Chapter 101: Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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Thanks to the time that flowed like a river, the day the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda opened had already arrived.

Before leaving the cave dwelling.

Jin So-myeong, who was stroking his scabbard out of habit, paused.

‘Should I switch and wear the Heavenly Heavy Darkrock Sword?’

The Five Elements Sword was a Rank 2 highest-grade dharma treasure. Although it was comfortable because it was familiar to his hand, its grade was too low for a Golden Core cultivator to use.

Since he would enter the secret realm soon, he had to maximize his combat power as much as possible.

Pat!

As he focused his mind, a vast hill appeared along with a flashing gleam.

Entering the Secret Realm of the Mind and approaching the middle of the spiritual herb field, Mugeok, who had been sleeping in a dirt pit, popped out.

“Have you been well?”

As if a puppy welcoming its owner, Mugeok, who flew over while scattering Sword Qi, circled around him.

Since a sphere resembling fine fluff was flying in the air, it was quite cute.

‘No matter when I see it, it looks like cotton candy.’

Although it was an appearance that made him want to stroke it at least once, doing so might result in his entire wrist flying off.

This was because, if one looked closely with concentration, it was a terrifying sphere in which tens of millions of strands of Sword Qi were condensed.

Chaeng!

The moment he flicked his finger to shoot a strand of Sword Qi.

Mugeok flew over at a speed faster than an arrow and snatched the Sword Qi.

Seeing it devour every single strand of Sword Qi without leaving any behind, only laughter came out. Whether in the past or now, its appetite was truly tremendous.

“Mugeok. How much of the Heavenly Heavy Darkrock Sword have you absorbed?”

Woo-woo-woong!

Along with the sound made when a steel sword vibrates, an intent that felt like a baby mumbling was transmitted.

“Half?”

Mugeok spun around in place. Although it was not certain, it seemed like an expression indicating that he was roughly correct.

By the way, half. It was a somewhat ambiguous figure.

It seemed he had to give Mugeok more time to absorb the Heavenly Heavy Darkrock Sword.

“Hmm… for the time being, do not stay in the Secret Realm of the Mind, but let’s go together. Just absorb it outside.”

Wee-e-eing!

Taking along Mugeok, who was fluctuating up and down as if hopping, he came out of the Secret Realm of the Mind.

After fastening the Heavenly Heavy Darkrock Sword, in which Mugeok was imbued, to his waist.

He departed for the Dead Soul Wilderness, the desert located to the southwest of the Vast Wilderness Immortal City.

How long did he fly?

The number of cultivators he occasionally encountered increased rapidly.

The population density became high enough that it was hard to believe it was a desolate desert.

Those of the Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment stages were common, and those of the Golden Core stage were also seen here and there.

Hundreds of cultivators were flying in the same direction, and they were clearly going to challenge the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda.

‘It is a magnificent sight.’

Those prepared for death had a unique atmosphere.

The low-stage cultivators traversing the desert all had stiff expressions, which meant they knew how dangerous a place they were currently going to.

What would be the feelings of challenging the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, where even Golden Core cultivators died, with only Qi Condensation stage strength?

It felt like going to die halfway.

‘Is it literally a gamble with their lives on the line?’

Thinking from the perspective of low-stage cultivators, no matter what they obtained from the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, it was an immense harvest.

Spiritual herbs used in Rank 3, cultivation methods leading to the Golden Core stage, or at the very least, fragments of broken and discarded Magic Treasures.

Even if it was something trivial treated like a weed to a Golden Core Sage, it was an opportunity capable of changing the life of someone in the Qi Condensation or Foundation Establishment stage.

‘I can understand why they challenge it.’

Was it because Jin So-myeong had also lived a similar life? He felt like he knew what they were feeling.

Having no proper flying dharma treasure, watching the Qi Condensation stage cultivators running directly on their two feet brought back old memories vividly.

‘How many times did I almost die in the Red Cloud Secret Realm…’

At that moment when he was blankly watching the diligently moving low-stage cultivators from above the sky.

Kwang!

The sand shot up as if exploding, and a scorpion popped out.

The fellow, who had a body size as large as a wild boar, emitted a menacing murderous intent and then pierced the Qi Condensation stage cultivator right next to it with its tail.

“Aaaaah! Wh-What is this?!”

A young man wearing a brown robe rolled on the ground in fright.

He barely avoided the initial strike, but because his feet sank deep into the sand, he could not escape properly.

The moment he collapsed with a thud before going far and squeezed his eyes shut.

Chwa-ak!

In a whitish flash of a sword, the scorpion was split vertically.

