Chapter 159: Achieving Rank 4 Body Tempering
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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***
On a certain hill covered with soft grass that rustled when stepped on, two men sat facing each other in a pavilion, savoring spiritual tea.
“Did you hand over the Gold-Shackling Bone-Crushing Grass well?”
At the calm question of Mok Ryu-jin, a young man with a neat appearance like a noble son, Heo Baek-san nodded.
“I sold it at a reasonable price as Young Master Mok wished. However…”
At the gaze staring blankly at him, Heo Baek-san hesitated but continued speaking.
“Honestly, it is a bit of a waste. To pass the Gold-Shackling Bone-Crushing Grass over so easily. Even if the method of consumption is slightly tricky, isn’t it a highly precious spiritual herb?”
Mok Ryu-jin chuckled.
“It is not just slightly tricky. The medicinal effect of the Gold-Shackling Bone-Crushing Grass is too strong. One has no choice but to inevitably suffer internal injuries during the consumption process. Am I wrong?”
“Mmm. I heard that even if consumed in a perfectly prepared state, one must recuperate for at least ten years.”
“Indeed. However, due to its outstanding medicinal effect, a body tempering practitioner has no choice but to covet it, so Jin So-myeong has now practically become a cripple.”
“…Young Master Mok is correct.”
As Heo Baek-san, who had been parting his lips as if he had something to say, merely nodded his head, annoyance clouded Mok Ryu-jin’s face.
“Do not act so frustratingly, and speak if you have something to say.”
Heo Baek-san inwardly thought ‘uh-oh’, but he could not help it now. Mok Ryu-jin was famous for his nasty temperament of tenaciously harassing others if he could not achieve what he wanted.
“*Cough*. I am just asking out of curiosity, so please do not take it too offensively.”
“My word. Have I ever gotten angry over a few words? You speak of bizarre things.”
“…Is there a reason to go out of your way to provoke Jin So-myeong? Although the rumors floating around are absurd and hard to believe, if even half of them are true, he seems to be a rogue cultivator skilled in combat. Provoking him half-heartedly will bring more loss than gain.”
“Hmm.”
As Mok Ryu-jin crossed his arms with a sullen expression, Heo Baek-san chuckled awkwardly and waved his hand.
“You do not have to answer. Since it is something Young Master Mok has done, there must be a proper reason.”
“I met that fellow not long ago. Even upon hearing my name, he kept his neck stiff, so at first, I wondered if he was a descendant of some noble house. But he was merely a rogue cultivator. How arrogant.”
“Ah…”
“Of course, I am not provoking a Nascent Soul stage rogue cultivator for such a trivial reason. When I investigated him, he had contacted the Hong Clan.”
“Oh! If it is the Hong Clan… that is not good.”
“If such an arrogant fellow becomes a retainer of the Hong Clan, how troublesome would he act? Now, when he has just reached the Nascent Soul stage and his divine abilities are insignificant, cutting him down in advance is not a bad thing either.”
Heo Baek-san nodded his head as if he understood. However, whether he was truly convinced remained unknown.
In truth, it was a reason difficult to understand. If he was outstanding enough for the Hong Clan to make him a retainer, it was a wiser decision even for the Mok Clan to make him an ally.
Isn’t it true that the more friends one has, the better?
Of course, what the true reason was had no importance at all.
Even if the young master of the Mok Clan had conceived jealousy of Jin So-myeong’s aptitude and harbored killing intent.
‘Jin So-myeong… having reached the Nascent Soul stage at a young age, he must have been happy as if he possessed the entire world, yet he has fallen out of favor with Mok Ryu-jin. Tsk tsk, how tragic.’
From what he heard, he possessed such an outstanding aptitude that he reached the Nascent Soul stage before even a hundred years old; could it be that he was targeted by Young Master Mok because he possessed a special spirit body?
If that was the case, honestly, he coveted it. To the point where he wanted to strip away the spirit body.
While harboring complex plots in his heart, he smiled broadly on the outside.
“Even so, please be cautious. Aren’t rogue cultivators rough?”
