Chapter 102: Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda (2)

===================
Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
===================

‘Rank 4 spiritual object.’

While walking toward the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda with intense desire, Jin So-myeong’s mind gradually grew hazy.

Every time he advanced forward, the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda continuously enlarged. Whether he turned his head toward the sky or the ground, he saw only the pagoda.

It was the same even when he looked back. It was as if the entire world was crammed full of shabby stone pagodas.

Although it was clearly an extremely bizarre phenomenon…

‘It is fascinating.’

This was the end of the thoughts rising in his head.

Should he say it felt like a yawn was about to come out? Something was indeed strange, but even caring about it was bothersome.

He continued the action he was doing out of inertia. He immersed himself only in walking with a sluggish feeling.

“Huh?”

At a certain moment. The surrounding scenery changed completely.

Inside a thick forest.

At that moment when he was blankly staring at the sunlight shining through the tree branches.

Jjaek-jjaek!

The sound of birds chirping snapped him back to his senses. It felt like cold water was splashed onto his face.

Reflexively raising his Divine Sense, he examined his bodily state first.

‘…There is nothing wrong.’

Next, he tried to sweep the surroundings thoroughly but paused. His Divine Sense could not stretch out properly, as if suppressed by something.

His Divine Sense, which could originally detect a radius of 4 km, was blocked at three to four hundred meters.

Even if he stretched it as long as possible in one direction, 1 km was the limit.

‘My Divine Sense has weakened to a tenth of its level.’

Since it was exactly as he had investigated outside the secret realm, there was nothing to be surprised about.

To get used to the stuffiness, he examined the surroundings meticulously, but there was nothing particularly dangerous.

It was a peaceful and quiet forest, ordinary enough to be boring.

The only peculiar point was that the sparrow chirping on the tree was exceptionally fat.

Whether it had eaten so well, its belly fat was so chubby that he wondered if it could even fly.

‘Is this the inside of the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda?’

Jin So-myeong, who was slowly looking around the forest, searched his memories.

However, it was not easy. He tried to recall the moment he entered this place, but his memory was hazy.

Squeezing his brow and continuing to ponder, a few hazy scenes flashed past.

The moment he walked toward the pagoda, for some reason, everything became bothersome, and next, he felt sluggish. After that, when he came to his senses, he was already inside the forest.

‘…For now, let’s not care.’

Although he was curious about what had happened, it was not a problem to ponder right now.

Right now, focusing on the secret realm was correct.

‘As I heard, it is a place without spiritual Qi.’

Should he say it felt like a place where mortals live?

Strangely, the spiritual Qi inside the secret realm was sparse. To the point that, let alone cultivation, even recovering consumed spiritual power was difficult.

In such a place, one had to use spiritual power sparingly. Of course, it was not an easy task.

Was it possible not to use spiritual power in a dangerous secret realm? Naturally, it was close to impossible.

‘Everyone will suffer a bit.’

The period during which the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda opened was one year. It was considerably long.

No matter how sparingly one used spiritual power, it would eventually be depleted. Therefore, the method to recover spiritual power was important.

It was not difficult.

One just had to absorb the spiritual Qi contained in spirit stones. Although it would be a waste, this was the simplest solution.

Of course, that was for ordinary cases.

Jin So-myeong had the Secret Realm of the Mind. Recovering spiritual power was not even a problem.

Hwik!

Soaring vertically, Jin So-myeong grasped the surrounding terrain from the sky.

‘It is wide.’

No matter how he looked at it, it did not seem like the inside of a pagoda.

The forest where Jin So-myeong was currently located alone was large enough to be called a sea of trees without any shame.

Also, a structure that was exceptionally conspicuous near the horizon was visible, which was a stone pagoda with six stories.

It had a similar appearance to the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda he had seen in the Dead Soul Wilderness at a glance, but its size was smaller and it had one less story.

‘They said going there allows one to go to the next floor.’

The Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda was a secret realm divided into multiple layers. The deeper one went, the more precious treasures could be obtained.

Pat!

Jin So-myeong, who disappeared along with an afterimage, traversed the sky.

He used spiritual power so lavishly that other Golden Core cultivators would gape if they saw it. Since he had the Secret Realm of the Mind anyway, there was no worry about recovery.

How long did he fly using the stone pagoda as a lighthouse?

His stomach churned. At the moment when a slight dizziness arose and he paused for a brief moment.

‘Heh?’

The stone pagoda that was in front of him until just now disappeared like a mirage.

