The Novel’s Villain - Chapter 45

Chapter 45: Choi Clan Sword Sect (3) 

“The stairs are quite unique.” 

“Yes, the disciples are replacing them one by one periodically.” 

“Replacing, you say?” 

“The stone that is carved from the Hundred Peaks is originally a dark grey color. But if you muster your strength and rub it 10 million times, it becomes white,” Cheongun answered Jinwoo’s question in that manner. His voice contained a lot of pride. 

‘…That’s one hell of a task.’ 

They weren’t Egyptian slaves, but they carved stones and rubbed them 10 million times to build stairs. 

Jinwoo glanced upwards.
 

They were a pretty steep set of stairs that went on for so long that he couldn’t see the end. It mixed well with the surrounding flower trees and created a phenomenal scene, but to Jinwoo it didn’t seem beautiful at all. 

If rubbing a stone once took a single second, then it took around 115 days and 18 hours. 

If they weren’t crazy about swords then it would be unbearable. 

Jinwoo felt like naming the path the ‘Path of Agony.’ 

“Completing one stone would be the first level. At the fifth level, you get to wield a real sword.” 

“I see.” 

Those who came out to meet him were rising stars. 

There was a reason why Jinwoo’s bodyguards were being pushed back in terms of spirit. However, even if they faced each other, they wouldn’t lose easily. Even if one’s own spirits were high, that didn’t necessarily mean they’d be strong in an actual fight. 

“Even this sort of harsh training is an incredible honor. A normal talent would never be able to reach the front doorstep of the Choi Clan Sword Sect.” 

Cheongun was confined in the thoughts that he was unique.
 

If the Instruction Master was like that, then what would the disciples under him be like? 

‘Self-esteem isn’t bad, but…’ 

Honestly, he couldn’t help but be a bit disappointed. 

The division which occurred in the original work had indeed been due to Lee Jinwoo’s actions. Such thoughts would have also played a role. 

Jinwoo glanced at his cellphone. 

There was no signal. 

It was a place that was completely out of touch with modern times. 

He thought that Hayeon’s bad handling of machines had just been added to the story to give her a sense of sloppy charm, but now, it made complete sense. 

The way up was not difficult. His body, which had been remodeled by the Mana of Information, did not tire easily. 

As his potential had reached the limit, he quickly became accustomed to the mountain and climbed the stairs as if he was as light as a feather. 

The trick was quickly absorbed into his body. 

Using Mana of Information, Jinwoo looked at Cheongun. 

He could see the vast amount of energy that was in Cheongun’s body. 

As the energy flowed through his body, it followed the movements of the muscles and bones and changed in various ways. 

For Jinwoo who moved his mana every day, he felt like he could easily copy it. 

Just watch and follow. 

The world looked too easy. 

This was the monster known as a Talent. 

‘As expected it’s overpowered.’ 

Although he was unable to generate the same amount of power, he was still able to imitate the movements. 

Rather, he felt shocked to see that his steps were cleaner than those of Cheongun’s. 

But Jinwoo merely smiled. 

At the end of the stairs was a huge gate. 

The wooden gate was so huge that he felt like he was staring at the entrance of the Gyeongbokgung Palace. 

He found a training hall and hanoks right inside. 

The size was considerable as expected of the world’s greatest swordsman, but something about the atmosphere gave it an elegant feeling overall. 

Of course, it was nothing compared to the size of Jinwoo’s own house. 

There was no trace of modern civilization whatsoever. 

It felt as if he had traveled back in time to the past. 

“Please come inside. The swordmaster is waiting.” 

If he had been the original Lee Jinwoo, then he would have yelled ‘Go to the swordmaster and tell him to come out!’, but Jinwoo didn’t have the nerve to do that. 

Where the swordmaster resided was not the very center. 

Strangely enough, it was the most remote location. 

The building itself was not extravagant and looked like a normal hanok house. Jinwoo, who had only seen glamorous things, got a very frugal impression from it. 

“Everyone else, please wait patiently at a different location,” Cheongun said. 

Yoona stared at Jinwoo. 

It would have been reassuring if he could have her nearby, but it was a situation where he couldn’t do anything. When she saw Jinwoo give her a nod, Yoona withdrew alongside his other bodyguards. 

‘This is really straining…’ 

Because it was not just anybody, but the swordmaster himself.