Chapter 130: The First Clone
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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How many times did the sun hanging in the sky sink below the horizon and rise again before he knew it.
A year and a half more.
Since obtaining the Lightning Insight Spell-Breaking Eye divine ability, a whopping five hundred and fifty days of time had passed.
A period that could have changed the life of an ordinary human passed like a split second under the name of cultivation.
Long enough for dust to pile up on his sleeves, Jin So-myeong, who was quietly immersed in meditation, twitched his eyebrows.
‘Now.’
The golden sphere settled in his dantian. The thing called the Golden Core was full. He had reached the very end of the 6th layer of Golden Core!
Closing his eyes, he felt the wall inside his mind.
It was literally a large and magnificent wall.
An obstacle that blocked advancing forward. Someone would call this the minor boundary.
Whew. Briefly adjusting his breath, he gathered his will.
‘Break through right away.’
Toward the thing so massive that it felt like a cliff, he aimed the sword in his mind and swung it.
Ting!
The blade that touched the barrier could not leave any trace. Although it was bounced off as simple as it was hollow, he tried again.
If it doesn’t work, until it does. Jin So-myeong had always been so, past and present.
Once, twice, thrice…
So many times that he could not even count. He silently operated the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art and clashed against the wall.
A month passed.
He accumulated and accumulated spiritual power. Forcing his spiritual power into his already full Golden Core, he tapped the wall.
Did they not often use the expression that skin and bones met?
It meant being so thin that bones and flesh touched, and Jin So-myeong’s current state was just like this.
Of course, thanks to possessing a late Golden Core-class physical body, he had not actually grown thin enough for bones and flesh to touch, but it meant he had poured in that much effort.
Needless to say, since his physical vital energy was to the point of being damaged from maintaining a state of high concentration for a long time.
Holding onto his body and mind that demanded rest, on a certain day when he repeated the exact same day as yesterday.
The blade of concentration, carved and carved again, became one with the sword in his mind.
Like that.
Crack…
Starting with a faint sound of cracking,
the wall that blocked his way ahead parted cleanly. Vertically from heaven to earth, it split so cleanly that the inside felt wide open, and then it collapsed with a rumble.
“Ah…”
Vitality sprouted in his body and mind exhausted by fatigue, and an endless rise continued.
His vision cleared up.
Far away, the wall by the name of the Nascent Soul stage was visible.
It was large.
Should he admire it as expected of the Nascent Soul stage? It was so large and thick that the wall he had just broken down looked like a cute fence.
After breaking through a wall with difficulty, a larger wall appeared.
It was a situation where it would not be strange if his will was broken, but Jin So-myeong smiled instead.
‘The higher, the better.’
Because it meant he would grow that much more when he crossed the wall.
Just how strong would he become when he became a Nascent Soul stage expert. Just imagining it was pleasant.
At that time when he was engraving the wall in his mind, rather his goal, in his heart.
The rewards for breaking through the late Golden Core stage poured down.
Ring…!
A faint tinnitus was heard. A hot and cool feeling arose between his brows simultaneously, and then his Divine Sense began to expand.
His Divine Sense that perceived the surroundings expanded endlessly. It easily surpassed the existing limit of 5 km and only stopped after reaching a full 10 km.
A massive amount of information poured in like a tide.
Even a tiny caterpillar crawling on a tree located fully 10 km away, outside the mountain he was using as his eastern grotto, was clearly felt.
To look out at a massive range of a 10 km radius from the seat he sat on…
It felt as if he had become a god.
“Hahaha!”
Amidst the joy mixed with marvel, Jin So-myeong realized that at this very moment, he had come to possess a Nascent Soul-class Divine Sense.
That was not all.
The maximum capacity of his Supreme Great Ability also increased precisely by two times, from 800,000 to 1,600,000. Spiritual power? Needless to say. Naturally, it increased by folds as much as he broke through the minor boundary.
Compared to his Golden Core mid-stage days, it could be said he had become overwhelmingly stronger.
