Chapter 191: Nascent Soul 6th Layer, Back to the Middle Province
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read more at Nineheavens.org
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It had been nearly five years since he arrived in this freezing land where snowstorms raged.
【Jin So-myeong】
【Lifespan】: 108 / 1963
【Realm】: Nascent Soul 6th Layer
【Supreme Great Ability】: 33.1 million / 80 million
【Divine Abilities】: ,
He had reached the 6th layer of the Nascent Soul stage.
‘How many years did it take?’
Tracing back his memories, it had been about eleven years since the day he reached the 5th layer of the Nascent Soul stage to become a 6th layer.
Looking at the translucent hologram, the status window, he felt a strange sensation.
‘Before I knew it, I have surpassed one hundred years of age.’
It felt like just yesterday when he realized his past life and recklessly went to Red Yang Market to begin cultivating, yet nearly a hundred years of time had already flowed by.
It was absolutely not that he felt bad. Naturally, he was proud and pleased.
Since he had always done his best, he had no regrets.
It was merely that he felt nostalgia at the sentiment of how much time had passed.
Suddenly, the connections he had made during his Qi Condensation days flashed through his mind.
How many of them would actually still be alive?
If they had been touched by heavenly luck and established their foundations, it might be different, but most had probably passed away as their lifespans reached their end.
To a human, one hundred years was that distant of a time.
‘It is certainly not easy.’
He felt it directly these days, but as his cultivation realm rose, the time required for cultivation increased exponentially.
Despite his cultivation speed being incredibly fast thanks to numerous opportunities, he still needed a lot of time to rise by a single step.
‘Still, if I take just one more step, it is the late Nascent Soul stage.’
How long would it take to break through the minor realm and reach the 7th layer of the Nascent Soul stage?
Judging by the speed at which his spiritual power accumulated, it would likely take roughly fifteen to twenty years.
To reduce that time?
There were many methods.
He could obtain items called Immortal Stones to strengthen the Secret Realm of the Mind to Rank 5, or raise the proficiency of the Immortal-Severing Earth Art, a secret technique that allowed him to consume more medicinal pills.
Or else…
He could also reinvest his Supreme Great Ability, which was currently focused on raising the proficiency of the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art, back into cultivation.
Of course, he had no intention of doing so.
【Cultivation Methods】
Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art (Minor Success 3.1 billion / 4 billion)
Because the proficiency was already almost full.
He planned to decide his future path after raising the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art to the next stage after Minor Success and seeing what changes occurred.
In fact, since about 700 million Supreme Great Ability was restored in a year, it would have been normal to exceed 3.5 billion proficiency, but because there were many places to use the Supreme Great Ability during his cultivation, it was still at 3.1 billion.
‘Still, I am almost there. Not much is left.’
It would take two years at the latest. The Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art would reach the next stage after Minor Success before long.
Just what kind of changes would occur?
Jin So-myeong, who was lost in various imaginations, rummaged through his sub-space.
‘Hmm… I should head back to the Middle Province soon.’
The cultivation pills that had been piled up like a mountain had run out before he knew it.
Although he did not know if it could be called a replacement, over 350,000 top-grade spirit stones had accumulated. This meant it was time to go to a place where people lived and purchase cultivation resources.
He packed up the various implements he had laid out while staying here for five years. Just as he was preparing to leave.
‘A person?’
He felt someone approaching at the edge of his Divine Sense.
They were flying toward this place while shivering all over, and seeing how their complexion was pale and their lips had turned purple, they were on the verge of freezing.
“Ugh… It is so cold!”
He carefully observed the woman who was resisting the cold with clattering teeth, and she was at the Golden Core Great Circle.
Had a few minutes passed?
The woman, who had struggled through the snowstorm and arrived at the cave dwelling with a bright smile, froze.
“Wh-what is this?”
She was bewildered upon being blocked by the formation Jin So-myeong had set up, and it seemed she had indeed flown here targeting this spiritual vein.
Her face grew increasingly pale as she stood blankly, seemingly not knowing what to do.
