Chapter 166: The Cave Dwelling of a Soul Formation Sword Cultivator

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read more at Nineheavens.org
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The Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine was truly popular.

Most of the Nascent Soul cultivators began to move their lips in competition, seemingly sending voice transmissions to the woman wearing the monster mask to propose prices.

Jin So-myeong also did not put on useless airs and actively jumped in.

-I wish to buy the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine with a Rank 4 medium-grade Spiritual Treasure.

Although a lightning-attribute spiritual object was precious, in the end, it was merely a material. He thought that offering a completed Rank 4 Spiritual Treasure made with various materials would be sufficient payment.

Indeed, the woman’s gaze turned toward him.

-What kind of Spiritual Treasure is it?

-The Myriad Souls Dead Spirit Bell. It is a bell that can strike the mind or suppress and control ghosts.

He proposed the Rank 4 Spiritual Treasure obtained by killing the Supreme Elder of the Black Night Palace in the past as payment…

-I am sorry. Due to the characteristics of the cultivation method I practice, I do not need demonic path Spiritual Treasures.

Unfortunately, he was rejected.

He called upon the various treasures sleeping in the sub-space, but because most were of the demonic path, the other party did not want them.

But he could not give away what he had set aside for his own use…

Silence descended for a moment as Jin So-myeong eventually pulled out his last card.

-The Three Lights Treasure Wheel. It is a Rank 4 medium-to-high grade Spiritual Treasure, a wheel that emits three types of light that cause destruction, sealing, and heart demons.

-Three Lights Treasure Wheel…?

The hesitant woman fell silent for a few seconds and then replied a beat late.

-Very well. I will trade.

When he handed over the Three Lights Treasure Wheel, which was contained in a wooden box that obstructed Divine Sense detection, the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine came back in return.

The other Nascent Soul cultivators who realized the transaction had finished let out sighs.

They glanced at Jin So-myeong in regret, seemingly curious about what he had given as payment to succeed in the trade.

At that moment, exploiting the gap where attention was focused on him, Jin So-myeong spoke up.

“I wish to obtain a sword formula that allows one to train up to the Soul Formation stage. It is fine if there is no physical copy. Even if you only provide related information, I will reward you handsomely.”

“A Soul Formation-grade sword formula…?”

People’s eyes became strange.

It was something he had learned while staying in the Middle Province for a long time: most Middle Province people diligently raised their realms while yearning for the Soul Formation stage, but they shrank from directly mentioning the word ‘Soul Formation.’

If he were to guess the reason…

they seemed to fear being targeted by the Sacred City.

Soul Formation.

Because he openly uttered the word that everyone yearned for yet regarded as a taboo, gazes with a different meaning from before poured on him.

“Is there no one? Even a minor clue is fine.”

He waited for a few seconds, but there was no response.

Just as he licked his lips in regret, a voice transmission arrived late.

-I have decent information. I know the location of a cave dwelling where a Soul Formation sword cultivator who was active long ago during the ancient times stayed.

The cave dwelling of a Soul Formation sword cultivator?

Turning his gaze with a welcoming heart, he saw a masked man with a build so ordinary that it was hard to find a single characteristic.

Jin So-myeong, who was about to hastily continue the conversation, paused.

If it was the ancient times, it meant at least a hundred thousand years ago. Would the traces from back then remain until now?

Not wanting to be disappointed for nothing, he calmed his excitement and asked composedly.

-The cave dwelling where a Soul Formation sword cultivator stayed… How certain is this information?

-I swear on my Great Dao of Longevity that the place is indeed where a Soul Formation sword cultivator stayed. However…

-However?

-Actually, it is also a place that the Sacred City has already swept clean. They took away even the trivial junk. There probably won’t be anything useful. If you are fine with that, I will tell you the location.

To think it was already plundered.

It was disappointing enough to drain his energy, but his discouraged mood was only temporary.

‘If I inspect it with the Lightning Insight Spell-Breaking Eye, won’t I be able to obtain something?’

Had he not observed the sword scars left in the desert and seen the scene of a Soul Formation sword cultivator cleaving a serpent in a single slash? Perhaps he could have a similar experience this time.

-It is fine even if it is a place that has already been plundered. Just in case, I would like to at least take a look. What do you want?

-Just give me ten thousand supreme-grade spirit stones.

Fortunately, the other party did not make an excessive demand. Since it was a place that countless people had already visited, he seemed to judge that the information was not particularly important.

Examining the jade slip received in exchange for the spirit stones, a map was drawn on it.

‘Flow-Shearing Grassland? A dangerous place.’

It was a grassland where winds as sharp as Sword Qi blew all year round, one of the ten great forbidden areas that was dangerous even to Nascent Soul cultivators.

