Chapter 126
A few days passed, and the heat of the auction subsided.
Finally, the day to step into the Cloud Sea Secret Realm dawned.
Baek-Cheong waited for the Guide to arrive at the location designated by the Biun Sect.
The Young Scions who had advanced to the main tournament gathered one by one, and the surroundings were buzzing with excitement.
However, the stories circulating among the scions somehow grated on her ears.
“I heard that half of those entering the Secret Realm have secured a Cloud Sea Map.”
“Indeed, one cannot enter empty-handed when facing such fortuitous encounters.”
At the word 'half,' Baek-Cheong pouted her lips.
It meant that the number of people who had gotten their hands on a Cloud Sea Map had swelled so much in just a few days.
“They released that many of them?”
No matter how much she chewed on it, there was several suspicious aspects.
Maps put up by someone who hadn’t even revealed their identity were pouring out endlessly.
Even the routes were all different, making it blatantly suspicious, yet everyone was scrambling to get their hands on one.
As if that wasn’t enough, even now, with entry right around the corner, people could be seen trading Cloud Sea Maps.
“At the very least, uncle should have gotten one for me.”
If it were her uncle, he would be someone who could easily procure a Cloud Sea Map if he set his mind to it.
There was no way a man who doted on her so terribly would sit on his hands when it came to a Secret Realm of this caliber.
Yet for some reason, her uncle hadn’t breathed a word about the Cloud Sea Secret Realm.
He had subtly changed the subject and had ignored even the preparations for the Secret Realm, let alone the Cloud Sea Map.
He seemed exactly like someone pretending not to know on purpose.
“So that was it.”
Having deduced this much, she realized the scattered pieces in her mind clicked together.
There was no possibility of a conspiracy involving items openly traded in the Biun Sect’s Bohwawon.
Conversely, it meant that the Biun Sect knew about it and left it alone.
“It really is a test presented by the Biun Sect.”
They were Cloud Sea Maps released everywhere to hide the seller.
Whether it was a trick to test those entering the Secret Realm or an arrangement to confuse the paths, she couldn’t tell.
However, if it were a board set up by the Biun Sect, her uncle’s keeping his mouth shut made perfect sense.
There must have been circumstances that made it awkward to disclose carelessly, even to Family.
“There is definitely something related to the Cloud Sea Map in the Cloud Sea Secret Realm.”
Even so, Baek-Cheong didn’t mind in the slightest.
It was better to be empty-handed than to be swayed by a mere map.
Because even without something like a map, she was confident she could rummage through the entire Secret Realm.
“Whether others obsess over the Cloud Sea Map or not, I just need to grab the best parts.”
Having finished her satisfying internal calculations, she went back to waiting for the Guide.
But right at that moment,
She heard someone approaching suddenly from behind.
Before she could even turn around, both her cheeks were grabbed.
Her soft cheeks were mercilessly kneaded as if they were rice cake dough.
“Awoo…!”
Baek-Cheong ended up surrendering her cheeks without even knowing why.
The hands kneading her cheeks were so unhesitating that she couldn’t hide her fluster.
“Still as cute as ever, our Cheong-Yi.”
An affectionate voice rang in her ears.
At the somewhat familiar voice, Baek-Cheong rolled her eyes while her cheeks were still flushed.
Mong-Yo stood there, looking down at her with a bright smile.
“Why is this person here…?”
She was Eldest Brother’s Eldest Sister, someone she had briefly seen at the Main Family’s New Year’s Banquet.
She remembered being exceptionally fond of her, but she had been absent from the Biun Sect’s New Year’s Banquet due to other matters.
However, when she faced her up close, the aura she exuded was different from before.
“Her momentum has deepened even further.”
Even as she stood still, the energy flowing from her reached the early phase of the Late Foundation Establishment Stage.
While she was assessing this internally, Mong-Yo’s hands showed no signs of letting go of her cheeks.
“Hmm, you’ve gotten even firmer since then. Do you know how much your Older Sister missed you?”
“Ugh, O-Older Sister. Please let go first…”
Baek-Cheong protested with a lisping pronunciation.
Only then did Mong-Yo pull her hands away, albeit regretfully.
Barely freed, Baek-Cheong gently rubbed her tingling cheeks with her hands.
She had been abruptly subjected to affection, but she still needed to show proper courtesy.
She hurriedly straightened her Attire and neatly gathered her hands.
“Older Sister Mong-Yo, it has been a while. Have you been well?”
She bowed slightly, showing impeccable manners.
Her demure and formal demeanor would have looked quite mature.
But to Mong-Yo, even that seemed like a sight she wanted to bite into.
“Oh my, how can you be so polite? Older Sister really can’t hold back.”
Mong-Yo spread her arms wide and pulled Baek-Cheong into a tight hug.
Before she even had time to straighten her demurely bowed waist, she was buried deep in an embrace.
‘She’s doing it again.’
Baek-Cheong ended up as a comfort doll with no room to escape.
Struggling while trapped in her arms was useless against Mong-Yo.
“Let’s go, Cheong-A. Older Sister will personally take you to the Secret Realm.”
Mong-Yo kept Baek-Cheong tucked in her arms and invoked the Concealment Art.
At this, Baek-Cheong had no choice but to be dragged along with a reluctant expression.
* * *
She flew for a long time, practically dangling by Mong-Yo’s side as she was led.
After they crossed a few peaks, a deep canyon revealed itself beneath their feet.
Baek-Cheong, looking down at the canyon, unconsciously widened her eyes.