“Useless worry. A fierce beast merely needs to be pushed into a trap and hunted. Besides, how fierce can a country bumpkin from the Southern Province be, no matter how fierce?”
“Indeed. You are correct. Even those who shook the periphery with their fame and acted high and mighty are often humiliated when they come to our Middle Province.”
“It is only natural, since the cultivation methods possessed by country bumpkins are low-class things anyway.”
One corner of Mok Ryu-jin’s mouth curled up.
Fitting for someone who had never failed even once so far, a deep confidence was visible in his arrogantly raised chin, downcast gaze, and every single gesture.
“I heard that fellow is looking for a thunder-attributed spiritual object. If so…”
***
Most things possess both advantages and disadvantages simultaneously.
The Gold-Shackling Bone-Crushing Grass was no exception.
Although called one of the best spiritual herbs to achieve Rank 4 body tempering due to its highly powerful medicinal effect, it possessed a fatal disadvantage.
The medicinal property was too strong, making it easy to suffer internal injuries.
Even body tempering practitioners with robust bodies would groan in pain upon consuming the Gold-Shackling Bone-Crushing Grass. To recover a healthy state, they had to recuperate for at least a decade, or so they said?
Jin So-myeong, who stood before such a spiritual herb, stroked his chin.
‘I should be fine.’
Having mastered the Minor Success stage Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art specialized in regeneration, and even possessing the Myriad Flows Restoration divine ability, he did not fear internal injuries.
‘Still, just in case.’
Preparing various recovery pills, he cast his Lightning Insight Spell-Breaking Eye with all his might to meticulously verify the state of the spiritual herb once again.
‘No problems.’
The moment he nodded and consumed the Gold-Shackling Bone-Crushing Grass.
The energy of the spiritual herb that spread to the extremities of his limbs turned every single bone into powder.
Starting with the spine, followed by the sternum, shoulders, ribs, collarbones, and so forth…
The bones shattered finely like sand took on a golden glow. Simultaneously with being crushed, they twisted like straw ropes to become sturdy, to the point where his mind grew hazy from the absurd pain.
“Urgh.”
Without the mental strength tempered through countless experiences, he would have fainted without enduring even for a moment.
He gritted his teeth and endured, and endured again.
Fortunately, he had many similar experiences. He had undergone countless pains while mastering the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art.
Suppressing the groans that tried to escape naturally, he strove to fully absorb the energy of the Gold-Shackling Bone-Crushing Grass by circulating the Minor Success stage Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art.
As time flowed on and on, he felt like he was flailing in an ocean made of pain.
Just how much longer did he have to endure?
It was gradually reaching his limit, and negative thoughts filled his head, but what could he do? He just endured.
To become stronger, there was no choice. Body tempering cultivation was all good, except for the pain being its drawback.
Even so, there was an end to the pain that felt like it would last forever.
The moment his hazy mind grew clear.
“Ah!”
He realized before he knew it that he had reached Rank 4 body tempering.
Though his mind was tired to death, he felt a boiling vitality like a furnace deep within his body. His body, which had been at the Golden Core level, had crossed the wall and reached the Nascent Soul level!
Boomoon!
As he extended a fist in an uncontrollable impulse, a fierce shockwave resonated through the void.
Along the trajectory of his straight punch, fine cracks appeared in the void. His ridiculously powerful physical body had distorted even space.
‘Keh…!’
A deep joy welled up within his chest. If he could fully control the massive power contained in this physical body and pack it into the tip of his sword, it would exert an immense force.
Jin So-myeong, who was tightly squeezing his fist, flinched. He calmed his excitement by repeating long, slow breaths.
It was something he had vaguely felt after reaching the Nascent Soul stage; strength was similar to power.
Merely possessing it held a powerful magic that blurred one’s reason. If he did not want to be swayed by strength, he had to keep a sense of vigilance in one corner of his mind.
In the subsequent fortnight.
He recovered his body, which had been exhausted by the Gold-Shackling Bone-Crushing Grass, without much difficulty and opened his status window.