When Jin So-myeong nodded after carefully examining the map, those who were watching were puzzled.

Could he have truly obtained a Soul Formation-grade sword formula?

The gazes filled with questioning focused on him, and perhaps feeling burdened by it, the man who traded with Jin So-myeong waved his hand.

“I merely handed over some trivial information after receiving a few spirit stones, so do not form strange misunderstandings. I know nothing about a Soul Formation-grade sword formula.”

Whether they believed the excuse or not, at any rate, the gazes dispersed.

“…I intend to enter the Misty Rock Ghost Sea, so I am looking for someone proficient in water-attribute spells.”

After a brief silence, someone spoke, and the exchange meeting continued.

*

Half a day later.

Jin So-myeong, who had purchased additional spiritual herbs helpful for training, was satisfied.

Although it was only the first day of the exchange meeting, there was a large harvest.

‘They said the exchange meeting continues for a month.’

He had heard that Nascent Soul cultivators gathered to exchange their needed items or information like today, and that auctions were held in between.

Nodding his head in satisfaction, he headed to the Secret Realm of the Mind.

“*Chirp?*”

Geum-cheong, who was enjoying a nap in the Jade Light Spring, opened her eyes, perhaps sensing a presence.

Stretching her wings as if yawning, she pattered and flew toward him.

“You have come!”

Seeing the usually haughty fellow welcome him warmly, it seemed she was hungry.

Smiling, he walked to the spiritual herb field, and she followed closely.

Intending to finish what he had to do before feeding her, he took out the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine.

As he selected a suitable spot in the spiritual herb field to plant it, Geum-cheong, who followed by his side and watched the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine, tilted her head.

Seeing her bring her beak close and sniff, he spoke just in case.

“You must not eat this.”

“*Chirp?* Why would this lady eat that? It looks tasteless at a glance.”

He was relieved by the firm reply. Although Geum-cheong had a prickly way of speaking, her pride was strong, so she always kept her word.

He was about to laugh it off and pass, but then paused. Suddenly, a strange discordance was felt.

“It looks tasteless? The Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine is a Rank 4 spiritual herb, though?”

“*Chirp, chirp!*”

He asked Geum-cheong again, who was nodding her head as if agreeing.

“Why?”

“I simply said so because it looks tasteless. Would there be a reason?”

“…Suspicious. To think it looks tasteless to a glutton like you.”

“*Chirp!?* Not only Dol-soe, but you call me a glutton!”

Ignoring the chick running wild while flapping her wings enveloped in blue lightning,

Jin So-myeong, who inspected the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine here and there, cast the Lightning Insight Spell-Breaking Eye.

As he concentrated all his senses to examine the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine, a very small, truly faint discordance was felt.

‘There is really a problem?’

The surprised Jin So-myeong consumed additional Supreme Great Abilities to amplify his senses, and only then did the impurity hidden inside the spiritual herb become visible.

A blackish aura that could not be detected even with Divine Sense was secretly hidden deep within the spiritual herb.

Looking at the properties of the aura, it was clearly not hidden with good intentions.

‘Heh.’

It was surprising. Did Geum-cheong, who was only at the Qi Condensation stage, detect a trick that a Nascent Soul cultivator had deliberately hidden?

To think the chick, who did nothing but eat and sleep, possessed such an ability.

‘Did she truly inherit the True Spirit bloodline?’

He asked the chick, who was slumped after running wild to her heart’s content.

“How did you know?”

“…What are you talking about?”

“That there was a problem with the spiritual herb.”

“Was there a problem with that grass?”

Her eyes resembling black beans blinked. Seeing her look bewildered, she seemed to know nothing.

Was it a coincidence?

Indeed, it made no sense for a Qi Condensation cultivator to notice the trick of a Nascent Soul cultivator.

“Well… if you don’t know, it’s fine.”

At any rate, since she had done well, he decided to give her a reward.

“*Chirp?*”

He flicked his finger. When he tossed the Five Elements Divine Thunder, the slumped fellow sprang up.

Devouring the lightning Qi, she was joyful enough to flap her wings. She seemed to have long forgotten being angry at being teased as a glutton.

Leaving the fellow who tapped her belly as if in a good mood, he focused on the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine again.

‘Although a suspicious aura is planted inside… it’s not that there is no way to use it.’

With the Sword Gang condensed on his fingertips, he cut the pure white vine into chunks.

While taking care not to damage the roots, he cleanly carved out only the parts containing the black aura.

Picking up the vine, which had holes poked here and there because of the cutting, he examined it closely.

After confirming that the black aura was completely removed, he cast the Myriad Flows Restoration divine ability.

‘It’s done!’

