Ch.2710. Ancient Gear Ruby (1)

After entering Yeon Mun-woo’s hermitage, I spent several hours in deep conversation with him.

“Wait, so in that formation… what did you say?”

“Yes. If you consider the blind spots here and add additional radial traps…”

“My goodness! I never thought such an approach was possible!”

Yeon Mun-woo exclaimed in admiration. I felt somewhat embarrassed by his reaction. At first, he couldn’t believe what I told him.

‘You dismantled all my formation traps by yourself? Not by smashing through them with Yeon family martial arts?’

But what I said was true. Soso had tried to destroy some of the more time-consuming formations, but I stopped her and dismantled those traps myself.

That’s why I could explain to Yeon Mun-woo how to dismantle every formation trap. Some of my methods were ones that even he, the creator of the formations, hadn’t thought of, which is why he kept me here.

I also shared my insights on how formation traps could withstand physical forces like Soso’s Heavenly Demon Divine Technique.

When I finished my explanation, he looked at me as if he’d seen a ghost.

“You’re a school classmate of Soso’s? That means you’re barely past twenty. Yet you’ve grasped such profound principles… Young man, would you become my disciple? I’ll pass on to you all the mysteries of formation traps I’ve learned in my eighty years of life!”

His offer was tempting. Though I had dismantled them, Yeon Mun-woo’s formation traps were of an extremely high caliber.

‘Since this place is visited by Yeon family members, I didn’t set up particularly vicious traps, even if the structures are complex.’

If he were to teach me traps specifically designed to kill, that knowledge would be incredibly valuable. But before I could answer, Soso responded on my behalf.

“Um… Great-uncle! We came here for something more important than formation traps.”

“More important than formation traps? Wait. Come to think of it, why did you two come to my hermitage?”

It seemed Yeon Mun-woo finally had the presence of mind to ask about our business. Looking back and forth between Soso and me, he nodded as if understanding.

“I see. Though I’m treated as an outcast by the Yeon family, Sehwi was always a respectful fellow. So you’ve come to pay respects before his daughter gets married?”

Then he looked at me with a pleased expression.

“Well, since the Heavenly Demon lineage will be continued by you, Soso, with Yeon blood, having such an exceptional young man as a son-in-law would be excellent for the Yeon family’s future…”

“T-that’s not it! Minsu is a new employee at our company… and we came today for something else entirely!”

Soso was startled by the talk of marriage and son-in-law. Her face turned bright red. But rather than disliking the idea, she seemed too happy to know how to react.

“Hmm, is that so? Well, I understand. What is your business then?”

Finally, it was time to explain. I answered Yeon Mun-woo in a serious voice.

“We came to ask about Ancient Gear, or rather, the ancient divine mechanism.”

***

The three of us entered his hermitage.

Unlike its humble and small exterior, inside was a spacious research area. Seeing delivery boxes around, it seemed that despite being a famous craftsman, he wasn’t completely cut off from the outside world.

“Is such a thing really possible…”

His expression filled with amazement as he examined Professor Seong Chae-rin’s diagnosis, opinion, and the MRI images of my mana heart.

“I’ve worked with ancient divine mechanisms all my life, but this is the first time I’ve seen someone integrated with one.”

As an expert in Ancient Gear, he immediately recognized my condition.

“A human surviving with a destroyed dantian… and the Ancient Gear replacing it. Since the Ancient Gear itself is pure inner energy, it might seem possible at first glance, but it’s actually impossible.”

He then briefly explained about Ancient Gear. The relationship between an Ancient Gear and its owner is both contractual and symbiotic.

“If it were an Ancient Gear that had never chosen an owner, perhaps, but once it has chosen, it cannot survive without its owner. So if someone like you had a destroyed dantian and faced death, the Ancient Gear would revert to its initial form to seek a new owner.”

Ancient Gear is an evolving super-weapon that develops through three stages of performance.

“But your Red Jade, instead of reverting to its initial form, transformed and integrated with you. Well, Red Jade is exceptionally special among Ancient Gears. It’s more of a spiritual entity than a weapon.”

Indeed, Yeon Mun-woo knew the lineage and origin of Red Jade in great detail.

“What do you mean by spiritual entity?”

“Red Jade is special. It’s the egg of the Vermilion Bird, a supreme spiritual entity said to have existed during the Eastern Empire, the predecessor of Muguk.”

“Vermilion Bird…”

And he was right. When I deliberately collapsed my mana heart to capture the Doubt Demon, Red Jade evolved to its final form.

That form was a fiery bird that burned itself—the appearance of the Vermilion Bird.

“But if it has reverted to this egg form, the seal should also maintain three stages, considering its final form. Yet according to this image, there are five seals. Hmm, the meaning of this is…”

He was right. Even Professor Seong Chae-rin had been puzzled by the presence of five seals.

