Light Novel: Volu 1 Chapter 22
Manhwa: Chapters 24-25
Episode 8. Where the Sun Shines, the Shadows Fall (1)
As day broke, Dan Mok-wol, the head of Creation Pavilion, called everyone and issued orders.
From now on, the Creation Pavilion will inspect all the trap chanisms and obstacles, while the Outer Hall will repair all the collapsed huts. We dont have much ti, so hurry up and get to work.
Only then did Lee Gwak realize why he had been dispatched to this place. The Outer Hall he belonged to was once again tasked with the nial work, so they were sent as manpower.
The opening of the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground was a closely guarded secret. If the Celestial Demon Union found out, they might move faster than expected.
Of course, the Celestial Demon Union would soday find out about their actions, but the later that happened, the better. Because of this, the number of people involved had to be kept to a minimum, especially the common people.
So we were dispatched to work as a laborer after all.
Lee Gwak smiled bitterly.
To the outside world, Lee Gwak was a low-level warrior who had just escaped illness. It was safe to bring him as a laborer.
Damn it!
What? So in the end, were stuck doing all the nial work?
Seok Yi-cheon and Gok Chae-bong could not contain their frustration and voiced their complaints. However, they dared not raise their voices as their squad leaders watched them with intimidating eyes.
What are you doing? Why arent you moving?
The squad leaders glared and issued commands.
In the end, the warriors of the Outer Hall had no choice but to start moving.
On the first day, they cleared the debris of the collapsed huts.
Although they were low-ranking warriors of the Outer Hall, they had still cultivated martial arts. Naturally, they were many tis stronger than regular laborers and did not tire easily.
Although their frustration was palpable, they worked diligently, and after three days, the vast clearing was clean.
Now it was ti to rebuild their quarters.
Under the direction of a craftsman specially dispatched from the Jade Heaven Alliance, the warriors of the Outer Hall moved with the efficiency of ants.
Bring that wood over here.
You fool! Is your head just for decoration? Line it up exactly here.
Whats the use of being strong if you have no skill in work?
The bearded craftsman did not stop berating the warriors of the Outer Hall. At first, the warriors resisted, but they soon adapted and followed the craftsmans orders.
Soon enough, a building worthy of being called a lodging began to take shape, and so of the martial artists found themselves enjoying the work. They found it fascinating that they could build such large houses with their own hands.
Lee Gwak was among them.
At first, he moved without much thought, just following orders, but as ti passed, he found the work increasingly enjoyable.
You have a good head for work after all. Stay by my side and help .
Eventually, the craftsman recognized Lee Gwaks ability and kept him close.
Lee Gwak moved like the craftsmans own limbs, learning the entire process of building a house.
To build a proper house, it needed to have a solid foundation, strong pillars, and proper weight distribution. This was to keep the whole building balanced.
The entire process was, in so ways, akin to learning martial arts, which perhaps added to the enjoynt.
Lee Gwak put aside the troubleso martial arts for a while and focused more on building the house.
Eventually, he was involved in most of the process of creating lodgings that could accommodate hundreds of people.
When the massive lodging was finally completed, Lee Gwak felt an indescribable sense of joy.
Ive heard youre quite skilled at this work?
Just then, soone from Creation Pavilion ca looking for Lee Gwak. He needed a capable worker and so he took Lee Gwak with him.
Phew!
Lee Gwak had no choice.
Stay here for a while. From tomorrow on, youll accompany .
The person who had brought Lee Gwak was a man nad Ma Duwon. He was particularly skilled and knowledgeable in the field of chanism.
Over the course of a hundred years, many of the chanisms in Mount Shaohua had been damaged, and skilled professionals were needed to restore them. However, there was a shortage of manpower.
Even with all the laborers from the Creation Pavilion brought here, the work was slow.
Eventually, the Creation Pavilion drafted useful people from the Outer Hall, who had been brought in to handle nial tasks, and Lee Gwak was temporarily assigned to the Creation Pavilion.
Since his squad leader, Seo Jong-myeong, hadnt shown up for so reason, Lee Gwak had no choice but to follow Ma Duwons orders.
