Martial Artist Lee Gwak - Chapter 46: Walking Slowly, But Never Stopping (3)

Light Novel: Volume 2 Chapter 21

Manhwa: Chapters 47-48

The core of the mechanism was filled with numerous traps. If someone unknowingly entered and carelessly tampered with it, the core itself could transform into a gateway of death.

“There are four of these mechanism cores in Jade Heaven Alliance, installed in the east, west, south, and north directions.”

“Hmm!”

Lee Gwak let out a subdued voice in response to Ma Duwon’s explanation.

Although he did not show it on his face, he too was overwhelmed by the vast scale of the mechanism.

Although Lee Gwak prided himself on having acquired some knowledge about mechanisms while being in charge of the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground at Mount Shaohua, what he saw here far surpassed his shallow understanding.

Lim Ji-moon, while moving inside the mechanism core, said,

“Be careful with what you touch here. If you tamper with the mechanisms incorrectly, the trap formations laid inside will be activated.”

“Are you saying there are trap formations laid out inside this as well?”

“Yes! And they are very high-level formations.”

Tension was visible on Lim Ji-moon’s face. And he wasn’t the only one. Even Ma Duwon looked tense.

Both of them were renowned geniuses in the Jade Heaven Alliance, unmatched in their respective fields of defense mechanisms and trap formations. What could make such individuals this tense? Lee Gwak was curious about the true nature of these trap mechanisms.

Ma Duwon pointed to a specific part of the mechanism core.

“That part is damaged. Lee Gwak, check it out.”

“Yes!”

Lee Gwak cautiously approached the spot Ma Duwon had indicated.

A gear as large as a grown man’s torso appeared worn out. It was not meshing correctly with the other gears.

“Measure its dimensions.”

“Yes!”

Lee Gwak, following Ma Duwon’s instructions, accurately measured the dimensions and recorded them. Ma Duwon meticulously inspected the interior of the mechanism, effectively utilizing Lee Gwak. They repaired what could be fixed immediately and noted down the measurements for parts that required more time.

The more Lee Gwak inspected the mechanism core, the more astounded he became.

For one thing, the scale of the mechanism was unbelievably vast. It wasn’t just about simple traps being activated or bronze statues moving, like in the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground.

Once the mechanism in front of him was activated, the earth would move, and the terrain would change. An enormous labyrinth would appear on what was once plain ground. Hidden within the maze were numerous traps and sophisticated arrays, and without passing through all of them, one couldn’t even approach the inner court.

The scale was beyond Lee Gwak’s wildest imagination.

“How on earth?”

“A hundred years ago, the Jade Heaven Alliance lost this place to the demonic cults but managed to retake it. After that, they realized the importance of defense, so they gathered the best craftsmen and created a defensive mechanism that the world had never seen before. The Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure is exactly that.”¹

“Hmm!”

Hearing Lim Ji-moon’s explanation, Lee Gwak could only let out a sigh of admiration.

“Once the Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure is activated, no enemy can infiltrate inside. However, numerous trap mechanisms and formations are intricately intertwined, so they need to be managed very delicately.”

“So that’s why Master Ma and you are moving together.”

“That’s right. Master Ma looks and takes care of the trap mechanism while I check the trap formations at the same time. Without perfect coordination, inspection is impossible.”

“That’s truly amazing.”

“Indeed. To think that they created this a hundred years ago, it’s astonishing the more I think about it.”

“Well, they did gather the best craftsmen so it should have been possible, right?”

“Of course, the best craftsmen worked on it, but there was only one man who directed them, and he practically designed and conceived the whole thing.”

“There was such a person? They must have been an incredible genius.”

“Yes! A truly remarkable person. It’s just a pity that their lineage has been cut off. Otherwise, I would have sought their teachings somehow.”

Regret was evident on Lim Ji-moon’s face. Gung Han-seol comforted him.

“Young Master, you are also a great genius. Had you been born in the same era, your talent might have surpassed theirs.”

“Ah! Honestly, that’s not true. That person is someone I can’t even begin to approach.”

Lim Ji-moon shook his head.

Lee Gwak asked.

“Who was that person?”

“Hehe! I’m sorry, I can’t tell you that.”

“Mm!”

“I’m sorry, big brother. I have aroused your curiosity but I couldn’t give you an answer. But there’s a reason for it.”

“I understand.”

Lee Gwak nodded.

He had come to help Ma Duwon, but his status was merely that of a squad leader of the Outer Hall. His status was too insignificant to be privy to the secrets of the Jade Heaven Alliance.

Gung Han-seol was glaring at him from behind Lim Ji-moon. It was a silent protest not to ask further.

Lee Gwak did not mention it anymore.

He repaired the mechanism as Ma Duwon instructed. That alone took up the whole day. Since the mechanism was so intricate that even a small mistake could have a significant impact, Lee Gwak had to be extremely cautious.