‘Now an average Golden Core cultivator won’t even be my opponent.’
Of course, the world was wide, so a Golden Core cultivator stronger than Jin So-myeong might exist, but honestly he did not believe there would truly be one.
‘If so, how about compared to a Nascent Soul stage expert.’
He recalled the moment Perfected Wuyang and the Dead One’s incarnation fought.
At that time, the Nascent Soul-grade spells Perfected Wuyang used showed a power that literally shook heaven and earth.
Since each and every attack tore the space…
Probably, even Jin So-myeong, who possessed a strong body, would be annihilated without leaving a single drop of blood if hit directly by a Nascent Soul-grade spell.
“Hmm.”
Using the divine abilities they showed at that time as a standard, he fought a virtual battle in his head, but as expected, it was not easy.
‘The problem is that they twist space as they please. I cannot avoid the attacks launched by a Nascent Soul stage expert.’
Certainly, a Nascent Soul stage expert was strong.
Perfected Wuyang might have been exceptionally strong among Nascent Soul stage experts, but in any case, it was so.
‘What if I use all of my Lightning Insight and Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration?’
It seemed he would lose ninety-nine times if they fought a hundred times. To say this conversely, it meant he might win once, but…
Suddenly, an emotion hard to distinguish whether it was curiosity or a desire for battle welled up, but he suppressed it.
‘…Let’s endure.’
In his heart, he wanted to lay down everything and fight a match, but realistically it was a difficult thing.
How could he go find a Nascent Soul stage expert out of nowhere and pick a fight?
He shook his head. Scattering the impulse that arose in his head, he took out the jade slip.
The Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art obtained by trading with the Wu Family.
‘Finally, the time has come to practice this secret technique.’
Actually, he could have initiated it long ago, but he put it off until now. Because he felt that he would obtain a Nascent Soul-class Divine Sense when he became a late Golden Core cultivator, and he worried his Divine Sense might be damaged if he practiced the Soul-Splitting Art in the middle for no reason.
‘Now there is no reason to hesitate.’
Since he had also obtained a Nascent Soul-class Divine Sense, it was time to initiate the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art in earnest.
‘Good. First, I should register it in the proficiency system.’
The registration cost was a whopping 500,000 of his Supreme Great Ability. Although it was an absurdly large consumption, it was rather good.
Because there was a reason he could guess why it was so expensive.
‘The system registration cost is the cost to make me suitable to practice the cultivation method or spell.’
That it was expensive meant there was a condition required to practice the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art, and that it would resolve it.
Shudder!
The moment 500,000 of his Supreme Great Ability was consumed at once.
His head became clear, as if he had woken up from a good sleep. It felt as if the fatigue accumulated from years of hard cultivation had vanished.
【Spells】
…
Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art (Initiate 1 / 10,000,000)
Simultaneously with the mnemonic that arose in his head, he realized what had changed.
‘Can I consider that a regenerative power arose in my soul?’
When practicing a Soul-Splitting Art, the soul is bound to be damaged.
In the first place, is it not a secret technique to divide the mind? Having tiny cracks or wounds arise in the soul was an inevitable process.
However, wounds created in the soul are extremely difficult to heal.
Originally, there was no choice but to recover by spending an immense amount of time or consuming precious spiritual medicine…
The proficiency system seemed to have judged this inevitable process as a flaw in the cultivation method.
So it resolved it. In a way of strengthening the speck-like natural healing power in the soul.
Now, Jin So-myeong came to possess the ability to recover a slight wound created in his soul within a few months.
‘Not bad. But to think the proficiency requirement from the Initiate stage is ten million.’
Did it mean the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art was that outstanding of a secret technique?
That would also be correct, but somehow it seemed that reason was not all.
Rather the opposite.
Perhaps this massive proficiency was required to resolve the side effects unique to the Soul-Splitting Art.
‘Hmm… in any case, it is a good thing for me.’
Nodding his head, Jin So-myeong paused just as he was about to cast the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art.