You must follow carefully from now on. Step only where I step. If not, I cant guarantee your life, so rember that.
Yes!
Ma Duwon entered a certain cave with Lee Gwak.
It looked ordinary from the outside, but once inside, the ticulous craftsmanship was evident. The floor was laid with flat bluestones, giving off an eerie feeling.
Ma Duwon exclaid in admiration as he looked around the cave interior.
Heh! Its amazing how the trap chanisms made over a hundred years ago are still functioning.
Theyre still functional?
Do you want to see?
Suddenly, Ma Duwon threw a stone onto the bluestone floor.
Whoosh whoosh!
In an instant, countless spears shot out from the walls on both sides of the cave. Had anyone been standing on the bluestone, they would have been turned into a porcupine in a blink of an eye.
Mm!
See? So are damaged, but many traps are still working. So you shouldnt let your guard down and be extra careful. If you die here, theres no compensation.
I understand.
Lee Gwak swallowed dryly.
This was the first ti he had seen trap chanisms in action.
He had heard stories about the various chanisms within the Jade Heaven Alliance, but he was soone who stayed only in the Outer Hall.
There was no chance for him to experience such things.
So how do these traps work?
Theres a spring under the bluestone that triggers the spears when pressed with sufficient weight. It sounds simple, but the actual process is incredibly complex.
Hmm!
I could explain it to you a hundred tis, but its not as good as seeing it firsthand. Now, stop talking and just follow where I step.
Yes!
Ma Duwon led the way, stepping on the bluestones. Lee Gwak carefully followed, stepping only where Ma Duwon did. The chanisms did not activate.
There must be places with springs under them and places without. The spots without springs dont trigger the chanisms.
Lee Gwak made a ntal note of where he had stepped.
Having crossed the bluestone floor, Ma Duwon touched a recessed area on the wall. With a heavy sound, the wall opened.
Ah!
Lee Gwak involuntarily let out an exclamation at the astonishing sight.
Inside the wall were nurous gears interlocked with each other.
This is the heart of all the trap chanisms. These things have to sh seamlessly for all the trap chanisms in Mount Shaohua to work properly. If theres one like this thats broken, it wont work properly.
Ma Duwon removed one of the gears. The gear in his hand was worn down.
There should be a gear of the exact sa shape in the pack. Bring it to .
Yes!
Lee Gwak rummaged through the pack and handed over a gear that was identical to the one Ma Duwon was holding.
Ma Duwon skillfully replaced the gear.
Its important to tighten it just right. If its too tight, the reaction will be slow, and if its too loose, its prone to failure.
Lee Gwak watched carefully as Ma Duwon worked. It didnt seem so difficult once he understood the principle.
Perhaps sensing Lee Gwaks thoughts, Ma Duwon smiled wryly and said,
Honestly, it looks easy, doesnt it?
Yes? Well, that is
Thats because this is the most basic area. Its not this easy anywhere else, just keep following and youll see.
Ma Duwons words were right.
The other areas were not as simple or straightforward as the first place they had repaired.
Within the cavern lay chanisms beyond imagination.
So were so cunningly concealed they could strike unpredictably, while others left no room for escape even when you knew they were there.
Among them, what astonished Lee Gwak the most were the figures made of bronze that resembled humans. There were eighteen bronze figures, each in a different pose.
What is this?
These are the Eighteen Bronze n of the Shaolin Temple.1 Its one of the essences of chanism engineering.
Ma Duwon looked at the Eighteen Bronze n with a rapturous expression.
Originally, the formation of the Eighteen Bronze n existed only in the Shaolin Temple. However, during the Great Heavenly Blood War, the Shaolin were devastated, and they sought to rebuild here on Mount Shaohua.
The masters of Shaolin created the Eighteen Bronze n here, dreaming of revenge. Although made of bronze, the intricate movents and forms were hardly different from those perford by humans. Naturally, the power of the Eighteen Bronze n was even greater than that of humans.
Martial artists had to face the Eighteen Bronze n here without using their internal energy, relying only on their forms.
Lee Gwaks gaze sank deeply.
