Chapter 278: The Child Of Sorrows

Chapter 278

"This humble servant respectfully greets the Master."

This time his voice was no longer the gentle, grandfatherly voice he had used in front of Annie. Instead It carried a sense of reverence so deep that it would have surprised anyone who knew him well.

If Annie was still here, watching all this she’d have wondered whether this was still the same man who controlled all of Heukryeon’s intelligence network, and who had ordered countless experiments and also arranged the deaths of people without losing a night’s sleep, was now kneeling before a lifeless statue like some kind of devoted disciple.

For a while, nothing really happened.

Still, Baek kept his head lowered, waiting patiently. He had learned long ago that the being before him did not appreciate being hurried. Even after serving him for centuries, he still understood very little about the true nature of his master.

Just then two familiar crimson lights, even brighter than before, inside the statue’s eyes flickered. Followed up by a faint pressure that spread through the cavern, and even the strange grooves across its body began to glow as though something buried deep inside the stone had finally stirred.

"Speak, Do-jin."

The voice that emerged was ancient and rough. To put it in description, it was a voice that sounded as if it had been existing for a long, long time. There was no warmth in it, only something faintly ancient and powerful.

Baek raised his head slightly but kept his posture low.

"Master, this humble servant has come to ask about your condition. How much longer must you remain within this seal before you can finally break free?"

The crimson light in the statue’s eyes brightened.

"Still impatient, are you?"

"Forgive me, Master. I would never dare question your judgment. However, the world has changed considerably since the day you were sealed. New powers have risen, old families have grown stronger, and many of the people who once served you have already disappeared. I only wish to know how much longer we must wait before your return."

A low sound, somewhere between a laugh and a growl, rolled through the cavern.

"You have brought me the blood essence of countless Awakened over these past few centuries, and the offerings have not been without value. Their strength has nourished what remains of my power and slowly weakened the seal that binds me. Yet a five thousand-year seal is not something that can be broken through a little blood."

Baek listened without interrupting.

"At the current rate," the ancient voice continued, "it will take approximately ten more years before I can break free completely. Perhaps a little less, perhaps a little more. After all, the seal has endured for thousands of years, and it will not surrender simply because I desire it to."

"Ten years..." Baek repeated quietly.

He had expected the process to take time, but hearing that they might need another decade still made his heart sink. He had already spent centuries serving the being, arranging sacrifices, hiding the cavern, and protecting the secret of the statue. Ten more years would be a long time, especially with the world becoming increasingly unpredictable.

"Is there truly no way to shorten that period, Master?"

"There is."

Baek’s eyes lifted.

The statue’s crimson gaze remained fixed on him.

"If I obtain the Primordial Cores and blood essence of three Master Realm experts, I can use their power to weaken the seal far more quickly. Their essence is of a different quality from that of ordinary Awakened. It may be enough to force open a path through the restrictions that have held me for so long since the seal has considerably weaken and is not up to a tenth of what it had been."

Baek’s expression changed, and for a moment he forgot to hide his concern.

"Three Masters?"

"Do you find the number excessive?"

"No, Master. I would never question what you require. It is only that finding three Master Realm experts and obtaining their cores is not a simple matter. Such individuals are not ordinary sacrifices. Every one of them possesses strength that can easily destroy Heukryeon like a pack of cards."

The statue remained silent for a moment.

"Do not touch the little girl who stood before me earlier."

Baek immediately understood whom the being meant.

"Do you mean Annie?"

"Yes. Leave her alone. I have something in store for that girl when I finally return to the world. Her existence may prove useful in ways you cannot yet understand, so do not allow your impatience to ruin what I have planned."

Baek bowed his head again.

"As you command, Master. This servant will ensure that nobody lays a hand on her."

He paused before continuing, choosing his next words carefully.

