Book 12 Chapter 20

Climb a volcano

- Three gateways

That night, in a room at the Plum Guest House.

"Ehhhhhh, that…, that nonsense……."

We don't know when it all began, but it has progressed in unison to the point where it has now alarmed Yeomdo and Iceblade. It was Yeomdo who had just shouted.

It was because of an old man's ridiculous proposal, and even worse, it was Bi Ryuyeon who brokered the deal.

Even as Yidou and Binggum clucked their tongues in horror, Bi Ryuyeon remained nonchalant.

"Why not?"

The sound of two people turning their outfits inside out!

"No way! "

For some reason, Yeomdo and Ice Sword exclaimed at the same time, but they couldn't help but instinctively call the old man in front of them a crazy old man because of the unique aura that surrounded the old man's body.

I was introduced to her by Ryuyeon Bi.

The skeptical old man shifted his gaze, first to Yeomdo, then to Binggum, as if to dismantle them both. They both felt as if their entire bodies were being pierced by the blade of his gaze. They intuitively knew that this old man was no ordinary person.

"Heh, heh, heh, I'm meeting some interesting kids here, does that mean this is another match made in heaven?"

The old man laughed out loud, his mouth wrinkled with laughter at what he found so amusing.

"? "

The old man's unbridled laughter only served to puzzle Yeomdo and Binggum. It was an act that could be considered rude enough at any age, but neither of them could restrain the old man's laughter. They had an instinctive feeling of rejection. But it was only a vague hunch, and they couldn't put their finger on why.

From that point on, the two had been unable to maintain a polite demeanor in front of the old man. And it had continued until now, when the old man was now making an outrageous suggestion.

"Did you get a pot of gold?"

Yidou, who had lived with Bi Ryuyeon for much longer than Bing'er, asked sharply. For a moment, Bi Ryuyeon looked dumbfounded, but she quickly replied nonchalantly.

"I don't think I'm obligated to answer that."

He was right. It is not necessary for a master to answer every question of a pupil. Except when he feels like it…….

However, as Yindo's keen eyes reveal, there was already a financial deal with the old man behind the scenes. It's just a shame that he can't expose the truth behind the false chanting.

"But this is too important. And I'm not kidding, you don't make such an important decision lightly."

The old man replied to Bing'er's resolute words.

"Don't worry, no one will care."

The skeptic's demeanor was brazen enough to make me suspect that he was related to Bi Ryuyeon. Listening to his casual optimism, my suspicions were reinforced.

Binggum cried out as he drove a dagger into his heart.

"I'll take care of it! "

It was because of the sense of the unknown that the two Anhumans, Salt and Ice Sword, were paying homage to the unknown old man with ash-colored hair. For some reason, from the moment they first met, they found it very difficult to deal with the seemingly unremarkable dwarf, for the feeling was not alien, but very familiar. Somehow, they could vaguely smell the scent of their late master. I couldn't help but be polite in my speech. (Master here is obviously not my current teacher, Bi Ryuyeon.)

No matter how difficult the old man was to deal with, these two stubbornly held to their position that the offer was unacceptable; their steadfast defense was like a fortress of steel, impregnable and unassailable.

Then the old man, who had been watching in silence, opened his mouth and spoke a word. It was a question that sent Salt and Iceblade into a state of genuine astonishment and confusion, different in nature from the bewilderment they had felt up to this point.

"…, by the way, you two, did you find any Tai Chi talent?"

They didn't know why the old man had suddenly appeared out of nowhere to accompany them to the volcano. They wondered if such a thing was even possible, but the fierce gaze of Yeomdo and Ice Sword did not tolerate any defiance or questioning, simply stating that the old man was an important figure in the proceedings.

上命下服! The words "take care of yourself" and "I will not let you off the hook" were emanating from him like a dense net.

In such an atmosphere, it was impossible to ask questions unless you had a few lives to spare, so it was decided that the old man would accompany them to Tianmu Peak. Tianmubong is the southernmost of the five highest peaks on the volcano, and was originally named Nakanbong (落雁峯), meaning the place where geese fly and fall. It was also the most rugged and gorge-ridden of the five peaks. However, when the Volcano Covenant Conference began to be held here, it began to be called Tianmu Peak by the martial artists, and no one called it Nakan Peak anymore.

"Tomorrow I will climb the volcano Tianmu Peak."

Bingum declared. And with many questions and suspicions lingering in the air, the final meeting was dismissed.

The day has dawned.

Everyone in the delegation from the Heavenly Martial Academy renewed their resolve as they watched the dawn slowly emerge from the ashen darkness, each of them carefully polishing their weapons with a careful touch.

Many of these were their alter egos, inherited from their masters, their families, or their patriarchs. Only they knew what resolve and oaths were in their hearts as they groomed their alter egos, the only friends who would protect their lives and bring honor and glory to their hands.

There have been many hardships along the way. The journey had been far from easy, but they had finally come this far. Their destination, the volcanic Tianmu Peak, loomed arrogantly before them. Today they would finally climb it. A new world and amazing experiences would be waiting for them.

I was so nervous that I thought my heart was going to explode.