He carefully observed her appearance, but it did not seem like an act. Judging her to be a real Golden Core, he opened his mouth.
“Do not shiver outside, come in.”
“…Ah.”
When he opened the formation for her, she hesitated for a moment before flying up to the cave dwelling and bowing.
“Greetings, Senior. I go by the name of Jang Yeon-ju.”
“Mhm.”
As he used the Rank 4 flame, the Extreme Fire Divine Light, to warm up the room, her waist lowered even further.
“I am truly sorry. I came here without knowing that Senior was staying here, causing trouble.”
“What trouble. I am also glad to see a person in such a remote place.”
He treated her quite kindly, but seeing that she could not hide her nervousness, he decided to just ask directly.
When one had the strength, there was no need to take a complicated route.
“I am sorry to ask this as soon as we meet, but by any chance, do you have a map of this place?”
“Ah, of course. Fortunately, this junior can be of assistance.”
Examining the jade slip politely offered to him, this place was indeed the Absolute Cold Ice Prison, one of the ten great forbidden areas.
‘It is quite deep inside. It will be a bit of a struggle to fly all the way to the Middle Province.’
But how did a Golden Core find their way to this place, which was dangerous even for a Nascent Soul?
He was curious, but there was no need to ask.
As he examined the map in detail, he naturally found out.
‘So a teleportation array was installed.’
Teleportation array markings were engraved in several areas of the map, and an explanation was written that a sect called the Snow Rosy Cloud Sect was managing them.
Which meant…
“Was this spiritual vein the property of the Snow Rosy Cloud Sect?”
“Y-yes. For now, that is the case, but…”
Jang Yeon-ju trailed off. It was obvious she was flustered because she could not blame the senior for his mistake.
He had unintentionally raided an empty house.
Looking at her who was at a loss even though she did not do anything wrong, he gave a rough explanation.
“Do not worry too much. I was planning to leave soon anyway.”
“Ah, no. You may stay comfortably as long as you need. In any case, the Snow Rosy Cloud Sect has almost abandoned the management of this spiritual vein.”
“They abandoned it?”
“Since I do not belong to the Snow Rosy Cloud Sect, I do not know the exact reason, but if you are curious, I can tell you what I know.”
“It is fine even if it is wrong, so speak.”
“Has there not been a lot of empty land appearing in the Middle Province recently? It seems they judged that there was no need to cling to a spiritual vein that is difficult to manage.”
Empty land in the Middle Province.
With that single sentence, he got a rough idea of what had happened. It seemed that many Nascent Soul cultivators who entered the secret realm had died.
Even though he said it was fine, Jang Yeon-ju, who was still bowing, was at the Golden Core Great Circle.
Looking at her, she seemed to have come all the way here to challenge the Nascent Soul stage.
“I see. At any rate, I am leaving, so you can cultivate here or do whatever you want. And this is the payment for the map.”
“Ah… I will accept it gratefully.”
As he gave her a pile of top-grade spirit stones, her back finally straightened a little.
She seemed to have relaxed upon realizing that Jin So-myeong had no ill intent.
Just as he was about to leave.
He felt as if a cold blade had grazed the back of his neck.
“…By any chance, is there something uncomfortable?”
“It is nothing.”
Frowning, Jin So-myeong left the cave dwelling.
While flying toward the teleportation array, he took out the Magic Treasure, the Flowing Water Evil-Revealing Mirror, which he had installed in the Secret Realm of the Mind during his Golden Core days.
The Flowing Water Evil-Revealing Mirror was a mirror that blocked divination and curses.
The surface of the mirror, which should originally be as clear as transparent water, was pitch black. The meaning of this was clear.
“Hmm.”
It meant someone had performed a divination targeting him.
***
A majestic mountain range formed by mountains towering high like a single sword.
Anyone who saw it would have been astonished.
This was because the thousands of mountains that formed the mountain range were all spiritual veins from which dense spiritual Qi gushed forth.
