Chapter 110: Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda (10)

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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Jin So-myeong spoke to Madame Ryeo who finished her meditation.

“Is your body okay?”

“Thanks to you.”

Looking at her who was wearing a bitter smile, he nodded. Seeing her much brighter complexion, her state did not seem bad.

“I have been indebted to Daoist Jin a lot since the time of the Golden Moonbright Grass. Just how should I repay this grace…”

Although it was a playful tone, sincerity was felt.

‘At least she is a person who knows what it means to be grateful.’

He thought it was fortunate. Considering the proposal he would make in the future, it was a good thing.

“Grace… let’s rather do it this way.”

“Yes?”

Her shoulders flinched. Was she tense for fear that he would make a grandiose request?

Jin So-myeong, who chuckled, waved his hand as if it was nothing of consequence.

“First, I have something I wish to ask about formations, would that be okay?”

“Haa, of course.”

Was she relieved because it was too minor of a request? Toward her who glared at him as if it were absurd, he pointed to the restriction.

“Although I don’t know if Madame Ryeo knows, when you break a restriction like that in the secret realm, there is high-concentration spiritual Qi inside.”

“High-concentration spiritual Qi?”

“Yes. It is to the extent that cultivating for two days accumulates half a year’s worth of spiritual power. Ah, since this is the 2nd floor, I should consider it a year’s worth. At any rate, the concentration of spiritual Qi is incredibly high.”

“Wow… it is far higher than what I investigated outside.”

He spoke to her, whose eyes widened perhaps in surprise.

“What I am curious about is whether that spiritual Qi can be trapped with a formation. Because the moment the restriction is broken, most of the spiritual Qi leaks outside, which felt like a bit of a waste.”

It was a situation similar to trying to drink water contained in a jar, but the bottom was broken.

No matter how fast Jin So-myeong’s cultivation speed was, the spiritual Qi leaking through the broken gap was far more than the amount he absorbed.

“So you are curious if the spiritual Qi can be trapped with a Spirit Gathering Formation. Although the installation difficulty of the Spirit Gathering Formation varies widely depending on the environment…”

Pondering intently as if calculating something, she nodded her head.

“It is possible. Although we won’t be able to block it completely if the flow of spiritual Qi is too wild, we will be able to slow down the speed at which the spiritual Qi leaks.”

“Concretely, how much slower does it become?”

“Let’s see. At the very least, it will become ten times slower.”

“Oh.”

Interpreting her words differently, it was identical to the spiritual Qi inside the restriction increasing tenfold.

If so, even if he shared and used the spiritual Qi with Madame Ryeo, it was not a loss. Rather, it was a gain.

“Pardon me, but by any chance may I ask the reason you are trying to go to the 3rd floor?”

Once he asked up to this point, she also seemed to have noticed Jin So-myeong’s intention.

Asking the purpose was to propose traveling together. To travel together, at least their respective purposes must not conflict.

“By any chance, do you wish for me to install the Spirit Gathering Formation?”

“Yes. If it is troublesome, you may refuse.”

Whatever she was thinking, after contemplating silently for about ten seconds, she nodded her head.

“Very well. Since Daoist Jin is a person who can be trusted. But could you promise just one thing?”

“What is it?”

“If we happen to obtain the fruit of the Myriad Souls Wood, please give me one…no, just two. In return, whatever else we obtain, Daoist Jin may take it all.”

He paused at the unconventional proposal.

Myriad Souls Wood… he felt like he had heard of it at a glance.

It was a Rank 4 spiritual wood with the effect of healing a soul damaged by a curse or spell.

To a perfectly fine Jin So-myeong, it was a spiritual object of no particular need. Conceding it was not difficult.

‘By the way, to take everything else. How does she know what we will obtain on the 3rd floor? Is she confident she won’t regret it?’

It seemed she was currently in a state of blindly desiring only the Myriad Souls Wood Fruit due to the mental restriction.

Because it felt somewhat like swindling a sick person, it was uncomfortable.

“…In my eyes, Madame does not seem to be in her right mind yet. Please eat this first.”

“Yes?”

He held out the White Jade Immortal Heart Herb obtained by breaking the restriction on the 2nd floor.

Eating this spiritual herb, which was highly effective against heart demons, would allow her to escape the influence of the mental restriction even if only for a short while.

‘Since I intended to give it anyway, I might as well give it in advance.’

This was because he had no intention of traveling together with a person whose mind was out of order due to the mental restriction.

As there were still over twenty White Jade Immortal Heart Herbs remaining, it was not even a waste.

Madame Ryeo, who accepted the pure white spiritual herb in dazed confusion, muttered with a bewildered expression.

“White Jade Immortal Heart Herb?”

“Since you seem to know what spiritual herb it is, there will be no need to explain the effects. Let’s eat it first and then talk again.”

