The longer he hit me with weak attacks, the more painful it became.
"Ugh... Why?"
"Why what?"
The guardian lion tilted his head, and I growled,
"Why did you come all the way to Goryeo to chase us? I don't want to have anything to do with the White Lotus Sect."
"Haha... Well, that's true."
The guardian lion's clone was slightly faded. No matter how strong he was, using the clone and secret techniques for a long time had apparently reduced its density. However, he didn't seem to think he was at a disadvantage, saying,
"The Pure Moon you discovered is a pure Moon, retaining its original form (原形). We need it to achieve our great cause, so we have no choice."
"Original form?"
"Yes. So come along willingly. If you come, we won't kill you."
"There are many things worse than death in this world."
"Hahaha... Well, it's the same, but why are you so resistant?"
The guardian lion's clone, laughing, prepared to attack again. I sighed deeply, thinking I couldn't handle this anymore.
"Phew. I can't do this."
"What can't you do?"
"I was too arrogant. I shouldn't have held back in this situation."
"Huh...?"
I didn't answer but adjusted my breathing. A flash of lightning appeared in my eyes.
Thunder Roar (雷鳴)!
Crack!
The moment I finished speaking, my body moved at an incredible speed, drawing lines on the clone's neck and limbs. It was probably a speed the clone couldn't react to. The guardian lion's clone looked at the wounds on his body in disbelief, then turned to me and said in a trembling voice,
"You... You can't... use the ultimate technique..."
"Shut up and disappear."
Boom
The guardian lion's clone disappeared. I suppressed the bruises all over my body with the Huatiaojinxi breathing technique and sighed.
'Damn... He's too strong. He doesn't give me a chance to observe.'
When I realized that the clone had only 20% of his strength, I tried to draw out his techniques rather than eliminate him. Since the clone wouldn't affect the original, I wanted to gather as much information about his techniques as possible. However, after being hit by Wind Demon Annihilation so many times, I had to use Thunder Roar, one of my two secret techniques, to quickly defeat him.
'Now things will get serious.'
The guardian lion realized I knew the ultimate technique, Thunder Roar. Li Guang had said that Thunder Roar was a very special technique, known only to a few of the Thunder God Style's descendants scattered throughout the Central Plains. He also added that the Thunder God Style surpassed the Wind God Style because of Thunder Roar. The Wind God Style's hatred for the Thunder God Style's 'Thunder Roar' would be beyond ordinary.
Rumble!!
Sure enough, a massive destructive sound came from the outer boundary. An overwhelming aura, like a hammer, was striking the boundary. The attack was clearly filled with anger, indicating that the guardian lion was now enraged.
However, the disappearance of the clone with 20% of his strength meant that he could only use 80% of his power now. Clones were a very convenient technique, but they were rarely used in actual combat because the loss of qi when a clone was destroyed was significant. Recovering the lost qi would take a considerable amount of time.
Rumble - !!
After a while, the ritual at the altar was completed, and the boundary was strengthened. I leaned against a tree, thinking I could finally breathe a sigh of relief. Miho, who had come down from the ritual altar, said,
"Good job. You saved our lives when they were in danger."
I leaned against the tree, exhausted, and said,
"That guy is a monster. What if he puts a clone with 80% of his strength inside here?"
Miho smiled.
"Don't worry. The boundary we set this time can perfectly block even a clone. It's a great boundary created by three great ritual masters offering their treasures. We can hold out for at least a day."
"Is the boundary's effect only for a day?"
"Yes. We need to make a move within that time."
Miho turned to look at Seosan Daeja.
"Monk, do you have any good ideas? You saw the guardian lion's skills just now. How do we deal with that monster?"
"Hmm. The guardian lion is indeed a superhuman. If he attacks, no one here can last more than 50 seconds."
Seosan Daeja, who had also seen the guardian lion's skills during the ritual, looked serious. After a moment of thought, he said,
"We need to go to the ruins beneath the Altar of Ascension."
"Ruins?"
"Follow me."
We followed Seosan Daeja to a stone building behind the Altar of Ascension. There were stone piles everywhere, looking very old. As we walked through the grass between the stone piles, Seosan Daeja suddenly stopped and shouted,
"Ha!"
Rumble
The ground in front of him split open, revealing a massive staircase leading underground. I, as well as Miho, were stunned. We had never imagined such a place existed in this mountain. Miho looked at Seosan Daeja sharply and said,
"You tricked me. Or rather, the entire Manisan Mountain is a ruin."
The small mountain, Manisan, was about 150 feet high.
Inside this mountain, there was a massive secret space and ruins.
"I'm sorry. But this secret is too important to reveal casually."
Miho sneered.
"So you don't want to die either, huh? You should thank the guardian lion."
"Follow me."