Despite being lifeless bronze figures, the poses they adopted emitted an overwhelming pressure.
Each of the Eighteen Bronze n took a stance representing Shaolins martial arts techniques. Only when the eighteen forms were executed together would the formation of the Eighteen Bronze n be complete.
Lee Gwak asked Ma Duwon,
Is the Eighteen Bronze n formation broken?
No, as far as Ive checked, its still functioning perfectly.
Would it be possible to see it in action?
What?
Just Im curious. Ive never seen anything like this before.
Heh! Youre a martial artist after all, huh? Well, anyone would be curious to see such a thing. Alright! Normally, its not allowed, but Ill make an exception and let you watch. Take a good look, its a once-in-a-lifeti opportunity.
Thank you.
Ma Duwon shrugged his shoulders and activated the chanism.
Grrrrr!
With the sound of gears turning, the bronze figures began to move. Rust fell from their joints, and their arms and legs swept through the air in a dizzying display.
Swoosh swoosh!
The techniques were so intricate it seed as if they were being executed by real people.
Mmm!
A hum of admiration involuntarily escaped Lee Gwaks lips.
While Ma Duwon simply admired the intricate movents of the Eighteen Bronze n, Lee Gwak was astounded by the formidable power of the formation they created.
What if I were in there?
Lee Gwak envisioned himself being attacked by the Eighteen Bronze n, his bones breaking and his muscles being crushed.
His palms were soaked with sweat.
Lee Gwak was so engrossed in the Eighteen Bronze n formation that he couldnt tear himself away.
Bang!
Finally, when the Eighteen Bronze n finished their sequence and simultaneously stepped into their final positions, the inside of the cavern resounded as if an earthquake had occurred. Only then did Lee Gwak snap out of his reverie and co back to his senses.
What do you think? Impressive, isnt it?
Yes!
Even as he responded, Lee Gwak couldnt take his eyes off the Eighteen Bronze n. It felt as if the mont he looked away, they would co to life and attack.
This is just the tip of the iceberg. Mount Shaohua is full of such things.
Hmm!
The talents coming in this ti are really lucky. Just experiencing the Steel Blood Hell Training Ground will drastically increase their martial arts achievents.
It really is enviable. Damn! If I had known this, I should have paid a bit more attention to martial arts rather than just chanism engineering.
Ma Duwon genuinely looked envious.
Every martial artist dreams of becoming stronger than others. The talents being brought here had essentially seized an opportunity to beco much stronger than their peers.
It was an opportunity that any person in Jianghu would dream of. Ma Duwon envied the talents who had seized such a chance.
If youre done watching, lets get back to work.
Yes!
Ma Duwon deactivated the chanism that moved the Eighteen Bronze n.
The Eighteen Bronze n were indeed the epito of chanism engineering, intricately and precisely designed.
The innurable gears interlocking flawlessly were too complex for Lee Gwak to fully comprehend.
What Ma Duwon wanted from Lee Gwak was not an understanding of the chanisms but enough skill to assist him cleverly in maintaining them. And Lee Gwak, catching on quickly, assisted Ma Duwon and learned about the chanisms one by one.
Ti flew by quickly.
During that ti, Lee Gwak followed Ma Duwon around, helping to repair the various chanisms spread throughout Mount Shaohua.
Ma Duwon took quite a liking to Lee Gwak. His skill in work greatly assisted him, so Ma Duwon answered well whenever Lee Gwak was curious about sothing.
Thanks to this, Lee Gwak ca to understand the general principles of the chanisms. He even acquired the skill to dismantle simple chanisms without anyones help.
Ti passed quickly.
What was once a desolate Mount Shaohua quickly beca well-maintained, and finally, everything was ready to welco the talents.
On a winter day with heavy snow falling, new faces arrived at Mount Shaohua.
Boys and girls, still with a hint of immaturity about them.
They were the talents selected from all over Jianghu.
SoundlessWind21s Notes:
Thank you for reading!
Eighteen Bronze n. Raws: (). shb eighteen tng copper rn people / person zhn disposition of troops / wave / spate / burst / spell / short period of ti / classifier for events or states of short duration
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