“If placed in the auction house, it would be quite expensive… it is a bit of a waste. I am perfectly fine.”

Because her hesitating was frustrating, as he gestured to eat it quickly, she let out a sigh and raised her spiritual power.

Pasak!

The spiritual herb that turned into powder transformed into light and then disappeared into her mouth.

Seeing her eat it without hesitation, for some reason his mischievousness rose.

“What if that is poison, how can you just eat it like that?”

“…!”

Startled, she pounded her chest. It seemed her throat was clogged.

Glaring in this direction with a flushed face, she swallowed the rest of the spiritual herb.

How many minutes passed?

Madame Ryeo, who completely digested the White Jade Immortal Heart Herb, spoke in a sharp tone.

“Do not play jokes. Why would Daoist Jin give me poison?”

“I could indeed give it.”

When he spoke with a chuckle, she snorted.

“Why would you bother doing so? If a strong expert like you orders, a powerless woman like me would have to do everything as requested anyway.”

“Heh…”

Looking now, the reason she trusted him was clear. The absolute difference in strength. She was a far more rational person than thought.

At any rate, since she seemed to have returned to her right mind, he continued the conversation they had been having.

“Can I really take everything else except for the Myriad Souls Wood Fruit?”

“I am not a person who does not know gratitude.”

He admired without realizing it at her flat answer. It seemed he had chosen his companion well.

“…Very well. Depending on what we obtain, I shall appropriately look after you.”

“I won’t go as far as to refuse that.”

Jin So-myeong, who nodded his head, took out the Black Jade Flying Boat, the sky-flying ship. To move together, it was indeed convenient to use a vehicle.

“Since this operates on spirit stones, we will be able to save spiritual power. Let’s take turns steering until we arrive at the 3rd floor.”

Hwik!

The Black Jade Flying Boat carrying the two traversed the sky and began to advance toward the stone pagoda.

“By the way, what kind of spiritual object is Daoist Jin going to the 3rd floor to look for?”

“As for me, anything that helps in raising my realm is good.”

“But if you were to name the one you desire most?”

“Naturally, a Nascent Soul-grade spiritual object.”

“Ah, you are targeting the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb.”

“Void Shadow True Blossom Herb? Is that a spiritual object required to reach the Nascent Soul stage?”

“As far as I know, yes. I heard it is an essential ingredient when making the Soul Condensing Pill.”

Jin So-myeong’s eyes widened completely.

To think he would obtain information about the Nascent Soul stage so suddenly. It was an unexpected harvest.

Because Jin So-myeong had also investigated the Nascent Soul stage in his own way, he knew about the Soul Condensing Pill.

If asked to choose just one thing required to ascend to the Nascent Soul stage, what was chosen nine times out of ten was indeed the Soul Condensing Pill.

His target became slightly clearer.

Void Shadow True Blossom Herb. At that moment when he repeatedly muttered those words.

Madame Ryeo, who was staring at him intently, said in passing.

“Come to think of it, we haven’t even properly introduced ourselves yet. I am Ryeo Jeong.”

He contemplated for a moment, and it did not matter if he let her know at least his name.

“I am Jin So-myeong.”

“Jin So-myeong.”

Watching her slowly mutter his name as if to surely remember it, he chuckled.

“It would be best not to tell anyone that you are acquaintances with me.”

“…Why?”

“Because I have many enemies.”

The expression on her face, which had been frozen stiff for a moment, gently relaxed. She snorted as if asking if that was all.

“Oh, how fascinating. Coincidentally, so do I.”

***

At the exact moment Jin So-myeong departed for the 3rd floor.

A rogue cultivator with the name Sa Cheon-ung was already arrived at the 3rd floor.

‘There will be no one who reached the 3rd floor before me.’

Ever since he was young, he knew his own strengths very well.

That was being incredibly lucky, and after entering the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, he experienced that fact once more.

‘To think a mental restriction would be added. What a true relief.’

Sa Cheon-ung’s Natal Magic Treasure was the Heavenly Rain Soul Bell. As for this bell, setting aside other things, its function of protecting the mind alone was of the highest grade.

Ddalrang…

Once the sound of the bell echoed, his head cleared.

The desire welling up in his heart subsided. Thanks to the Heavenly Rain Soul Bell, he could maintain his reasoning even under the influence of the mental restriction.

‘Let’s not be too greedy.’

Sa Cheon-ung’s plan was simple.

Before other competitors arrived at the 3rd floor, breaking the restrictions as quickly as possible, obtaining a few Rank 4 spiritual herbs, and then hiding in a quiet place.

‘Good. Let’s begin.’

The moment he formed a hand seal. A golden firebird that appeared in midair rushed toward the restriction.

Kwa-aaaaang!

Simultaneously with a noise loud enough to cause a headache.

“Keok!”

The firebird reflected by the restriction rushed in at a speed several times faster. He, who barely blocked it by unleashing a spell, broke out in a cold sweat.

