Chapter 120: Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda (20)
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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Jin So-myeong, who was staring blankly at the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb, moved his steps.
He approached close enough to touch it by just extending his hand and observed it, and it was certainly extraordinary from its appearance alone.
From deep purple to pale yellow.
The petal color changing without a moment’s rest felt as if an illusion had appeared before his eyes.
“Is this the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb?”
“…Yes? Ah, that is correct. Seeing how it does not have a shadow, it is certain.”
At the words of Madame Ryeo, who had been staring only at the spiritual herb as if possessed, Jin So-myeong swallowed his dry saliva and nodded his head.
In truth, he had instinctively felt it was the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb the moment he first saw it, but just in case, he was getting confirmation.
“By any chance, is there anything to be careful of when harvesting it?”
“Hold on a moment.”
Madame Ryeo, who was furrowing her brow as if recalling an old memory, clapped her hands.
“Ah! I remember. By any chance, do you have a Rank 4 flowerpot? It would be good if there is a vessel suitable for transplanting the flower.”
A flowerpot, literally, referred to a dharma treasure specially manufactured for transplanting spiritual plants…
Naturally, he had none. This was because he utilized the sub-space and the Secret Realm of the Mind when transplanting spiritual herbs.
“A Rank 4 flowerpot. Is that absolutely necessary?”
“That is not it. If you do not have one, you can just uproot it and seal it in a jade box. Although it is a bit of a waste for the spiritual herb to die, there is nothing we can do.”
Growing instinctively anxious at the mention of it being a waste, he asked rapidly:
“Is the difference in medicinal efficacy severe between harvesting it alive and dead?”
“It is not to the extent of being called severe. As long as you seal it well in a jade box, it is sufficient for making the Nascent Condensation Pill. It is just that…”
“Just that?”
“I mentioned it because I heard that if one frequently comes into contact with and observes a living Void Shadow True Blossom Herb, the probability of reaching the Nascent Soul stage increases.”
“Ah.”
The surprised Jin So-myeong inspected the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb carefully once more.
‘Just from looking at it, the probability of reaching the Nascent Soul stage increases?’
Indeed… if he stared at it quietly, it felt like something was tickling him.
The Void Shadow True Blossom Herb was not transparent like glass, yet it had no shadow. It was a mysterious flower that seemed to exist between reality and unreality.
It was so wondrous that he wanted to touch it, but lest some problem arise, he could not bring himself to lay a hand on it.
‘It would be perfect to transplant it to the Secret Realm of the Mind.’
He tried to gauge how much of his Supreme Great Ability would be consumed, but he could not get a proper grasp.
In the end, once he amplified his senses with the Supreme Great Ability, he guessed the required amount.
‘At least 500,000 points.’
It was absurd. A single flower smaller than a forearm was more difficult to transplant than the giant tree over twenty meters tall, the Ten Thousand Souls Tree.
‘Does it mean even at the same Rank 4, the class is different.’
Indeed, come to think of it, inside the restriction where the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb was, despite it being incredibly massive, there was not even a handful of spiritual Qi.
It meant the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb had completely absorbed all the spiritual Qi.
‘Wait. What if I transplant it to the Secret Realm of the Mind and it absorbs all the spiritual Qi in my secret realm?’
After pondering for a moment, he tried scattering high-grade spirit stones around the spiritual herb to raise the concentration of spiritual Qi.
However, there was no reaction.
Perhaps because it had already finished growing, it seemed it no longer absorbed spiritual Qi.
‘Fortunately, that is the case. I can transplant it. The problem is that I must reach the 5th layer of Core Formation…’
Currently, the maximum capacity of his Supreme Great Ability was 400,000 points. To gather 500,000 points, he had to raise his cultivation realm.
Though it was regrettable, should he just harvest it?
Or should he consume his lifespan to exceed the limit of his Supreme Great Ability…
Jin So-myeong, who pondered for quite a long time, opened his mouth:
“Madame Ryeo. By any chance, can you hide this entire restriction with a formation?”
“It is possible. But are you surely going to hide it without harvesting it now?”
“Yes. I do so because I think I will be able to transplant it if I train for about a month.”
Madame Ryeo blinked her two large eyes. What would change with just a month? She wore such an expression.
“Training… by any chance, did you even practice the Spiritual Crop Art?”
“Yes.”
Her mouth fell open. Because she was far too dumbfounded, he found it strange and asked:
“Is it strange that I practiced the Spiritual Crop Art?”
“Ah, no. I was merely surprised to hear you even learned the Spiritual Crop Art when body tempering and lightning arts alone must be difficult.”
He understood why she was surprised.
For an ordinary person, it would be difficult to practice all those numerous cultivation methods and skills; it was impossible not due to a problem of training resources, but because of a lack of time.