He examined the surroundings with narrowed eyes, and bizarrely, the stone pagoda was visible to the right.

The direction went askew.

A mistake?

There was no way. As a Golden Core cultivator, could he not even fly straight?

‘This was what it meant that the internal space was twisted.’

Jin So-myeong, who was pondering something, flew toward the pagoda again, and the same situation repeated.

The pagoda in front kept disappearing only to appear from an unexpected direction. There were even times it emerged from behind.

The stone pagoda was not a place that could be reached by flying in a straight line.

Still, if there was a hopeful fact, it was that the pagoda was gradually growing larger.

‘It means I am drawing closer, albeit slowly.’

Jin So-myeong’s situation was at least better than other people. Since he had no need to spare spiritual power, he could move at a rapid pace.

At that moment when he silently advanced toward the pagoda.

His Divine Sense, which was monitoring all directions, bounced off something like a solid barrier.

‘A restriction?’

Jin So-myeong, whose face brightened completely, changed direction. In the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, a restriction was no different from a treasure chest.

Arriving at a clearing that was hidden by lush tree branches, a yellowish-colored veil was visible.

The size was roughly that of a gymnasium, and it appeared quite solid. He observed the spherical barrier that looked like an overturned bowl here and there.

‘So there is a treasure inside this.’

According to what he had investigated, breaking this restriction would allow one to obtain the treasure.

He was about to draw the Heavenly Heavy Darkrock Sword but paused.

‘Should I try breaking it with a clone?’

He unleashed the divine ability Blood Spirit Clone Technique engraved on his body.

Infusing 30% of his power to create a clone, he focused his mind.

First, using the Thousand Transformations Technique, he changed the clone’s appearance into a rogue cultivator in his fifties. If so, it would look like two people traveling together.

Next, handing the Five Elements Sword to the clone, he gestured with his chin toward the restriction.

“Try attacking.”

Although it was no different from a command to himself, he spoke in words on purpose to think of the main body and the clone separately.

Seureureung!

The clone, which drew the sword, launched a slash. It poured Sword Qi toward the restriction, and there was no hesitation whatsoever.

Kwa-aaaaang!

The moment the sharp Qi collided with the restriction. The restriction emitted a loud explosive sound and reflected the Sword Qi.

The clone, which barely avoided it, continued to scatter Sword Qi.

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang!

Within the explosive sounds that echoed incessantly.

Jin So-myeong, who was observing the restriction, narrowed his eyes.

‘It is true that attacks are reflected, and it is also true that it makes a loud noise every time it is attacked.’

He thought while verifying one by one whether the information investigated outside the secret realm was true.

‘It is a structure where one must consume spiritual power to obtain treasures.’

The malice of the one who created the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda was felt. Should he say the intent of “fight each other and die” was transmitted blatantly?

Restrictions reflect attacks. Attacks with strong destructive power could not help but be shunned.

In the end, it would be conquered by constantly pouring minor spells, but the restriction generated a loud noise every time it was attacked.

Because it was not an ordinary sound but something like a warning sound mixed with spiritual power, it was difficult to block.

Consequently…

Competitors in the vicinity naturally flocked over.

Just like right now.

Hwik.

He turned his gaze toward the subtle sound of wind heard amid the explosive noise.

He met the gaze of a man at the 1st layer of Golden Core who was flying while maintaining a low altitude, and judging by his unfamiliar attire, he seemed like a cultivator from another continent.

“…Pardon me. It seems this is not a place for me to interfere.”

The man, who alternately looked at Jin So-myeong and the clone, backed away stealthily.

Seeing two Golden Core cultivators together, he seemed to think he could not handle it.

The moment a moderate distance was created.

Kwang!

He clicked his tongue at the sight of him running away at full speed without even looking back.

‘It is a pity. If he had attacked, I would have killed him and obtained his storage pouch.’

He smacked his lips as he was about to focus on the restriction again.

The more he thought about it, the more of a waste it felt.

What would he have obtained if he had killed the man who just came by? No matter how poor a rogue cultivator was, they would likely possess at least a few hundred high-grade spirit stones.

“Should I go chase after and kill him even now?”

Jin So-myeong, who spat out the impulsively formed thought exactly as it was, paused.

Something about the flow of his thoughts was strange. It was a feeling subtly different from usual.

‘Ah, forget it.’

There was no time to care about trivial things. Since he had entered the secret realm, he had to focus on obtaining treasures.

Kwa-ang!