"Hmph!"
Thud Thud
The four of us slowly descended the stairs. Yujeong summoned flames, and Miho summoned ghost fire, so there was no problem seeing. Seosan Daeja, walking at the front, said,
"To be honest, I don't know if the Seven Treasures are here or not. I only know that this is a very ancient ruin. And there is a malevolent aura here."
"Malevolent aura?"
"I believe this ruin was created long before the Altar of Ascension. The Altar was built on top of it by chance over time. The form and style of this ruin are very different from what we know."
"Stop talking and hurry up. That monster could break the boundary at any time."
Thud...
I was enveloped by a strange sense of déjà vu. Although I had never been here before, it felt like I had. After walking for a while, I realized why and was shocked.
"......!!"
"Why?"
"Ah, it's nothing."
I calmed my racing heart.
Indeed, the stairs and the carvings around here were very similar to those in the Water Star ruins! The place and humidity were different, but this was definitely a ruin designed by the same person who created the Water Star ruins.
My thoughts soon turned to certainty. After a while, we reached a massive chamber with ancient-style rooms scattered around. It was much larger and more grand than the Water Star ruins. However, the carvings and jars I saw were similar to those I had seen before.
Seosan Daeja climbed onto an altar.
"This is the end of the ruins. As you can see, there's nothing special here. No books or significant artifacts were found. If anything, it's that stone monument."
In front of the altar stood a stone monument.
It was inscribed with strange characters.
"Hmm."
At that moment, I felt something more vividly than when I stood in front of the Water Star ruins. It felt like a giant hand was forcibly stirring my brain, and I had a sense of being overwhelmed.
After a moment of dizziness, I examined the stone monument.
' I can read it.'
Surprisingly, unlike the Water Star ruins where I could only decipher a few words, I could read more than two lines this time. After observing calmly, I realized one fact.
[In front of this... guardian... the one who obtains... the trial... sprinkle blood on the altar... the offering room... the guardian... came from the moon... experienced filth in the underworld... cleansed by water... the sun... the storm... the moon was born... a massive... oath of blood... a great connection...]
It was clear that blood needed to be sprinkled on the altar.
And there was an 'offering room,' which was likely the trial to obtain the Seven Treasures.
At the same time, I was pondering.
Can I really pass this trial?
Of course, I could easily pass the Water Star trial now. But that was because I had learned the spider's appearance, strength, and attack methods through repeated deaths. If I had to fight a guardian with no information, my chances of survival would plummet.
The fortunate part was that there were several great ritual masters, including Miho, in this place. After composing myself, I called the group.
"Listen to me for a moment."
I explained that I had deciphered the stone monument, that sprinkling blood on the altar would summon a guardian, and that it was highly likely the guardian was protecting the Seven Treasures. The three of them were all amazed after hearing my explanation.
Thud
Seosan Daeja, in particular, was so shocked that he fell on his butt.
"Th-This ruin has existed since the time of Gojoseon, and countless scholars and sages have studied it. No one could decipher the strange characters on the stone monument. But you, Baekung, say you can?"
"I'm not sure, but that's what I think. If we sprinkle blood on the altar, we'll know."
"Hmm. How powerful is this guardian?"
"The guardian I faced could be defeated with my skills. But I don't know how strong the guardians in other places are. What's certain is that they are monsters that can be devoured in less than 50 seconds by ordinary peak experts."
Miho, who had been listening, looked beyond the altar and said,
"You're right. I can sense a malevolent aura beyond the wall. There's definitely a demon there."
"... Hmm. But if this is the guardian of the Seven Treasures, what exactly is the Seven Treasure here?"
"What do you mean?"
"I know about the Twelve Celestial Masters' secret orders, so I have a rough idea of the Seven Treasures. The Moon Treasure exists in Goryeo, and the Heaven Treasure exists in Dongying. So what is the Seven Treasure here?"
"......"
That was indeed strange. Could there be another unknown Seven Treasure beneath this Altar of Ascension? But it was hard to believe that no one had discovered or even sensed it in over a thousand years.
Miho, who was most interested in this, was deep in thought. After a while, she said with a look of realization,
"Baekung. Tell me everything you can read from the stone monument. There might be a clue."
I told her everything I could read from the stone monument. After listening, Miho said,
"Got it. The Seven Treasure here is the real Moon Treasure (月曜)."
"What do you mean?"
Miho laughed.
"Do you know the Three Noble Children of the Dongying creation myth?"
"Not really."
"They refer to Amaterasu Oomikami (天照大神), Susano (素?嗚), and Tsukuyominomikoto (月?命). The stone monument's description is clearly related to the birth of the Three Noble Children."
"......!!"
Miho laughed.
"Ahaha! I thought it was strange. Why were the treasures