"Mmm, mmm, mmm, mmm……."

But there was one person who was completely out of place in this solemn hour of preparation, who was isolated and alone, curled up in a bed with a blanket over his head. It was a solemn and reverent ceremony, and even when cold water was poured over it, it was an oily fountain. It was Bi Ryuyeon.

Some frowned at him with displeasure coursing through their eyes, others looked at him with admiration and envy at his carefree indifference.

It was well past breakfast time when he rose from his plush bed. There was no one else in the dining room, as the entire place had been reserved for a delegation from the Heavenly Martial Arts Academy. (It was a matter of making the delegation as comfortable as possible and avoiding any untoward incidents. Besides, they were so famous that it would be awkward and uncomfortable for them to be in the spotlight.)

They finished their meal in silence, not saying a word to each other, in contrast to their usual cheerful mood. It was clear that the morning was not going to go well.

"Are you finished?"

Binggum asked, looking around.

"Yes!

They all answered enthusiastically.

"Then let's go! "

The delegates rose to their feet in unison. Everyone had a look of determination on their faces.

We were off and running.

"Not your way!"

The ice sword stopped them in their tracks.

"No…, what?"

As he spoke, he glanced back to see Yeomdo still standing there, unable to fully regain his footing. Bing'er sighed pathetically, then shook her head.

"Eh? Where do I go then?"

Namgungsang asked quickly on behalf of Yidao, who was fidgeting and squirming, to avoid the risk of his temper exploding if he made a mistake.

Binggum pointed to the mouth of a grove of trees to their left, sparsely populated and poorly traveled, a stark contrast to the well-traveled path they'd been following.

Yeomdo's already harsh impression was distorted even further without his effort. There was no way words could come out of a face like this.

"Hey there?"

Bingum nodded. It looked pretty rough, even to him, and a pain in the ass to climb.

"You mean I'm supposed to leave that clear path and take the dirt road that's only for squirrels?"

Binggum simply nodded once, as if he couldn't be bothered to answer.

"Why? What's the reason? If there's something I didn't know, why don't you take this opportunity to tell me?"

The ice sword replied slowly, unperturbed by Yidou's protests.

"That's a path for the public, invited guests, and supplies. The Volcano Society delegates cannot go on that paved road. We're not here for a vacation, we're here for a trial, so these kids have to pass the test."

The area Bingum pointed to was heavily shaded by brush and forest, with rugged canyons and rocky hillsides that looked like they would be difficult even for Chuck. Obviously, there were plenty of things that would make it difficult for the group.

"Exam? "

Yeomdo's tongue lengthened.

"I didn't hear that, and I didn't hear that there were exams or gateways or anything like that at the last convention!"

It really was a golden age.

"Maybe you didn't hear it, but I sure did. And I understand that the gates are new for this tournament. From what I've heard, you'll have to go through three gates, suffer three hardships, and conquer three terrors before you reach the place you want to be."

"How come I don't hear it and you do? Doesn't that make sense? It's not fair?"

Suddenly feeling that he had been ignored, Yeomdo snapped.

"Of course not. Because you have no credit. Besides, in case you've forgotten, I outrank you. I hope you don't forget that, because it's very unpleasant!"

In a nonchalant tone, Bing'er spoke again and again. True, he was a martial artist, and Bing'er was a member of the General Affairs Ministry, which oversaw all of the martial artists, but that didn't mean his temper was dead. If it hadn't been for Bi Ryuyeon, he wouldn't have been the kind of person to throw himself into such an organization. It was all because of her.

The boiling kettle has finally overflowed.

"Wow!"

Yidou's anger finally exploded. It was no secret that the delegation's departure had been delayed by the bickering between the two men.

The fight is over. It was only the strength of one man that ended their seemingly endless battle.

"Now that you're done, would you like to leave? "

As if Bi Ryuyeon's words contained some mysterious power, the two men stopped fighting. Yeomdo, who was still struggling to catch his breath after being separated from Bing'er, glared at the last Volcano Covenant Branch participant, Shin Yusheng, with a devouring gaze.

"Hey, Meteor, did you go this way last time? "

"Oh…, no, I've never heard of that either?"

Stunned by the frightening mass of flesh, Xin Yu Sheng stammered out a reply.

"So which way did you walk up the street then?"

Yeomdo asked again, smirking to see if he was still upset.

"That's the way to go, of course."

Xin Yu Sheng lifted his finger and pointed to a very well-organized, wide path, which looked much wider and more comfortable than the one Bing Sword had pointed out. It looked like they could reach the top of the mountain in less than an hour if they used Jing Gong.

Originally, the road was paved to transport various goods to Tianmu Peak. Many martial artists who wanted to see the rumored Volcano Covenant Grounds wanted to tread this path and climb the Tianmu Peak. But even that was only possible for a select few who received invitations. Of course, that number was by no means small.

"Hmm, this is just a hunch, but I have a strong feeling that this Volcano Games might be unlike anything we've ever seen before."

After collecting his thoughts for a moment, Xin Yu Sheng said seriously.

'Maybe there's something there?

A feeling of discomfort kept getting on his nerves.