Chapter 138: Arrived in the Southern Province
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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The serving maid assigned to Jin So-myeong, Yeon Cho-ah, had actually been unable to sleep properly even before boarding the flying vessel.
Because she was so worried.
This was because if she boarded the flying vessel heading to the Southern Province, she would have to serve a single guest for a full ten years, and there was no way to know what kind of person he would be.
What if she ended up serving a demanding person?
Her life would become miserable. It would become very, very tiring indeed. It was no exaggeration to say she would spend ten years that were no different from hell.
Although she was only at the Qi Condensation stage, since she was also a cultivator, she cultivated outside of her working hours.
However, some demanding guests could not even tolerate the fact itself that a mere maid dared to cultivate.
Then, far from cultivating for ten years, she wouldn’t even be able to sleep properly.
There were even guests who commanded their maids to stand in front of the cabin entrance all day long so they could respond whenever called.
Of course, in such cases, the Myriad Treasures Tower assigned additional serving maids to allow them to work in shifts, but the hardship was one and the same.
In any case.
Being assigned to Senior Jin under these circumstances was a tremendous stroke of luck.
“Hehe.”
Yeon Cho-ah, who smirked unconsciously, trotted along. That was while hugging a forearm-sized jade slip, which felt exceptionally large due to her small stature, to her bosom.
How long had she run?
In a part of the cabin, a space used like a main hall, she was able to meet Senior Baek Dan-il, who was preparing spiritual herbs.
She also did not know what the identity of Baek Dan-il, who suddenly appeared at some point, was.
Perhaps he was Senior Jin’s clone, or maybe a spiritual beast that had learned a transformation divine ability.
Yeon Cho-ah did not have the discernment to distinguish that. She merely let it be since the superiors did not make an issue of it.
Furthermore… Yeon Cho-ah was inwardly extremely pleased that Baek Dan-il had appeared.
“Master. I brought the Yellow Dragon Pill recipe you mentioned.”
“I have said it several times, but I am not your master.”
Baek Dan-il, who received the jade slip recording the pill recipe, replied in a voice as cold as ice, but Yeon Cho-ah only giggled.
“Since you taught me elixir refining, you are my master. Otherwise, what should I call you?”
“My name is Baek Dan-il.”
“Hehe, how could I dare call Master’s name carelessly.”
At first, she feared the Senior named Baek Dan-il very much. This was because he always wore a freezing cold expression that did not betray a single emotion.
However, as time passed, she naturally came to know.
“Master. To use the Elixir Spirit Bamboo root in elixir refining, it must be dried thoroughly, but why do you go out of your way to soak it in Ice Dew Water for over a day before drying it?”
“It is to extract the toxicity embedded deep within the root.”
That Senior Baek was a very generous person just like Senior Jin.
Generous enough to treat her, who was only at the Qi Condensation stage, as an individual, and teach her elixir refining.
Sitting beside him as usual to help prepare ingredients and asking this and that about elixir refining, Yeon Cho-ah asked a slightly random question.
“But Master. How can one obtain Sword Qi?”
Baek Dan-il, who was splitting silver bamboo harder than steel with Sword Qi, glanced and turned his gaze.
Looking at Yeon Cho-ah who sent him sparkling eyes, he asked back.
“Sword Qi?”
“Yes. I also want to use Sword Qi like Master. I think it would be convenient when preparing elixir refining ingredients.”
After a brief silence, Baek Dan-il opened his mouth.
“Since you belong to the Myriad Treasures Tower, you should be able to obtain at least one sword art.”
“Mmh, it’s difficult, but I think it should be possible.”
“If you select an appropriate sword art, master it as much as possible, and then go to an arena and fight putting your life on the line, you will be able to awaken Sword Qi within a few months.”
“…An arena?”
“That is in the case things go well, and in all probability, you will become a cripple or die.”
The girl, who turned pale, spoke as if terrified.
“How can I fight in such a scary place!”
“I merely told you the method with high probability. If you need sharp energy, just use a flying sword dharma treasure. That will be convenient.”
“Hing.”
Yeon Cho-ah, who was drooping as if disappointed, hesitated for a long while and asked again.
“Will I truly be able to obtain Sword Qi if I go to the arena and fight hard?”