“The professor who performed my surgery suggested that the seals increased to five for stable maintenance of the mana heart. That was her estimation.”

“Indeed, that makes sense. But more than anything, the success of this surgery is extraordinary. I heard rumors of a young genius professor, and they appear to be true.”

After this brief exchange, it was finally time for the two of us to discuss the main issue.

“So, you want to release the seal on this Red Jade?”

“Yes, sir.”

At that moment, Yeon Mun-woo’s eyes met mine. As if reading something in my gaze, he calmly nodded.

“Though I’m not a doctor, matters concerning someone’s body shouldn’t be discussed carelessly. So, Soso, please wait outside.”

Fortunately, he was quick to understand. If he had noticed the state of my mana heart, he knew it wasn’t something to discuss freely in front of Soso.

Though puzzled, Soso obeyed the elder’s instruction.

After ensuring no words would leak outside, he spoke. His expression was filled with sympathy.

“Sigh. Heaven is cruel. For an old man like me, death would not be regrettable, but for a young person with a bright future ahead to have only five years to live… No, if you release the seal, that life will be even shorter. Yet you still insist on releasing it?”

He seemed to have understood the meaning of the seal. I answered.

“Yes. I must release it no matter what.”

“Red Jade is the Vermilion Bird’s egg, and the Vermilion Bird is beyond a spiritual entity—it’s a divine beast. So the fact that it has created five levels of seals shows its determination to save its owner. Red Jade must be lamenting that after saving you, its owner is now hastening his death.”

“Since I won’t live long anyway, shouldn’t I use my life meaningfully? Please help me, sir.”

Yeon Mun-woo was silent for a moment. I had brought a letter from Yeon Sehwi, the master of the Heavenly Demon Sect, but I knew upon meeting Yeon Mun-woo:

‘He’s not someone who would be moved by such a letter.’

The stubbornness of an exceptional craftsman meant that only his own will would move him. If he refused to help, even Yeon Sehwi couldn’t do anything about it.

‘But even so, I must somehow persuade him.’

Red Jade’s seal must be released. Yuri and Soso alone cannot fill the void left by Siwoo.

‘Even if it costs me my life, I must do this.’

The brief silence felt long. I steeled my resolve even more.

Fortunately, after examining my eyes, Yeon Mun-woo finally spoke as if resigned.

“I’m not a martial artist, but I’ve observed them all my life. People with eyes like yours cannot be dissuaded.”

“Will you help me?”

“Even if I refused, you would have tried every means to persuade me, wouldn’t you?”

He had seen through me. As I made an embarrassed expression, he smiled and said:

“But this is fate. Since I’m helping, I’ll do my best within my abilities to let you use Red Jade’s power again.”

Then followed a detailed explanation of Red Jade’s seal structure.

***

Night fell.

Yeon Mun-woo agreed to perform the secret technique to release the first level of Red Jade’s seal.

‘The release of the remaining seals will be up to you and Red Jade. What I’m helping with is only…’

As an Ancient Gear craftsman, his attempt was to stabilize the seal.

He would rework the mana heart that was leaking fire energy haphazardly like an exploded nuclear reactor.

‘I can’t extend your lifespan, but you shouldn’t die while releasing the front seals. At least up to the third stage form of Red Jade that you once achieved.’

This meant that through Yeon Mun-woo’s secret technique, I could safely release up to the third seal. I had already achieved Red Jade’s final evolution once.

So by optimizing the Ancient Gear and reworking part of its structure, he could partially stabilize the rampaging mana heart.

‘But the seals after that…’

The fourth and fifth forms, which don’t exist even in regular Ancient Gears or S-class Ancient Gears.

Those forms transcend gear and represent the true form of the divine beast Vermilion Bird. Even Yeon Mun-woo couldn’t imagine what side effects might occur.

‘Well, I can only die anyway.’

For now, I decided to focus on the fact that the first seal could be released. After that, if I could release the second seal, I would be able to use some of the fire spells from my time as Eins.

“Grandfather said the secret technique must be applied to your body at sunrise. For the stabilization of your fire-attribute gear.”

Soso was right. Yeon Mun-woo had said we couldn’t attempt the technique now that it was already night. So my immediate task was to cleanse my body and rest.

After finishing my bath in the open-air hot spring that Yeon Mun-woo had created, I was resting in the room he provided when Soso suddenly entered.

“I understand that, but why are you here, Team Leader Yeon…?”

My question clearly flustered her.

“I-I’m absolutely not here for any strange purpose! Grandfather said… that I could help you a little… so that’s why I came! Don’t misunderstand!”

It was completely bewildering. Soso was still wearing the same Chinese-style women’s clothes as when we arrived, but her cheeks were flushed as if she had just finished bathing.

After hesitating for a moment, Soso finally stated her purpose for visiting.

“J-just lie down quietly on the bed!”