Had Jin So-myeong not possessed the Supreme Great Ability, he would have settled at the level of body tempering and sword arts.
In any case, what was important now was not this.
He had to hide the restriction and break through to the 5th layer of Core Formation as quickly as possible.
“I ask of you.”
Madame Ryeo pulled out her pure white fan and brandished it.
She began to set up the Moon-Gazing Night-Hiding Formation, which was a formation that distorted the landscape to hide a wide area.
How long did they wait?
The restriction located between the split cliffs turned like rock, and then assimilated with the cliff. It filled the gap in the cliff and became a normal geographical feature.
‘Oh… the concealment effect is decent.’
He searched using all of his Divine Sense and five senses, but could not find the restriction, so he was satisfied.
“It is done. Although I set it up in a simplified manner due to a lack of materials, at least for a month, no one will be able to find it. After that, if we are unlucky, it might be discovered.”
“You have worked hard.”
After receiving the formation disc that played the role of a key, he walked toward the cliff and passed through naturally.
As he entered the inside of the restriction, the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb blossoming loftily was visible.
‘Sigh. Is it truly alright to leave just like this?’
Leaving the Nascent Soul stage spiritual object behind and departing made him simply unable to feel at ease. His mouth felt bone dry.
‘Limitless. In all likelihood, you will have to guard this flower for a bit.’
Once he tapped the sword at his waist, pure white downy fluff popped out.
The fellow resembling cotton candy flew around the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb, and then drew a circle in the air as if understanding.
“Oh my, what a cute child. What is its name?”
“It is Limitless.”
“Eh, it is this cute yet its name is Limitless? A name like Roundy seems like it would suit it.”
Limitless, who paused, spun around her.
At a glance it appeared to rejoice, but it was not at all. To Jin So-myeong, who could read Limitless’s emotions, it appeared to be protesting roughly.
Madame Ryeo, who did not know this, spoke with sparkling eyes:
“May I try stroking it?”
“…It would be better not to do so.”
Limitless is a sword. If you touch it, you get cut.
Jin So-myeong had wrapped Limitless around his hand in the past, but strictly speaking, that was surrounding the outside of the skin like a glove.
It was a talent possible because it was a life-bound dharma treasure whose mind aligned with his. Even he, its master, would have his skin ground away if he touched Limitless without preparation.
Quieting Limitless, which threatened by spinning rapidly around Madame Ryeo as if angered by the name Roundy, he spoke:
“Limitless. If someone who is not me enters here, uproot this flower along with its roots and flee to me. Understood?”
Wing-wing!
“Since I will return quickly. Wait while eating this.”
After giving it the flying sword dharma treasure contained in the storage pouch he recently obtained as food,
he departed while bringing along Madame Ryeo, who could not take her eyes off Limitless as if disappointed at not being able to stroke it.
“I know a restriction located nearby. Let us train there for a bit.”
***
Jin So-myeong, who broke one more restriction, entered full-scale training.
What if the Dead One who recovered his strength intervened on the third floor…
‘Had it been possible, he would have done it long ago.’
What if someone accidentally discovered the place where the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb was and intercepted it in the middle?
‘For another person to enter inside the formation, they must break the restriction again. Since I can just go search for them if an explosion is heard, there is no need to worry.’
All kinds of miscellaneous worries and the impatience that occasionally reared its head disturbed his training, but he pushed them all into a corner of his mind and forgot them.
Until one, two, three days passed and before long a month flew by.
He poured all of his devotion and time into training.
【Jin So-myeong】
【Lifespan】: 50 / 702
【Realm】: Core Formation 5th layer
【Supreme Great Ability】: 380,000 / 600,000
【Divine Abilities】: <Secret Realm of the Mind>
【Cultivation Methods】: Omitted
【Skills】: Omitted
The 5th layer of Core Formation reached in that manner.
‘Finally!’
His total amount of spiritual power increased by about a third, and his Supreme Great Ability rose from 400,000 to 600,000 points.
He thrilled at the Supreme Great Ability divine ability that grew endlessly stronger as his realm rose.
‘To think that as many as twenty thousand points are recovered every day…!’
Should he call it a sense of achievement? A smile naturally emerged.
The feeling of moving forward step by step was rewarding enough that nothing could replace it.
During his days at the 1st layer of the Qi Condensation stage when he had just begun cultivating immortality, the total capacity of his Supreme Great Ability was a mere ten points.
Yet now it was 600,000 points.
Recalling his old memories of using each and every bead of the Supreme Great Ability cautiously, he could not help but be truly deeply moved.
Savoring the feeling of his chest tickling, he closed his eyes.