“That’s it! Connect the conduit to the right properly. There can’t be even a hair’s breadth of gap.”

“Yes!”

Lee Gwak was drenched in sweat from head to toe. However, his eyes shone brighter than ever. Lee Gwak was not just moving according to Ma Duwon’s instructions. In his mind, a grand picture was being formed.

He was repairing the Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure while visualizing the entire structure in his mind. It was a tremendous challenge and an interesting task at the same time.

Through this process, Lee Gwak felt himself progressing. Although it didn’t directly benefit his martial arts, he gained a perspective of seeing the whole rather than just parts.

He also learned a lot from watching Lim Ji-moon work on reinforcing and strengthening the trap formations. Lim Ji-moon had a very talkative personality and liked to explain what he was working on.

An ordinary person wouldn’t be able to understand what he was talking about, but Lee Gwak was different. Trap mechanisms and trap formations had some commonalities, so he could roughly grasp the concepts.

Gung Han-seol was still sending hostile glances from behind Lim Ji-moon, but Lee Gwak didn’t care. In fact, he ignored it.

Ever since he learned the Eight Snakes Art, he had always been thirsty for knowledge. The teachings of a genius like Lim Ji-moon were not easy to come by, so he was even more focused.

Inspecting and repairing the Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure in one day was impossible. What they repaired on the first day was only a fraction.

The next day, and the day after, they continued to inspect and repair the Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure. During this process, Lee Gwak discovered the existence of a secret passage beneath the inner city.

It was a secret passage created for the repair and operation of the Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure. However, the structure was so complex that it resembled a maze. Moreover, it was filled with traps, rendering it useless for anyone without an accurate map.

In fact, Lim Ji-moon and Ma Duwon also moved around with a secret map. They never showed the map to Lee Gwak, signifying its importance.

But there was something they didn’t know. And that was Lee Gwak had already memorized the structure of the maze in his mind.

Lee Gwak was more familiar with the structure of the Jade Heaven Alliance’s outer city than anyone else. He knew exactly where each building was located and where the waste disposal passages led. Moreover, his senses had become sharper since he learned the Eight Snakes Art.

At the very least, his sense of direction was unmatched. With this heightened sense, Lee Gwak accurately perceived the direction in which he was moving.

‘If I dig just one more zhang to the east from here, I’m sure it will connect to the sewer, Since no one pays attention to the sewage system of the outer city, if I come from there, I can sneak into the inner city.’

Of course, this was just Lee Gwak’s speculation.

He couldn’t be sure if his guess was right until he actually broke through the wall.

At that moment, Gung Han-seol sneaked up beside him.

“You’re not thinking about something else, are you?”

“Thinking about what?”

“You know what I mean.”

“I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“I can tell by looking at your eyes. Those eyes definitely have an ulterior motive.”

“It’s amazing how you can tell what someone is thinking just by looking at them.”

“Well, this place shouldn’t be open to a lowly martial artist like you in the first place. I’m sure you know without me telling you what would happen if you dare reveal anything you’ve seen here.”

“Lady Gung!”

“What?”

“I’m also a warrior of the Jade Heaven Alliance. You don’t need to tell me, I’m fully aware that there are secrets that must be kept.”

Gung Han-seol seemed momentarily taken aback by Lee Gwak’s unexpected response, so she glared at him in disbelief.

“I don’t understand what makes you so confident to talk back like that.”

“Then I don’t know what it is about me that you don’t like so much that you’re so keen to probe into my affairs.”

“Hmph!”

Gung Han-seol snorted and turned her head away, clearly not considering Lee Gwak as an equal in conversation.

Lee Gwak let out a wry smile at her behavior.

Meanwhile, Gung Han-seol was quickly moving away. Lee Gwak sighed softly and followed her from a distance.

Throughout the inspection of the Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure, his relationship with Gung Han-seol remained strained. But Lee Gwak endured it. He figured he wouldn’t have to see her anymore when it was all over.

Time passed, and the last day arrived. But he couldn’t relax. The area they were to work on today was essentially the most critical part of the Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure.

Tension was evident on the faces of Ma Duwon and Lim Ji-moon.

No matter how well they had done so far, if they made a mistake here, everything would be ruined.

“Lee Gwak, from now on, I will take over. Stay back and watch.”

“Are you sure?”

“My arm has gotten much better over time. There shouldn’t be any problem.”

“Understood.”

Lee Gwak nodded and stepped back to a safe distance.

Ma Duwon didn’t step in just because his arm had healed. The area to be inspected now was the vision, the secret among secrets, not to be casually disclosed to others.

Ma Duwon taught Lee Gwak a lot, but he kept the core parts to himself, not disclosing them.

Lee Gwak didn’t feel slighted by Ma Duwon’s behavior.

In Jianghu, visions are strictly transmitted only between master and disciple.¹ Due to its extreme secrecy, it’s almost impossible for others to steal and learn these visions.