‘…It is far more tricky than I thought.’

The restriction’s counterattack was too fierce. He almost died in vain.

But he could not give up after coming all the way here. At that moment when he grit his teeth and attacked the restriction with all his might.

“Friend. What in the world are you doing so noisily? I cannot sleep.”

“Heop!”

He was startled out of his wits by the voice heard right next to him.

The terrified Sa Cheon-ung reflexively retreated, and a skeletal old man with deeply wrinkled skin was staring while yawning.

Although he mobilized all senses to examine the opponent, he could not find out any information.

What that meant was clear. The old man who appeared on the verge of death was indeed at the Nascent Soul stage.

‘Dammit. For a Nascent Soul stage cultivator to enter the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda. Is he not even afraid of being possessed by the pagoda?’

Sa Cheon-ung, who poured out all kinds of curses inwardly, smiled broadly on the surface.

Pouring all his devotion into creating a friendly smile, he greeted politely with clasped hands.

“I pay my respects to the senior. If there is by any chance something you command, I will follow with a joyful heart.”

“Senior? Am I a senior?”

“Is, is that not so?”

The bewildered Sa Cheon-ung stammered without realizing it, but the old man did not even pay attention. He merely looked around the surroundings and tilted his head.

“By the way, where did Yeong-jin go?”

“Pardon? Well, who might that person named Yeong-jin be…?”

“You don’t even know that? My, my… who was it again?”

There was no context in the conversation. By this point, he could not help but feel that something was strange.

To avoid provoking the Nascent Soul stage expert, Sa Cheon-ung, who had been bowing his head low, examined the old man cautiously and realized.

‘He is not in his right mind.’

In the pupils of the old man who was groaning while clutching his head, no reasoning whatsoever was felt.

It was merely empty and light. Starting from the tone to the behavior, everything was like a child.

“Yeong-jin! Where did Yeong-jin go! Your father calls you, but you won’t come out? You insolent brat! Just how did I raise you!”

In other words… he was a senile old man.

It was completely different from desires being amplified due to the mental restriction. It seemed his mind had been shattered by the pagoda after all.

Who in the world was that person named Yeong-jin? The old man who had been shouting at the top of his lungs telling him to pop out immediately suddenly frowned deeply.

“Friend. Do you have something to eat? I am hungry.”

Sa Cheon-ung’s eyelids, who was at a loss and merely breaking out in a cold sweat, twitched.

To meet a Nascent Soul stage old monster with whom communication was impossible.

It seemed he had to cancel the statement that he was lucky.

“Well…”

“I said I’m hungry!”

Just the skeletal old man shouting in a fury made his knees shake.

Would it feel like this to stand before a tiger with the body of an uncultivated mortal?

He forcibly moved his body that was about to freeze rigid.

He searched his storage pouch desperately. Pulling out whatever edible thing his hand caught, Sa Cheon-ung was startled.

This was because he had been so tense that he pulled out the most precious fruit among what he possessed.

‘Keok! To obtain this, I suffered for 50 years.’

Swallowing tears of blood inwardly, he politely offered the spiritual fruit resembling a peach. Since it had turned out this way anyway, he intended to at least build an acquaintance with the Nascent Soul stage expert.

“It is the Purple Cloud Spiritual Fruit. If consumed, spiritual power becomes pure and…”

Hwik!

Before the words even finished, the fruit in his hand vanished.

‘…Insane.’

Before he knew it, the Purple Cloud Spiritual Fruit was held in the old man’s hand, and he could not understand by what method he had taken it.

His astonishment was brief.

Wasak!

The Purple Cloud Spiritual Fruit that Sa Cheon-ung had purchased by gathering spirit stones for 50 years vanished into the old man’s mouth.

The old man, who was chewing the fruit while laughing “hee-hee,” paused.

“…Ing?”

Widening his eyes like a person who had undergone an unbelievable experience, he stared at the Purple Cloud Spiritual Fruit.

‘They said it is a heavenly taste. What does it taste like, I wonder.’

At that moment when Sa Cheon-ung swallowed his saliva with a somehow pounding heart.

Moving his jaw a few times very slowly, the old man dry-heaved like a person who had eaten dung.

Frowning his brow to the absolute limit, he looked at Sa Cheon-ung with a pitiful gaze.

“Friend. You were a poor person.”

“Pardon?”

“Do you usually eat and live on this kind of junk? Oh, how pitiful.”

The old man, who put on a crying face, squeezed his eyes shut and chewed the rest of the Purple Cloud Spiritual Fruit.

With the feeling that he could not bear to spit out what his friend gave, he choked it down like a person receiving punishment.

“…”

Sa Cheon-ung, who was dazed for a moment, doubted his ears.

What after devouring the Purple Cloud Spiritual Fruit obtained with hard work? The fist clenched without him realizing it trembled finely…

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