“…”
For some reason, the reply was slow. In the eyes of Baek Dan-il, who stared at her quietly, vivid emotions suddenly began to be contained.
As warmth dwelled in his dry eyes, somehow he seemed to have become a different person.
“Sword Qi is not over once you realize it. No matter how famous a sword is, unless properly maintained, it becomes scrap metal. The same goes for Sword Qi.”
“Yes?”
“Unless you constantly grind the sharp energy like honing on a whetstone, it will ultimately grow dull and useless. Do you have the confidence to fight putting your life on the line for a lifetime?”
The surprised Yeon Cho-ah’s mouth fell wide open. This was because it was the first time she had seen Senior Baek speak so long.
As she only blinked her eyes, the voice continued.
“Of course, the method to realize Sword Qi is not limited to real combat. Some sword cultivators also awaken Sword Qi through static cultivation such as wall-facing meditation or sitting meditation.”
“Ah…”
“However, in the end, that is all. In order to hone the Sword Qi sharply, sooner or later, one must stand facing enemies.”
Having grown up among merchants since childhood and being quick-witted, she vaguely realized.
That the one residing in the body before her eyes right now was not Baek Dan-il, but Senior Jin.
“If you wish to learn Sword Qi even knowing all of this, I will give you a decent sword art. What will you do?”
“I-I don’t know.”
When she hunched her shoulders in confusion, Jin So-myeong, who spoke borrowing Baek Dan-il’s body, smirked.
“Then try it for now.”
“Yes?”
“Since I will give you a decent sword art, try learning it once, and if you think it’s not for you, just stop.”
“Uh… would that be alright?”
“What would be the problem. Since there are many paths in the world, there is no need to be bound by a single choice. It is a good thing to try this and that when you are young.”
Jin So-myeong pulled out an empty book rolling around in his sub-space and wrote letters using his spiritual power. Since Yeon Cho-ah, a Qi Condensation cultivator, could not read jade slips, he made it into a book for her.
Flowing Sword of the Azure Sky .
It was one of the cultivation methods obtained from the library of the Wu Family, a Golden Core-grade sword art containing hidden killing moves within softness.
After making the initial part of the method…the Qi Condensation section…into a book for her, he pulled out an empty jade slip and recorded the complete sword art up to the final part.
“During the Qi Condensation stage, cultivate using the book, and later, if you still want to walk the path of a sword cultivator even after establishing your foundation, inspect the jade slip.”
“Th-thank you.”
Accepting the jade slip and the book with trembling hands, her focus blurred. It was an expression of not understanding what event had taken place.
“For reference, since it is a Golden Core-grade sword art, it would be best not to inform others in your surroundings.”
“…Heek!”
Could this girl truly become a sword cultivator?
Naturally, Jin So-myeong also did not know.
She might become a peerless sword cultivator who discovered unexpected talent and made a name for herself, or she might concentrate on the Elixir Refining Art, be called a Grandmaster Elixir Refiner, and enjoy a peaceful life.
It was merely a favor bestowed because he found the sight of a young child living diligently commendable. He did not place much significance on it.
‘If she becomes a sword cultivator and we meet again someday, I would indeed be pleased.’
After stroking the head of Yeon Cho-ah, who was standing with a dazed expression like a squirrel facing a shocking sight, he exited Baek Dan-il’s body.
Returning to his main body in the training room, Jin So-myeong quietly closed his eyes.
Since he had cooled his head for a bit, it was time to concentrate on cultivation again.
*
Years flowed like river water.
One day during the second year since Jin So-myeong boarded the flying vessel.
The Rank 3 Elixir Refining Art filled its entire 20 million proficiency and reached Mastery.
Unless it was an extremely tricky pill, he became able to make Rank 3 pills with a quite high probability.
The third year.
A village was created around the spirit stone mine in the Secret Realm of the Mind.
As they built cottages for the clones to use as lodging, training rooms, and sparring grounds, a small village was formed.
It was a change that occurred because the Baek Gwang series mining spirit stones increased to six, and the Baek Dan series handling elixir refining increased to four.
As a side note, Yeon Cho-ah succeeded in manifesting Sword Qi through meditation. However, because fighting was scary, she said she would only use it for self-defense.
The fifth year.