【Jin So-myeong】
【Lifespan】 : 86 / 1963
【Realm】 : Nascent Soul Stage 1st Layer
【Supreme Great Ability】 : 8.1 million / 10 million
【Divine Ability】 : <Secret Realm of the Mind>, <Myriad Flows Restoration>
‘My lifespan has increased!’
A whopping 310 years. Thanks to this, he came to possess a massive lifespan close to two thousand years.
If other Nascent Soul stage cultivators knew, they would be green with envy. This was because, according to what was known to the world, the limit of a Nascent Soul stage cultivator’s lifespan was about 1,600 years.
Jin So-myeong, who was nodding his head, focused on the state of his meridians.
Perhaps because his body tempering realm had ascended to Rank 4, he felt twice as sturdy.
If so, it was time to do the task he had postponed.
The moment he invested one hundred top-grade spirit stones in the Secret Realm of the Mind.
【Secret Realm of the Mind】
【Facilities】 : Rank 4 Mid-grade Spiritual Vein, Rank 4 Mid-grade Spirit Stone Mine
【Resource Production】 : 20 highest-grade spirit stones / 1 day
As the production of highest-grade spirit stones reached twenty, the grade rose.
‘This is it!’
The feeling of the Secret Realm of the Mind growing was always the best. Jin So-myeong, who cheered, began pouring out the top-grade spirit stones piled up in his subspace.
【Resource Production】 : 21 highest-grade spirit stones / 1 day
【Resource Production】 : 22 highest-grade spirit stones / 1 day
…
【Resource Production】 : 37 highest-grade spirit stones / 1 day
‘Mmm… just a bit more.’
The energy flowing out from the Secret Realm of the Mind instantly exploded. At exactly thirty-seven, his meridian state reached its limit, but he strengthened it with a mindset of ‘just one more’.
【Resource Production】 : 38 highest-grade spirit stones / 1 day
“Mmh.”
Jin So-myeong, who focused his Divine Sense to closely observe the state of his meridians, smacked his lips.
He knew it was his limit, but felt slightly regretful.
‘Just one more time.’
He continued strengthening with the feeling of dropping water droplets into an already full cup.
【Resource Production】 : 39 highest-grade spirit stones / 1 day
【Resource Production】 : 40 highest-grade spirit stones / 1 day
【The spirit stone mine has reached the limit of the Rank 4 mid-grade.】
“Done.”
As a price for narrowly crossing the limit, his meridians tingled, but it was fine. The burden and pain were temporary. He believed he would soon be able to adapt.
Jin So-myeong, who was smiling, paused.
Something felt empty. It was like something that should be there was missing. What could be missing…
Pondering for a long time amidst a ticklish feeling that felt right on the verge of coming to mind.
“Ah!”
Something flashed through his head!
【To grow the mine to Rank 4 high-grade, 2,000 highest-grade spirit stones are required.】
This kind of alarm should have popped up, but it did not.
He realized that he could continue raising the spirit stone production in units of one.
During his Golden Core days when the Secret Realm of the Mind was Rank 3, once the production reached forty, he had to invest two thousand spirit stones all at once. Yet now, such constraints had vanished.
He had become able to make fine adjustments from 40 to 41.
‘It was the same when the low-grade spiritual vein went up to mid-grade. He had to invest a thousand spirit stones at once.’
The daily production should have jumped from ten to twenty all at once, but he was able to raise it one by one up to nineteen.
Why, for what reason, did it become like this?
The most clear change was that he had gone from Golden Core to the Nascent Soul stage. Did his control over the Secret Realm of the Mind divine ability rise as his realm ascended?
If so, it was extremely good news.
Because it meant that as his realm grew higher, other changes might occur in the Secret Realm of the Mind.
He, who was imagining a vague future, cleared his throat. The future was good, but he had to focus on the present for now.
‘Now, just how dense has the spiritual Qi become.’
The best thing as the Secret Realm of the Mind grew was naturally the increase in cultivation speed.
Roughly fifteen years to the second layer of the Nascent Soul stage. The existing time of twenty-five years was shortened by nearly half.