It could not even react, let alone resist. In the exact posture of swinging its tail, it divided into two sides and scattered blood.

“Kkeuuu, ah?”

The young man who was making a strange sound stood up awkwardly.

Blinking his eyes with a bewildered expression for a long time. As if realizing what had happened late, he shouted in startlement.

“I do not know which senior it is, but thank you for saving me!”

Although he bowed his waist repeatedly toward all directions, he did not know Jin So-myeong, who was actually the one who should receive the greeting.

This was because he left the place at the same time he shot the Sword Qi and killed the scorpion.

Hwik!

Jin So-myeong, who had been flying for a long while, enhanced his vision using his spiritual power.

Near the horizon, a seven-story stone pagoda soaring high into the sky was visible.

‘Is that the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda?’

Frankly speaking, the first impression was just so-so.

The appearance of the stone pagoda was too shabby and ordinary. It was an appearance that would likely exist if one visited any temple nearby.

Except for it being large enough to touch the clouds, no inspiration whatsoever was felt.

However, for some reason, it was difficult to take his eyes off it.

Should he say it felt extraordinary the more closely he examined it?

On the surface of the stone pagoda, talisman characters of a sesame-seed-like size were densely written, and a subtle halo of seven colors was also shimmering.

‘…Indeed.’

He felt like he knew the reason why it was called the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda.

The moment he tried to read the characters written on the surface of the stone pagoda with curiosity and wonder.

‘Keuk!’

He hurriedly closed his eyes at a pain that felt like being pierced by an awl.

Because it felt like his nerves were being rummaged through with a red-hot iron skewer, he could not possibly continue looking at it.

Jin So-myeong, who was pressing his eyelids firmly, wore a bitter smile.

To think that even simply looking was not allowed. He could vaguely feel how high the realm of the one who created the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda was.

‘As expected, there are many experts in the world.’

Tension welled up along with admiration. The secret realm was dangerous even to Jin So-myeong. If he did not want to die in vain, he had to keep his wits about him.

Hwik!

As the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda drew closer, there was no room even to step.

More than tens of thousands of cultivators were surrounding the pagoda as the center; the outermost area was occupied by Qi Condensation stage cultivators with tense expressions, and the middle was taken up by those of the Foundation Establishment stage.

Lastly, the place closest to the treasure pagoda was the domain of the Golden Core stage.

‘It is a bit quiet over there.’

While the outer area had a population density high enough to be no different from a marketplace, the inner area had plenty of space.

This was because the low-stage cultivators could not dare to approach the place where the Golden Core Sages were.

Of course, since Jin So-myeong was a proud Golden Core cultivator, he headed toward the center without any hesitation.

Simultaneously with his arrival.

Blatant gazes poured in to the point that his skin tingled. He calmly met those gazes filled with vigilance and curiosity.

‘Are there about thirty Golden Core cultivators entering from this side?’

There were many familiar faces.

They were those he had met at the Golden Core gathering when looking for a Divine Sense-related spiritual object in the past.

“Daoist Jin.”

“It has been a long time, Madame Ryeo.”

Among them was Ryeo Jeong as well. He nodded in response to her as she greeted him with her characteristic smile.

Watching her smiling without hiding her gladness, a question suddenly arose.

‘Why is her Divine Sense the same?’

Madame Ryeo’s Divine Sense level was exactly the same as two years ago.

Did she not consume the Golden Moonbright Grass?

Although he was curious about where she had used the precious spiritual herb, he did not bother to ask.

After settling down anywhere nearby, he quietly raised his senses.

‘There are three in the late Golden Core stage.’

A skeletal old woman wearing rings on every finger, a giant of a man wearing a splendid dragon robe like a king of the secular world, and a monk leaning on a bamboo staff.

Just by looking, these three were the highest experts here.

At that moment when he was observing closely to gauge their strength.

His eyes met with the giant of a man wearing the dragon robe.

“Heeum?”

As he did not avoid the gaze, the giant’s eyes gradually changed.

At first, it was indifferent as if looking at a stone rolling on the roadside, but interest along with derision welled up.

Sitting on an extremely splendid throne that would be perfectly fine for an emperor who unified an empire to use, he smiled broadly.

For some reason, he had an expression as if saying, ‘You are targeted by me.’

‘What a funny fellow.’

Jin So-myeong also curled up the corners of his mouth.

Late Golden Core stage? He was not afraid. Who would win in a fight would only be known once they clashed.

At that moment when they were staring intently at each other as if having a staring contest.

The gazes of both of them snapped away.