Lee Gwak thought that the teachings he had learned so far were sufficient. He was walking the path of a warrior, not the path of a scholar like Ma Duwon.

Lim Ji-moon walked up to Lee Gwak’s side. Lee Gwak then saw Gung Han-seol’s eyes lit up with hostility from behind him.

“It’ll finally be over after today. Thank you for all your hard work, brother.”

“I just did as I was told, nothing special!”

“That’s the hard part. Most people can’t even follow instructions properly.”

Li Ji-moon’s praise made Lee Gwak smile awkwardly. He felt somewhat embarrassed receiving a compliment from Lim Ji-moon.

As far as he was concerned, Lim Ji-moon was the one who was truly remarkable.

Lim Ji-moon was only about twelve years old, an age when most children are carefree and playful without serious thoughts. Yet, at such a young age, Lim Ji-moon had mastered all the formations in the world.

He inspected and supplemented the formations laid out in the Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure, even creating new ones.

Lim Ji-moon was a genius who far exceeded Lee Gwak’s understanding.

Seeing Lim Ji-moon made Lee Gwak wonder about the talent of his sister, Lim So-bo, and how extraordinary she must be.

This thought made him realize anew how unfair the world could be.

The siblings were born with immense talent and were growing rapidly under the tutelage of the best teachers. Although they didn’t attract much attention now due to their young age, they were likely to become prominent figures in the martial world in the future.

Their starting point was entirely different from Lee Gwak’s, who had started from the very bottom.

A shadow momentarily crossed Lee Gwak’s eyes, but he quickly composed himself.

‘So what if my starting point is different, or if my journey is a bit slower? I’m already walking my own path.’

Even without the guidance of a top-notch teacher like them, Lee Gwak had done well so far.

Although he couldn’t gauge the exact extent of his achievements because he couldn’t spar with others, he was confident that he wouldn’t easily lose in a fight, no matter who it was.

It was then.

“Damn it!”

Suddenly, Ma Duwon’s cry of alarm burst out.

Sensing the unusual atmosphere, Lee Gwak asked,

“What’s wrong?”

“The mechanism malfunctioned.”

“What?”

“If we don’t shut it down immediately, the explosive buried under the walls could go off!”

Everyone looked stunned at Ma Duwon’s words. For a moment, they wondered if he was lying since the news was almost unbelievable. But Ma Duwon’s expression was seriously grave.

Rumble!

At that moment, the sound of something activating came from inside the mechanism.

Only then did they realize the severity of the situation.

Lee Gwak asked urgently,

“Why did the mechanism malfunction?”

“It’s so old that the part that controls it is broken. It’s been hanging on by a thread until now, and I didn’t realize that so I—”

Ma Duwon’s voice trembled involuntarily.

He was at a loss in this unexpected situation.

This was beyond his calculation. He was not accustomed to this kind of quick thinking in emergencies.

It was the same with Lim Ji-moon.

“Good heavens!”

At that moment, Lee Gwak made a quick decision.

“Ji-moon, get out of here now.”

“What? What do you mean?”

“Master Ma and I will take care of this, so get out of here quickly.”

“I can’t do that.”

Lim Ji-moon shook his head.

Lee Gwak’s gaze then turned to Gung Han-seol, Lim Ji-moon’s bodyguard. She was also stunned, lost in shock at the unexpected turn of events.

“What are you doing? Take him and get out.”

“What?”

“Take Ji-moon and get out quickly!”

Startled by Lee Gwak’s shout, Gung Han-seol quickly hoisted Lim Ji-moon onto her back. Lim Ji-moon struggled, but he couldn’t match Gung Han-seol’s strong force.

As soon as she had Lim Ji-moon on her back, Gung Han-seol ran out without looking back.

“Brother!”

Lim Ji-moon’s voice faded away.

Lee Gwak looked at Ma Duwon.

“What should we do now?”

SoundlessWind21’s Notes:

If there are any errors, whether it be grammatical, spelling, translation, or website-related issues, feel free to let me know. (´◡`) Anyway, thank you for reading!

1. Nine-Tiered, Nine-Heavenly Defense Structure. Raws: 구중구천방호관(九重九天防護關).
   • 九 jiǔ – nine
   • 重九 chóngjiǔ – the Double Ninth Festival (9th day of the 9th lunar month)
   • 天 tiān – day / sky / heaven
   • 防護 fánghù – to defend / to protect
   • 關 guān – mountain pass / to close; to shut; to turn off / to confine 
2. Visions. Raws: 비전(祕傳). The term is often used to describe something secretly passed down, such as a family’s secret recipes or techniques, in a manner akin to a “family heirloom.” It implies that only useful or valuable knowledge is transmitted.
   • 祕傳 mìchuán – to hand down secret knowledge from generation to generation within a school or family etc.

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