“Oh, what is that?”
White clouds were flowing and winding like river water along the bottom of the valley.
Despite not being water, they filled the valley and flowed down sluggishly.
It was a sight that made her feel like she was already peering into a part of the Cloud Sea Secret Realm.
“Down there is the passage leading into the Cloud Sea Secret Realm.”
Mong-Yo pointed at the canyon and informed her.
Baek-Cheong swallowed dryly as she took in the river of clouds.
If clouds like that completely filled the inside of the Secret Realm.
The saying that one’s five senses would fade away, leaving only Divine Sense, naturally hit home.
“I want to go in and see it quickly.”
While she was observing the surroundings of the canyon, the others arrived one after another.
She caught sight of the passages where the Cultivators in charge of guiding were leading down the groups of Young Prodigies.
However, the faces of those acting as guides were somehow familiar.
‘Huh, it’s Eldest Brother.’
Eldest Brother appeared, leading a group made up of Foundation Establishment Cultivators.
When he met her eyes, he smiled, his eyes pleased and nodded.
Then he immediately commanded the Foundation Establishment Cultivators, as if focusing on his duty.
Likewise, Jin-Wi also appeared, accompanied by a group of Qi Condensation Cultivators.
“All the True Disciples have shown up.”
The Sect Master’s True Disciples gathered at the canyon, each taking charge of a group.
The True Disciples she had seen at the Main Family’s New Year’s Banquet appeared without exception.
Only the Eldest Senior Disciple Brother, Wang Sam, was nowhere to be seen.
“This is a bit strange.”
Baek-Cheong tilted her head inwardly.
The Sect Master’s True Disciples were among the most precious individuals in the Sect.
Such people had come out in droves to guide the Young Prodigies.
Furthermore, there was the fact that they had vanished during the Martial Arts Competition.
‘They wouldn’t be here just to guide the way.’
Groping around with the clues she had, she could guess what was going on.
Nine times out of ten, it was highly likely that the True Disciples had done something in the Cloud Sea Secret Realm.
“Did they perhaps siphon off the fortuitous encounters?”
She had that suspicion for a moment but quickly shook her head.
There was no reason for a Great Sect like the Biun Sect to commit such petty acts.
Especially when they had invited a bunch of external guests.
If they were going to monopolize the fortuitous encounters, they wouldn’t have offered up the Cloud Sea Secret Realm in the first place.
‘Then there’s only one thing left.’
Baek-Cheong recalled the rumors she had picked up at the Cheongunru Pavilion.
It was the eerie story about demonic beasts wandering within the Cloud Sea.
‘The story about the demonic beasts wasn’t a false rumor.’
It was highly likely that the True Disciples had entered the Secret Realm and wiped out the demonic beasts.
They couldn’t afford any mishaps when sending the Pillars of the Future into a Secret Realm that opened only once every ten years.
‘There’s a lot going on.’
Moreover, Mong-Yo’s case was different.
The period she had been absent was much longer than that of the other True Disciples.
It could only be guessed that she had been entrusted with a separate duty aside from culling the demonic beasts.
“I wonder what Older Sister was doing…”
Just as she was about to indulge her curiosity.
Her cheek was squished softly once again.
“Cheong-A, what are you thinking about so deeply when your Older Sister is right next to you?”
Mong-Yo poked her cheek with a finger and struck up a conversation.
The train of thought she had barely gathered was scattered once more.
“A-Ah, no. It’s nothing…”
“Really? Then let’s talk with Older Sister.”
Mong-Yo didn’t leave her alone for a single moment.
She would talk to her, fiddle with her cheeks, and stroke her hair.
She absolutely did not give her the leisure to idly rack her brain.
“Ugh, this is so distracting.”
Baek-Cheong was drained by the endlessly pouring attention.
While she was being tormented by Mong-Yo like that, she felt an intense gaze.
Looking out of the corner of her eye, Jin-Wi was staring intently from afar in this direction.
“Why is he acting like that again?”
Jin-Wi’s eyes were filled with an indescribable envy.
It seemed he was quite jealous of the sight of Mong-Yo hugging and coddling Baek-Cheong to her heart’s content.
The obvious envy was fully displayed on his naive face.
“What is up with him?”
However, Jin-Wi wasn’t the only one giving her a piercing glare.
At some point, Seo Ju-A was glaring fiercely at her from one side.
Her competitive spirit, determined to win at all costs in the Cloud Sea Secret Realm, was palpable.
“This is why being popular is so troublesome.”
Baek-Cheong was just about to brush off Jin-Wi and Seo Ju-A’s glares.
The area around the canyon stirred, and the Audience’s attention converged on one spot.
Above the canyon where the clouds flowed, an Inner Sect Elder slowly revealed himself.
With every step he took, a heavy momentum settled over the surroundings.
Even the True Disciples straightened their postures and paid their respects courteously.
Baek-Cheong and the others also paid their respects courteously.
“This Old Man wonders if he has kept you waiting too long.”
Presently, the Inner Sect Elder waved his hand over the river of clouds.
Then, the entrance to the Cloud Sea Secret Realm, which had been hidden from view, revealed itself.
The way the space distorted, looking like a rift, made it appear to be a natural Secret Realm.
“So this is a Secret Realm…”
Baek-Cheong was mesmerized by the entrance of the Secret Realm she was facing for the first time.
Since it was a Sacred Ground of countless fortuitous encounters, she naturally felt expectant, and her small chest couldn’t help but swell with anticipation.