In a way, it was his first clone that could be called a monument. He wanted to invest as much of his Supreme Great Ability as possible to make it properly.
*
A month later.
Jin So-myeong, who had completely recovered his Supreme Great Ability, concentrated his mind.
Right before creating the split soul with the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art, he consumed all 1,600,000 of the Supreme Great Ability accumulated over a month and made a wish.
‘Do not betray me annoyingly. Well, whatever it becomes, work hard to be helpful to me.’
The moment he split a part of his soul, a very small speck, while reciting the mnemonic of the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art.
‘Ah.’
‘Ah.’
‘Is it done?’
‘It is done.’
A single thought was split into two.
The completely identical thinking process gradually began to differ, and they became independent existences to each other.
‘Is this my first clone.’
‘It is so.’
Rather than the feeling of having two thoughts simultaneously, it was the feeling of having another ‘me.’ Since they were independent of each other yet clearly connected, they could also share thoughts…
It was a fascinating experience, enough to make his head nod of its own accord.
‘Let’s see. I should also make a body for this fellow.’
The power obtained as the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art achieved Minor Success. He cast the blood spirit clone divine ability.
He intended to maintain the clone to be made this time. So he put truly a tiny bit of strength.
0.1%
So as not to affect the main body, he put the newly born split soul into the clone made by putting an extremely small amount of strength.
“Try moving.”
The clone, which was standing with an expressionless face, strolled around the cultivation room.
Its appearance was identical to Jin So-myeong, but its temperament was different.
‘This split soul has no emotion.’
Thought without emotion. There is thought, but no emotion. It was a characteristic of the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art.
Also, not only the temperament revealed on the outside, but its aura was also different.
Perhaps because it was a clone containing only 0.1% strength, it was weak. In terms of spiritual power alone, it was at the early Foundation Establishment stage.
Of course, that was strictly in terms of spiritual power alone.
The cultivation realm of the clone was Golden Core, no matter who said what. An average Foundation Establishment cultivator would be cut at the neck without even being able to react the moment they clapped eyes on this fellow.
‘Will this fellow be able to cultivate on his own to grow his spiritual power?’
Judging by the method of the blood spirit clone, which was summoned while shaving off the main body’s strength, it seemed it wouldn’t be possible, but since a full 1,600,000 of the Supreme Great Ability had gone in, how it would actually go could only be known by making him cultivate.
Looking at the clone walking around the cultivation room in clothes made of spiritual power, he searched through his sub-space.
He intended to give him clothes and a sword with official grades.
‘Huh?’
He searched the sub-space thoroughly, but there was not a single usable sword.
For an instant, he was flustered.
To think he obtained over a hundred storage pouches in the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, yet there was not even a single Rank 3 sword?
‘…Ah, right. I gave them all to Wugeuk.’
Currently, Wugeuk’s nest sleeping in the Secret Realm of the Mind was packed with things related to sharpness.
‘I think the Rank 3 swords piled in the nest alone were in the dozens… would Wugeuk get angry if I subtly took one?’
Pondering for a moment, he shook his head. As expected, taking back what was given was a bit improper.
Having no choice, he handed over the Five Elements Sword used during his Foundation Establishment days to the clone.
“Use this sword for now. I will give you a better one later.”
“Understood.”
“And your name is… Baek Gwang-il.”
The meaning was simple.
Because he used his Supreme Great Ability in the millions, he gave him the surname Baek, and because he would mainly do mining work, he used the character Gwang (mine), and since he was the first among the miners, he attached Il (one).
Together, Baek Gwang-il.
Later, when the maximum capacity of his Supreme Great Ability rose into the tens of millions, the surname of the clones would become Cheon (thousand), not Baek (hundred).
‘How will this fellow Baek Gwang-il go when the Cheon-gwang series comes out?’
Looking at Baek Gwang-il standing with a blunt expression, he said.
“Work hard. If you don’t want to be caught up by your juniors.”
“Understood.”
“…Can’t you say anything else? Try speaking a bit longer.”
“Understood.”