After consuming a total of three million Supreme Great Ability beads, he restored the tattered Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine to a perfectly fine state.

‘Since it took three million to regenerate the ruined vine… about five million should be enough to copy it.’

Jin So-myeong, holding up the now-fine Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine, offered it to Geum-cheong just in case.

“How is it? Does it still look tasteless?”

A nod.

“It is obvious that the Five Elements Divine Thunder you give is more delicious.”

“Is that so…?”

He was deflated when she said even the fine spiritual herb looked tasteless. Apparently, she had not discovered that there was a problem with the spiritual herb.

‘It must have been a coincidence.’

Still, her discernment was quite something.

The Five Elements Divine Thunder was a lightning bolt tempered by the Minor Success-level Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art improved by Supreme Great Abilities. In a way, it was indeed a precious lightning Qi that a Rank 4 spiritual object could not even compare to.

If she felt that the more outstanding the lightning Qi was, the more delicious it was, her palate could be considered exceptionally accurate.

Glancing at Geum-cheong, who was rolling on the ground after eating her fill of lightning Qi, he planted the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine properly in a corner of the spiritual herb field as originally intended.

‘When I have spare Supreme Great Abilities, I should copy it and use it for training.’

He did not know what trick the woman who sold this vine was trying to play, but thanks to it, he obtained a useful spiritual herb.

Just as he nodded his head,

Geum-cheong showed interest in the parts of the Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine contaminated by the black aura.

“Are you throwing these away? If so, give them to this lady.”

“Hmm? I told you not to eat them.”

“Did I not say I would not eat this grass? I shall use this to decorate my nest.”

“Your nest… the Jade Light Spring?”

A nod.

To decorate the Jade Light Spring with contaminated spiritual herbs, what was she planning to do?

Curiosity arose along with worry.

Taking the vine fragments contaminated with the black aura, he went to the Jade Light Spring with Geum-cheong.

“Could you take out the blue bead at the bottom of my nest? The round thing from which lightning Qi flows.”

“Are you talking about the Jade Thunder Pearl?”

*Chirp, chirp.*

The Jade Thunder Pearl was a lightning-attribute spiritual object obtained in the sea near Sky Island in the past, a mineral from which lightning Qi was constantly emitted.

As she wanted, he took out the Jade Thunder Pearl that had been submerged in the water and placed it alongside the vine fragments.

The satisfied Geum-cheong began to shuttle back and forth between the vine fragments and the Jade Thunder Pearl.

What on earth was she doing… the questioning was only brief.

Although by a very small amount, the lightning Qi felt from the vine fragments weakened. At the same time, the lightning Qi emitted by the Jade Thunder Pearl strengthened.

‘Did she extract only the essence of lightning Qi from the contaminated vine and transfer it to the Jade Thunder Pearl?’

Perhaps because Geum-cheong’s realm was low, the amount of energy transferred was extremely minute. It was merely a speck compared to the lightning Qi contained in a Rank 4 spiritual object, but what was surprising was surprising.

“How did you do it?”

“*Chirp?* I do not know. I simply did it because I felt I could.”

Was she handling the source of lightning Qi? Watching Geum-cheong strengthen the Jade Thunder Pearl, he felt as if he understood something, yet not quite.

He attempted to transfer the essence of lightning Qi following her lead, but failed. Although Geum-cheong did it easily, it was harder than expected.

‘Is this the racial difference?’

Humans are stronger than bees, yet they cannot harvest honey from flowers, can they? It was that kind of feeling.

At any rate, he had not expected Geum-cheong to earn her keep like this.

The lightning Qi emitted by the Jade Light Spring was at the Rank 3 level, so it was not of much help after he rose to the Nascent Soul stage. However, if Geum-cheong strengthened the Jade Light Spring to Rank 4, it would be useful even during the Nascent Soul stage.

“…Take it easy.”

“*Chirp!*”

Leaving Geum-cheong, who was diligently strengthening the Jade Light Spring under the pretext of decorating her nest, he emerged from the Secret Realm of the Mind.

The next day.

He attended the exchange meeting again, but the woman wearing the monster mask was not seen. After selling the contaminated Light-Transmitting Deep Thunder Vine to Jin So-myeong, she had disappeared as if she had achieved her goal.

‘Hmm.’

Jin So-myeong, who was deeply lost in thought, nodded his head and paid no more attention to the woman.

Throughout the duration of the exchange meeting, he moved diligently and purchased various spiritual objects helpful for training. He bought so many cultivation resources that the massive amount of spirit stones he had gathered until now was almost depleted.

And,

as soon as the exchange meeting ended, he departed toward the cave dwelling where a Soul Formation sword cultivator was said to have stayed in the distant past.

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