"However, there is still the matter of the three Master Realm experts. Master, how do you expect this servant to accomplish such a task? I am only an Ascendant. Even if I gathered every resource Heukryeon possesses, facing a Master Realm expert alone would be no different from walking into my own grave."

His voice grew more serious.

"I do not mean to speak disrespectfully, but even a hundred people of my level would struggle to harm a genuine Master. Their strength is to great. I’ve even heard that if they wanted they could destroy an entire city. If I were to confront one directly, I would be killed before I could put any meaningful plan into action. How could I possibly obtain the cores of three of them?"

The cavern fell silent.

Baek waited, his forehead almost touching the ground. He knew his master possessed power and knowledge far beyond his own, but that did not mean every problem could be solved by issuing an order. With his master being sealed for over fine thousand years. Whatever strength remained inside the statue could not simply reach out and crush a Master Realm expert from where it stood since the seal no matter how weak it was, still held.

After a long pause, the ancient voice finally answered.

"I suppose you are right."

Baek’s shoulders relaxed slightly, although he did not dare raise his head.

"Facing a Master would be a death sentence for you. I had forgotten how limited your present strength has become. It seems I have no choice but to call someone who can help you accomplish this task."

Baek’s head rose before he could stop himself.

"Someone else?"

"Yes."

"Master, forgive my ignorance, but who are you referring to? I was under the impression that I was the only one still carrying out your will in this world. Are there others who remain in your service?"

He had served the being for centuries and knew many of its secrets, or at least he believed he did. Yet he had never heard of another subordinate who could be summoned to assist him. The discovery filled him with surprise, but it also made a certain amount of sense. His master had existed long before he was born. It would have been foolish to assume that Baek Do-jin was the only person who had ever received his favor.

Before the statue could answer, the air several meters away began to twist.

A thin black line appeared in the empty space. Then it didn’t take long for it to widen slowly and stretch into a circular opening as darkness gathered around its edges. The cavern’s gray light seemed to dim as a strange pressure spilled from the other side.

Out of the opening stepped out a tall looking figure.The stranger wore a long black cloak that covered his entire body, with its hood pulled low enough to conceal his face. Nothing about his appearance revealed his age, identity, or origin. Even his hands were hidden beneath the sleeves, and the solid shadow-like fabric seemed to swallow the faint light around him.

The moment he finished entering inside the cavern, the portal behind him closed without a sound.

Without even sparing a single glance at Baek, the cloaked figure walked toward the statue, stopped at a respectful distance, and lowered himself onto one knee. His entire movements looked smooth as if he’d done this a hundred times, but there was something unnatural about the way he held his body, as though he were not entirely human.

In a low, inhuman voice, he spoke.

"I pay my respects to the Master."

Baek’s eyes widened.

This was the third time that day he had been genuinely shocked. First, Annie had suddenly become a Master Realm expert. Then the statue had revealed that three Master Realm cores could accelerate its release. Now a mysterious individual had appeared through a portal, addressing his master with a title that Baek had heard only in the oldest records.

But the pressure coming from the cloaked stranger was what truly unsettled him. It was in no way inferior to that of Doris, If anything, it felt much stronger, as though a vast ocean of power were hidden beneath that black cloak.

His breathing became slightly uneven.

He had to be at least a Master Realm expert. Most likely someone who had stood at that level for a very long time.

Baek slowly turned his gaze toward the statue, trying to understand how his master had managed to summon such a powerful subordinate without him ever knowing.

The crimson eyes burned brighter.

"The Child of Sorrows standing before you should be more than enough to complete the task," the ancient voice declared. "He will assist you in obtaining the three Primordial Cores and their blood essence. Make whatever arrangements are necessary, but do not waste his time."

Baek immediately bowed his head.

"This servant understands."

The statue’s gaze seemed to settle on him.

"Do not disappoint me, Do-jin. I have given you power and extended your life for centuries. Do not make me regret that decision. If you fail, I will take back the gift I gave you all those years ago, and make you a mere mortal once more."