Not only that, but the gazes of everyone present focused on a single spot, and clear signs of bewilderment were evident on everyone.

Teobeok, teobeok.

Within a bizarre silence. An old man wearing a faded Daoist robe approached with slow steps.

Although there was no pressure or momentum whatsoever, no one dared to act rashly.

“…Why is Senior Perfected Wuyang here?”

Words muttered by someone in a trembling voice represented everyone’s feelings.

“What, did I come to a place I cannot come to?”

“N-No, not at all.”

The Nascent Soul stage expert who suddenly appeared. Walking frustratingly slowly while receiving everyone’s gaze, he suddenly came to a stop.

“Huu.”

Whether he was out of breath just from walking a short distance, the sight of him wiping the sweat beads forming on his forehead with his sleeve made him look just like an ordinary old man.

At that moment when the Nascent Soul stage expert stood catching his breath.

The giant of a man who was having a staring contest with Jin So-myeong until just now jumped to his feet.

“Senior. Please sit here and rest. My Gold Scale Grandmaster Chair is a Magic Treasure that increases the recovery speed of spiritual power.”

At the words spoken while pointing to the splendid throne, the old man waved his hand.

Teolseok.

As if it was even difficult to answer, he simply sat down flat on the ground.

However, coincidentally, that spot was right next to Jin So-myeong.

“…”

Trembling the corners of his eyes and smiling awkwardly, the giant retrieved his throne into his storage pouch.

Unable to dare to use a splendid chair in front of a Nascent Soul senior, he stood in that exact awkward posture.

At that time.

Jin So-myeong was in the middle of examining the Nascent Soul senior by raising all senses except for the Supreme Great Ability.

‘…I cannot tell.’

If he had run into him on the street, he would have likely passed by without feeling any peculiarity whatsoever.

An old man whom it would not be strange to die this very tomorrow. The Nascent Soul stage expert called Perfected Wuyang appeared that way.

‘I do not even have a grasp of how strong he is.’

Being unable to grasp the opponent meant that the difference was just that great. It seemed that the realm of Nascent Soul was further away than expected.

‘Why did such an expert come here?’

As far as Jin So-myeong knew, a Nascent Soul stage expert was in danger just by drawing near to the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda.

They could be possessed by the Dao contained in the pagoda and become an idiot.

Even Perfected Wuyang appeared as if he intended to enter the pagoda, which was an extremely dangerous act for a Nascent Soul cultivator.

‘Perfected Wuyang, I feel like I have heard that name somewhere.’

Tracing his memories of investigating while wandering around the Vast Wilderness Immortal City, several pieces of information came to mind.

Perfected Wuyang was a Nascent Soul stage expert who was active in the Eastern Province, and his known age alone was over one thousand six hundred years.

Since the lifespan of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator was generally 1,500 years…

Literally tomorrow. No, he was an old man for whom it would not be strange to die this very today.

‘Since he is going to die anyway, is he trying to enter the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda with a mind of grasping at straws?’

He took his eyes off the old man who was gasping for breath with his eyes closed tightly.

Although it seemed he would die if nudged, he must absolutely never be slighted. That was a natural disaster in human form.

What kind of variable would the Nascent Soul old monster act as in the secret realm…

Jin So-myeong, who was deep in thought, paused.

Before he knew it, the sun went down. Stars filled the night sky, and one of them sparkled with an exceptionally bright light.

“The Green Lotus Star has risen!”

A star that emits brilliance resembling an aurora in a 300-year cycle.

As the Green Lotus Star revealed its presence, the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda began to vibrate.

The seven-colored brilliance circling around the pagoda like guards melted away completely, which meant the restriction was opened!

‘It has finally opened.’

Jin So-myeong, who was staring intently at the restriction melting in the starlight, was startled.

This was because the Nascent Soul old monster who was right next to him had disappeared before he knew it. To leave without a trace from such a close distance…

Goosebumps broke out at a skill unfitting for a dying old man.

It was not only Jin So-myeong who was surprised.

Everyone stared only at the spot where Perfected Wuyang had disappeared with bewildered expressions.

How many seconds of bizarre silence flowed?

Jeobeok.

Among those who could not dare to move, Jin So-myeong took the first step.

‘Rank 4 spiritual object. Something helpful when challenging the Nascent Soul stage.’

Although Hye-gong advised him to enter the pagoda while hoping for the Soul-Splitting Art, he had no intention of following it blindly.

The Nascent Soul stage was far more important than the Soul-Splitting Art.

Repeating it in his mind like reciting a spell, he advanced step by step toward the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda.

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