‘Whew.’
Only now did a conviction arise that he would be able to reach the Soul Formation stage. Although it would take ridiculously long, it was about the level of ‘it seems possible’.
However, it seemed it would truly take a long time.
‘At this speed… it will take at least five hundred years to the ninth layer of the Nascent Soul stage.’
Five hundred years was just the estimate; he did not know how long it would actually take to Soul Formation if he cultivated safely.
Suddenly, he seemed to understand why there were many lunatics among cultivators.
Spending a vast time of over hundreds of years looking only at a wall to cultivate, it was stranger if one’s mind remained sane.
‘Before long, I should find out if there are fortuitous encounters to accelerate the cultivation speed.’
If other Nascent Soul stage cultivators heard it, they would have hurled vulgar curses, but to Jin So-myeong, five hundred years was too long.
If he only cultivated during that time, it felt like some corner of his mind would break down. To reduce the period to a reasonable level, a fortuitous encounter was necessary.
Convenly, there was also a good opportunity.
From what he heard in passing, a super-large exchange assembly where Nascent Soul stage cultivators gather was said to be held periodically in Cloud Dragon Immortal City. If he targeted that time well, he would be able to find a fortuitous encounter.
Having established a rough plan, Jin So-myeong focused on cultivation for now.
Since he had strengthened the Secret Realm of the Mind, there was a task he had to do next.
The Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art – Blood Armor Condensation Chapter.
[The Blood Armor refined by condensing body essence changes color according to one’s realm, called respectively Red Armor, Dark Armor, and Purple-Eyed Armor.]
‘It indeed said the armor color changes according to the realm.’
If it was as described in the technique, since he had achieved Nascent Soul-grade body tempering, a Dark Armor…a deep black armor…would be made instead of a red armor.
Jin So-myeong, who calmed his mind through breathing, concentrated his spirit.
Crack!
The moment he chanted the mnemonic of the Blood Armor Condensation Chapter and condensed the essence of his robust physical body, which was capable of tearing even space apart, to a single point.
“···!”
His head flickered completely white. A pain that felt as if he would never get used to it arrived.
The feeling of squeezing his muscles, as well as his bones and flesh!
Time flowed terribly slowly. Just how long had he endured?
Like a mummy, a translucent shroud appeared over his shriveled body, where the shape of his bones was revealed entirely.
Leaving his exhausted body behind, he first inspected the newly made Blood Armor, but something was strange. It was in a state where red and black were mixed half-and-half.
Wondering if it was a failure, he condensed his sword Gang and slashed the Blood Armor, but it was perfectly fine.
Bang! Pazijijijik!
Jin So-myeong, who tested its defensive power by attacking the Blood Armor in various ways, nodded.
The durability was satisfactory. It could sufficiently endure Nascent Soul-grade attacks.
‘Hmm… it seems I must raise my body tempering level further to dye it completely black.’
It was not a bad thing. Because room for development had been created.
Once the armor took on a completely black color, it would become far sturdier than now.
Pondering where he should employ the newly obtained Blood Armor, he shook his head.
‘Let’s rest a bit first.’
A week from then.
He recovered his exhausted body while actively using even the Myriad Flows Restoration divine ability. Around the time flesh filled his mummy-like emaciated body and he attained at least a human-like appearance.
A guest visited his cave dwelling.
“I am Jin So-myeong.”
“Nice to meet you. I am Yun Cheong-hyeon.”
He was a man who appeared to be in his late thirties, and to explicitly name his identity, he could be called a neighboring Nascent Soul stage cultivator.
“I apologize for visiting suddenly. I do not know if I have disturbed your cultivation.”
“It is fine. I happened to be resting.”
“Oh. I seem to have timed it well. Hmm… By the way, have you perhaps suffered an internal injury? Your complexion does not look very good.”
Staring intently at Jin So-myeong’s face, he spoke as if worried.
“I have a few spiritual herbs good for internal injuries, and if you wish, I will sell them to you at a reasonable price.”
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