Kang Il-san's group's actions were more shocking than I'd anticipated.
Witnessing the scene of human slaughter, my hesitation grew.
Could I really survive in this cruel world?
Could I safely reach the location of the Great Self Divine Art?
If I encountered enemies… what were my chances of survival?
A sudden wave of fear washed over me.
'Should I just stay put?'
The martial world I was experiencing was far more brutal than I'd imagined.
'Damn it, was I always this cowardly…?'
I shivered and hesitated, but soon I pulled myself together and shook my head.
Thinking long-term, I had to learn martial arts.
It was essential for survival.
Steeling my wavering resolve, I made up my mind.
'No, I'll leave tomorrow night.'
I removed my hand from the sword I'd been stroking and wore a troubled expression. This was indeed a wuxia world.
It was definitely the Sword Saint's Tomb.
My observations had confirmed it.
This time, I would likely face a life-or-death situation.
'I might even die then.'
Or the opposite could happen.
***
'Damn it…'
The next day, I awoke when the light of the night-luminescent pearl became slightly brighter.
I had barely slept the previous night.
My mind was hazy, filled with lingering thoughts.
I was filled with a desire to stay in bed, but I forced myself up, barely managing to convince myself that since I'd already drawn my sword, I might as well swing it.
'If I delay any longer, I'll just keep avoiding it endlessly.'
With a heavy heart, I got out of bed and prepared to leave.
I drank the water I had fetched the previous night, chewed on a fasting pill to wake myself up, and moved my shoulders to loosen my muscles.
There wasn't much to prepare.
Just securing my weapon.
I gripped the sword I had been holding preciously in my left hand.
This was to ensure I could react swiftly to any unforeseen circumstances.
Experts would be quick to draw their swords, but since I had no memory of sword training, I held it ready to be drawn instantly.
Honestly, I lacked confidence, having never tested it out. (The cave was too small to even swing a sword.)
At this rate, I felt like I'd die even fighting Kang Il-san's nameless underling number one, let alone Kang Il-san himself.
'Ominous from the start.'
I smiled wryly and checked my condition again.
I loosened the cloth belt of my long, flowing robe and tied it roughly, then tightened the leather belt more securely.
Having adjusted my loose, cumbersome clothing (seeing these elegant but utterly impractical clothes, I assumed the previous owner was skilled. No, I hoped they were!), I placed a pouch containing a few fasting pills in my pocket.
As for the silver mask… I hesitated and then put it in my pocket.
I understood the previous owner's desire to avoid people, but wearing a mask would obstruct my vision.
In my current state, I had to avoid even the smallest risks.
This body had sharp senses, but unfortunately, the mind controlling it was lacking.
'It's funny that I'm saying this myself.'
But I couldn't bear it unless I thought like this.
I was panicking, rambling pointless things internally.
In this disoriented state, I stepped out of the cave.
What kind of mindset had led me to venture into the martial world in such a foolish state?
Thinking back, it was utterly absurd.
Still, I had resolved myself.
The light of the night-luminescent pearl was a bit brighter than last night.
But it wasn't too bright… was it late dawn?
I cautiously hid myself in the bushes.
Kang Il-san and his group didn't come out to the river during the day when the light was brighter.
In fact, no other groups appeared at this time either.
Daytime was an inconvenient time for those plotting schemes.
The only variables were those traveling alone…
Actually, very few of them remained.
'So, there's no need to be nervous.'
But my heart was still pounding.
'Calm down.'
I took a deep breath and acted according to the plan I'd simulated thousands of times in my head while sitting in front of the cave.
I exited the cave, which required me to stoop, and headed towards the small stream.
I had been getting my drinking water from this stream.
Up to this point, it was familiar territory.
It was a thin stream branching off from the river, so inconspicuous that it was easy to miss.
Following the stream would lead to the river, which encircled the tomb.
Most people stayed in the area with buildings, the residential area, which was still a bloodless zone.
This was because it was under the control of the experts.
Specifically, Jiao-Long Wu Se-hyeon and the Phantom Sword Jo Il-geon from the demonic sects, and the Azure Sky Sword Namgung Jin-cheong and the Marquis of Huye, Geum Seo-il, from the righteous sects, had established this treaty.
These were the 'true' experts.
Those below them, like Kang Il-san or even the current Muk Cheon-woo, were renowned in the martial world, but not quite on a national level.
They were only half a step ahead due to their greater experience compared to the late-stage prodigies.
Hadn't I mentioned it?
The true experts observed while those below them acted out.
People like Kang Il-san, Pyo Maeng-ho, and Ma San were blinded by greed, unable to see the bigger picture.
Kang Il-san gained some significance by clashing with Muk Cheon-woo, but the others simply died meaningless deaths.
They weren't worth worrying about.
'The real ones are them.'
Wu Se-hyeon, Jo Il-geon, Namgung Jin-cheong, and Geum Seo-il.
These four alone maintained order and suppressed the chaos within the tomb.
As soon as they were trapped, they immediately represented the demonic and righteous sects, establishing rules for the lower factions and designating the residential area as a buffer zone.
It was a wise decision in many ways.
Searching the tomb's interior was necessary, and conflicts during that process were unavoidable.
So, they ensured that people could at least sleep peacefully and recover their strength.
By establishing minimal protection, they enforced a semblance of order.
This was to prevent other factions from gaining an unfair advantage.
Their priority was to find the Sword Saint's Legacy.
Until then, having allies was beneficial.
They were also search parties.
'Anyone with some sense would search together to find the Sword Saint's legacy and then backstab each other later.
While keeping an eye on each other…
Those who are unaware might be wavering, but the experts would already be anticipating it.'
To escape this place, they had to obtain that martial art.
They had no intention of being trapped in this tomb forever.
Whether it took a year or ten years, they could leave once they found the Sword Saint's Legacy.
The key wasn't momentary survival, but the Sword Saint's martial art itself.
They hadn't forgotten that.
They were thinking long-term, strategizing.
However, there was a problem.
The others didn't have the same foresight.
People would eventually lose their minds.
They would break the order of the residential area maintained by the four experts in the tomb, succumbing to fear and anxiety, and resorting to murder.
Human hunting, cannibalism, farms.
Those insane acts began at that point.
Later, even the residential area would be engulfed in a bloodbath, and even the tightly-knit righteous sects would fracture.
After that, Kang Il-san, Pyo Maeng-ho, Ma San, and those who had been suppressed by Wu Se-hyeon would run rampant, plunging the tomb into madness.
Until Muk Cheon-woo obtained the Sword Saint's Legacy, a storm of blood would sweep through the tomb.
Ultimately, Jiao-Long Wu Se-hyeon would lose his life, the Marquis of Huye, Geum Seo-il, would be severely injured, and even the protagonist, Muk Cheon-woo, would be left half-crippled.
Even the seasoned demonic sect expert, Jo Il-geon, would later gnash his teeth and describe the Sword Saint's Tomb as a "living hell" when recalling it.
The important thing was that there was one person who initiated this descent into madness.
Cho Janyeo, the Bloodthirsty Berserker.
A person who wouldn't stop until they saw blood?
Even the name was sinister.
But 'Bloodthirsty Berserker' was a moniker befitting his actions.
He was incredibly cruel and, despite being from the demonic sect, didn't discriminate between righteous and demonic when it came to bloodshed.
So, he was closer to being neither righteous nor demonic.
If pressed, he would be considered demonic, but even the demonic sect shunned him.
That was why I had only mentioned the names of Jiao-Long Wu Se-hyeon and Jo Il-geon from the demonic sect.
****
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