【Spells】
Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art (Expert 1 / 100 million)
Thousand Transformations Art (Minor Success 1 / 10 billion)
The Soul-Splitting Art, the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art, reached Expert and obtained a useful effect.
Should he say the learning efficiency of his clones had improved? The time it took to learn and master something grew shorter.
Also, the speed of exchanging thoughts among the clones became faster.
Telepathy. Since their wills and minds communicated, they could move like a single body.
If the clones gathered and attacked in coordination, a typical Golden Core cultivator would be no match. That was so even though the spiritual power quantity of the clones was still at the Foundation Establishment level.
The disguise art, the Thousand Transformations Art, also reached Minor Success, and the change was simple yet powerful.
‘Now, even a Nascent Soul stage expert won’t be able to pierce through my disguise.’
The seventh year.
In the middle of the Dead Soul Wilderness, they were attacked by a swarm of demonic beasts. The flying vessel’s deck was shattered, and the propulsion device broke down.
To make matters worse, a sandstorm even raged.
While repairing the flying vessel, the path was distorted, and he was told that it would take about four more years to arrive.
The eighth year.
The proficiency of the River and Cloud Sword Art broke through 2.9 million. Exactly 100,000 remained until reaching Minor Success.
Simultaneously,
The speed of rising proficiency grew slow enough to be described as atrocious.
While devising a solution, he decided to try learning the sword art again from the very beginning.
The eleventh year.
He reached the Golden Core 8th layer. The maximum value of his Supreme Great Ability increased from 1.6 million to 1.9 million!
The total amount and efficiency of his spiritual power also grew stronger by about twenty percent.
It was an achievement obtained after raising his cultivation speed by unstintingly pouring his Supreme Great Ability.
The thirteenth year.
The River and Cloud Sword Art’s proficiency broke through 2.95 million, and the rising speed became even slower, virtually coming to a halt.
‘I need an opponent.’
Jin So-myeong ground and polished his sword in real combat. Trying to do only static meditation gave him the feeling of losing his way and wandering.
Since the cultivation that was proceeding rapidly got tightly blocked, honestly, he felt frustrated.
However, this time was not meaningless. To have lost his way and wandered meant he had gone down a path he normally would not have taken.
As he re-learned the sword he had learned recklessly while cutting and splitting enemies from the very beginning, at some moment, he felt his roots growing sturdy.
Of course, frustration was frustration, so his desire to find a formidable enemy and have a refreshing clash remained the same.
However, because he realized that this kind of static cultivation was also absolutely necessary, he did not act hastily.
“Whew…”
One day, after shaking off his thirst and impatience with a single breath and cultivating silently again.
A total of fourteen years had passed since he boarded the flying vessel.
They had finally arrived.
A flying vessel covered in sand and dust entered the Southern Province.
***
Natian City of the Damun Kingdom in the Southern Province.
This Rank 3 city was originally called Black Wood City, but after being occupied by the Golden Core-grade demonic sect, the Thousand Corpses Sect, it was changed to Natian City.
Well, honestly, it was not very important information.
Since a city name was merely a title that constantly changed depending on who the ruler was.
What was truly important was: so, is Natian City a place fit for humans to live? Wouldn’t it be something like this.
One of the ordinary cultivators living in Natian City.
A middle-aged man who became a mid-stage Qi Condensation cultivator at the age of fifty-one. Gwan Ho-il, who made a living by brewing and selling spiritual wine, replied that it was so.
‘Natian City? At this rate, it is livable.’
Gwan Ho-il normally considered that it did not matter who the sect ruling the city was.
And for good reason,
Whether it was the righteous sects that valued face and put on airs, or the demonic sects that openly advocated the law of the jungle, only the cultivation methods they learned differed; the deeds they did were similar.
It meant they were thugs who ripped away a portion of the harvest that bottom-tier cultivators like him obtained by working hard.
Although at a glance it seemed it would not be strange if a city ruled by a demonic sect turned into a hell on earth, usually it was not so.
Demonic sects were also not fools.
They did not leave their own domain to become a mess. They cracked down to prevent disciples from excessively acting like thugs. Although it was a measure to preserve productivity, in any case, that was how it was looking at the results alone.
In the end, no matter who reigned as the ruler, a minimum of discipline was alive.
…
He thought so. Foolishly, that is.
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