Repeating only the answer that he understood with a desolate expression that did not reveal a single emotion felt strange.
Although he seemed like a slightly lacking friend, at least the atmosphere revealed on the outside was plausible.
Did placing his hand on the hilt of his sword so that he could draw it at any time show the air of an experienced sword cultivator?
“Hmm… follow me for now.”
Taking Baek Gwang-il along, he headed for the mine in the Secret Realm of the Mind.
‘This place has also become incredibly wide.’
The spirit stone mine, which was merely a small cave in the early days, had grown enough to be called an underground city.
The dark cavern was full of high-grade spirit stones emitting a bluish light, which looked like stars floating in the night sky.
‘It has piled up immensely since I came after a long time.’
Currently, the spirit stone production in the Secret Realm of the Mind was eighty per day. When he was busy with cultivation and neglected it, it would quickly pile up.
“Look closely, Baek Gwang-il. Because this is the work you will do from now on.”
Clang! Clang!
Showing off his pickaxing, which had become proficient through repeating it for decades, he demonstrated.
Just how many high-grade spirit stones did he mine.
The wound on his soul created while making the split soul recovered completely.
“Whew… did you see well?”
“Yes.”
“Your answer is good. Go ahead and try. This is not as easy of a task as it seems.”
Smirking, Jin So-myeong handed over the pickaxe to Baek Gwang-il.
This pickaxe was one of the items obtained in the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, a fairly usable Magic Treasure.
Its name was also quite grand. It was called the Thousand Rocks Stone-Shattering Pick… but actually, it was not important. Because in any case, he was using it just as a pickaxe.
At that time.
Baek Gwang-il walked toward the spirit stone with a cold expression that did not reveal a single emotion.
‘Do I normally have that kind of expression?’
Looking at the fellow walking proudly with his shoulders spread, somehow an endless confidence was felt. He also looked slightly arrogant.
‘Oh, his posture is quite decent.’
Spreading his feet to shoulder width and holding high the pickaxe tightly grasped with both hands, it was a posture completely identical to the one he had demonstrated.
The highly raised pickaxe plunged vertically as if parting the opponent in two.
Whoosh… Clang!
The moment the pickaxe blade, which drew a clean straight line, clashed with the high-grade spirit stone.
“Cough!”
Baek Gwang-il, who was boasting a plausible atmosphere as if he were an absolute sword cultivator, fainted while vomiting blood.
“No, what…?”
Jin So-myeong, who was dumbfounded, poked the fellow, and he had truly fainted.
‘Fainting just from striking the spirit stone once?’
My goodness, even double nosebleeds streamed down. It was absurd.
‘Such a frail fellow is my clone?’
Somehow, he felt a headache coming…
Then suddenly,
he thought it was plausible. Pondering calmly, should he say it was understandable.
Baek Gwang-il’s Divine Sense was at the early Foundation Establishment stage even if estimated generously.
With that skill, he tried to mine a high-grade spirit stone, which was no different from a Rank 3 spiritual object, so it was natural he fainted.
If it were outside the Secret Realm of the Mind, there was no way he would faint just from mining some spirit stones, but in any case, this place was so.
“Sigh.”
Jin So-myeong, who let out a deep sigh, took out a blanket rolling around in his sub-space, covered him with it, and left the mine…
*
Should he call it fortunate?
Baek Gwang-il grew day by day.
Although little by little, he accumulated spiritual power on his own, and his Divine Sense also became strong enough to mine high-grade spirit stones.
‘Although he can still only mine one per day.’
In any case, as time passed, he seemed fully capable of doing a single person’s share, which was satisfying.
After seeing the fellow grow and grasping that there was no problem, it seemed he could summon the other clones step by step.
‘Good. That is done.’
He took out the stone tablet engraved with the mysterious blade mark from his sub-space.
Now that he came to possess a Nascent Soul-class Divine Sense as he became a late Golden Core cultivator, he intended to reveal the secret of this stone tablet through the Lightning Insight Spell-Breaking Eye divine ability.
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