Operating the clone, he attacked the restriction. How long did the loud noise continue?

Along with a crackling splitting sound, the restriction was shattered!

Woo-woo-woong!

A tremendous amount of wind…no, spiritual Qi…that had been trapped inside the restriction poured out as if exploding.

‘…Could it be a Rank 4 spiritual vein?’

At the spiritual Qi constantly leaking through the broken gap, only this thought came to mind.

That was because the concentration of spiritual Qi was too thick. No matter how he looked at it, it was not at the level of Rank 3.

Although it was just simple spiritual Qi, it was clear enough to be visible to the eye. It meant the concentration of spiritual Qi had reached the extreme.

Jin So-myeong, who stood as if possessed, suddenly came to his senses.

Controlling the clone to send it inside the restriction. He examined meticulously whether there was anything dangerous.

‘It is safe.’

The inside was a forest just like the outside, but perhaps thanks to the thick spiritual Qi, it was filled with all kinds of exotic flowers and rare herbs.

It was literally a spiritual herb habitat.

After confirming up to that point. The main body also entered inside the restriction.

“Uum!”

At the ecstatically thick spiritual Qi, his head cleared every time he took a breath.

He did not care about the spiritual herbs scattered around. Right now, the most precious thing in this place was the spiritual Qi itself.

‘It is not a Rank 4 spiritual vein. Spiritual Qi has simply accumulated over an incredibly long period of time.’

Coming with the main body, which had sensitive senses, what could not be known with the clone was felt.

‘Did they seal a spiritual vein with a formation?’

It was an area where the concentration of spiritual Qi was artificially pulled up.

Before long, the spiritual Qi here would disperse throughout the entire secret realm. Before that, he had to absorb as much as possible.

Hwieeeeing!

Watching the spiritual Qi dispersing outside the restriction, it was a waste to the point that his stomach was bitter.

He hurriedly sat cross-legged and tapped the sword at his waist.

“Mugeok, please guard for a moment.”

Chaeng!

The Heavenly Heavy Darkrock Sword, which slipped out of the scabbard on its own, rose into the air.

The sword in which Mugeok was imbued circled around as if escorting him.

Seeing it emit a sharp Qi intense enough to make his skin tingle, he naturally felt relieved.

Believing in Mugeok, he immediately closed his eyes.

First, to gather his focus in one place, he dispersed the blood spirit clone.

Pajijik…!

To the extent that lightning Qi leaked around his body, he operated the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art with all his power to accumulate spiritual power.

A massive energy poured in with every single breath.

Literally a trance. He focused while forgetting even the passage of time.

“Huu!”

Jin So-myeong, who finished his cultivation and exhaled the turbid Qi, shone his eyes.

He gauged the increased amount of spiritual power, and only admiration came out.

‘It is tremendous.’

The cultivation speed was dozens of times faster than usual. It was enough for several months’ worth of spiritual power to accumulate even if he cultivated for just a single day.

Could he miss such an opportunity?

There was nothing to ponder about. Jin So-myeong, who was about to immerse himself in the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art again, paused.

‘If it is spiritual Qi this thick… I can assist the cultivation with the Supreme Great Ability.’

The reason he did not accumulate spiritual power with the Supreme Great Ability usually was simply because the efficiency was poor.

Should he say the performance was low compared to the resources invested?

However, if it was a place with spiritual Qi this abundant, the story was different. It was fully worth amplifying the cultivation speed.

Jin So-myeong, who made a decision, closed his eyes.

Ureureung!

Amid the faintly heard thunder, he focused on the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art, forgetting all worries.

Before he knew it, after two days passed, around the time 50,000 uses of the Supreme Great Ability disappeared.

The spiritual Qi inside the restriction was completely depleted. Although it recovered little by little, it was not at a meaningful level.

Udeudeuk!

Because he had not moved for a long time, the sound of bones cracking occurred. Jin So-myeong, who stretched and loosened his stiffened body, soon smiled brightly.

It was because of the cultivation results. In just two days, he accumulated half a year’s worth of spiritual power.

‘It was good that I entered the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda.’

If he cultivated this way for a year, how much time could he save? Just imagining it was delightful.

After getting used to the rapidly increased spiritual power. He brushed himself off and stood up.

Since he had some leisure, he intended to look at what kind of treasures might be in the surroundings.

Enjoyed the chapter?

If you like our work, consider supporting us on Ko-fi. This site solely runs on donations. Every donation helps us keep translating!

Support on Ko-fi