He detected the state of Limitless, his life-bound dharma treasure, and there was no particular problem. It meant no one had entered inside the restriction where the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb was.
‘Fortunately.’
Calming his excitement, he operated the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art again.
While waiting for his Supreme Great Ability to gather to 500,000 points, he governed his spiritual power that had become unstable as his realm rose.
A week later.
He moved as soon as he felt confident that he had completely settled into the 5th layer of Core Formation.
Leaving a Voice Transmission Talisman for Madame Ryeo who was training, he flew as quickly as possible toward the place where the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb was.
However…
‘What is this.’
It was noisy in front of the restriction where no one should have been.
Because as many as three Core Formation Sages were guarding against each other while brandishing their Magic Treasures.
‘All three of them are at the late Core Formation stage.’
Fitting for the frontrunners who climbed up to the third floor of the secret realm in just three months, their cultivation realms were high.
“Damn it! Another has arrived. Just how on earth does everyone know and come.”
Ignoring the man in his late thirties who was grumbling, he first grasped the situation.
Guessing what the situation was was not difficult.
‘They accidentally discovered the restriction I hid, but perhaps because they are guarding against each other, they have not been able to break it yet.’
Within the bizarre silence where no one could move rashly,
Jin So-myeong, who finished grasping the situation, nodded his head and began to move leisurely.
Neither fast nor slow, he circled around the confronting cultivators and headed toward the cliff.
“…”
As Jin So-myeong, who appeared suddenly without saying a single word, approached the restriction, stinging gazes poured down.
Simultaneously with the eyes of the three Core Formation Sages turning ominous,
Swish!
Jin So-myeong slipped right inside the restriction.
“?”
The mouths of the Core Formation Sages, who had been bewildered while looking at each other, gaped.
This was because the restriction, which should have blocked entry, did not show any reaction whatsoever.
“What is this!”
“Could it be…?”
Was this the state of a dog chasing a chicken?
They stared endlessly with wide eyes at the cliff Jin So-myeong had entered…
*
Meanwhile.
Limitless flew toward Jin So-myeong, who had entered the restriction while cleanly ignoring the confronting cultivators.
“You have worked hard.”
Wing-wing!
After giving plenty of Sword Qi to Limitless, which had stood guard for over a month and a week, he let it rest by dwelling in the Heavenly Heavy Darkrock Sword.
Next, he approached the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb boasting its mysterious appearance.
Was there any reason to hesitate?
He immediately pulled out the black millstone-like dharma treasure, the Black Binding Wheel, and sealed and bound the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb.
The instant he additionally consumed as many as 500,000 points of the Supreme Great Ability,
he dug up even the ground where the roots were entirely, and transplanted it to the Secret Realm of the Mind’s herb field.
‘…It is done. I succeeded.’
Seeing the Void Shadow True Blossom Herb still standing loftily, his tension dissolved completely.
‘Phew. Only now can I train with some peace of mind.’
Was it because he had obtained the Nascent Soul stage spiritual object he had earnestly yearned for? The entire world appeared beautiful.
Jin So-myeong, who emerged from the restriction with a mood of wanting to hum a tune, paused.
This was because the state of the Core Formation Sages outside the restriction was exactly the same as earlier.
They were only staring at the cliff he had entered with their mouths slightly open like idiots, and from their fine expressions to their postures, everything was exactly as it was, as if captured in a photograph.
Looking at them who were frozen as if someone had pressed a pause button, he nodded his head to them.
“You have all worked hard.”
Just as he was about to depart after leaving a single greeting,
“Wait!”
“Is there some problem? As you saw just now, it was a restriction I had already cracked.”
“No, that…”
As the cultivator who held Jin So-myeong was momentarily unable to answer and stammered, another man who had been confronting him stepped forward with a sharply crumpled face:
“Dazed bastards! I do not know what kind of nonsense you are doing. You over there! Do not think of fleeing shamelessly and hand it over right now.”
“What?”
“I mean hand over whatever spiritual herb you harvested inside. Since it is a restriction this large, it must be something precious. And your arriving first has no meaning whatsoever.”
“…Why does it have no meaning?”
“Who cares who came first! Treasure should rightfully be embraced in the arms of the strong.”
Staring blankly at the man who shouted confidently, he asked:
“Do those words mean that you are the strong one?”
“Hmph. At least I must be stronger than you, who are at the 5th layer of Core Formation.”
Looking at the cold and fierce expression of the 7th layer Core Formation cultivator, truly…
“Very well.”
Was it because he said very well too easily?
The man who paused narrowed his eyes, and Jin So-myeong, wearing a barely visible faint smile, drew his sword.
“If you are the strong one, prove it.”
Truly… it was hard to suppress his laughter.
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