Even the smallest mountain was at least a Rank 2 spiritual vein, and counting only the Rank 4 ones, there were easily over a hundred.
Was that all?
The vegetation was also very abundant. One could find naturally formed spiritual herb habitats just by choosing almost any mountain at random.
It was literally a blessed cultivation ground.
Yet what was puzzling was that most of these precious spiritual veins were completely empty.
If the countless cultivators who fought risking their lives to occupy a spiritual vein had seen this, they would have shed tears of blood out of regret, but…
Fortunately or unfortunately, that would not happen.
This was because this mountain range was a territory occupied by the Sacred City, which was called the ruler of the Middle Province.
In that place, where there had been no disturbance for the past several decades, Yeo Mu-rin, who was silently concentrating on cultivation, frowned.
“A meeting has been convened?”
“Yes. An order has been handed down that those at the Division Leader level or above must participate.”
“How unusual.”
Before he knew it, three hundred years had passed since Yeo Mu-rin became the head of the Flame-Extinguishing Division, one of the armed organizations of the Sacred City.
It could be considered quite a long time, but a case like this was a first.
Just what was going on? While contemplating with a frown, he left the mountain range.
Arriving at a certain grand hall, familiar faces came into view.
The Emotion-Extinguishing Division, the Snow Shadow Division, the Array-Breaking Division, the Soul-Tempering Division…
The heads of various organizations in charge of intelligence or military force were quietly gathered.
He exchanged light nods with a few he was normally close with and took his seat.
How long had he waited while closing his eyes as if in meditation?
“Everyone has arrived.”
Myo Seol, who assisted the number one figure of the Sacred City, called the Heavenly Venerable and the Lord of the Divine Wood, right by his side, appeared.
For her, who was called the Grand Chief of the Sacred City, to host a meeting in person.
Could it be that an order from the Heavenly Venerable had descended?
“You must all know that a cultivator who has mastered a forbidden cultivation method has recently appeared. We have investigated all suspicious individuals over the past fifteen years and have confirmed a strong suspect.”
The questions that had dwelled on everyone’s faces vanished. This was because they guessed the reason why the meeting was hosted.
There were many forbidden cultivation methods in the world that carried all kinds of harmful effects.
For example,
Becoming mad and committing massacres, or stealing the lifespan of surrounding people?
Such cultivation methods were called forbidden arts, and searching for and hunting down those who mastered forbidden arts was one of the tasks that the Sacred City had been doing for a long time.
‘How strange. To summon all the Division Leaders for a mere matter like this.’
His bewilderment lasted only a moment.
“To fearlessly cultivate a forbidden art… Who is it?”
“It is the rogue cultivator Jin So-myeong. Using divination, we have discovered that he is still alive.”
“Jin So-myeong?”
Materials were distributed soon after, and the Nascent Soul cultivators groaned upon reading the details of the thorough investigation on Jin So-myeong.
“To reach the mid Nascent Soul stage at one hundred years of age… How absurd.”
“With this level of talent, we cannot even disparage him as a rogue cultivator. It seems he is superior to you, Flame-Extinguishing Division Leader.”
Yeo Mu-rin frowned at the smirk of the Array-Breaking Division Leader, with whom he was usually on bad terms, but he did not bother to retaliate.
Rather than that, it was far more important to accurately grasp information about Jin So-myeong.
“To have emerged alive from the Defeated Sage Dojo, could it be that he escaped from a Soul Formation-grade member of the Insect-Armor Race?”
“Yes. That is why we estimated that he cultivated a forbidden art.”
“Hah. No matter how it is a forbidden art, how could he from a Soul Formation…?”
It was a story that defied common sense.
They, belonging to the Sacred City, knew best what monsters those at the Soul Formation stage were. That was natural, as their own leader was none other than a Soul Formation cultivator.
Everyone frowned as if it was hard to believe, but they did not force themselves to deny it.
The investigations of the Sacred City were just that accurate.
“…”
Except for Yeo Mu-rin, whose expression was frozen hard as if he absolutely could not tolerate this.
Because he was one of the few people who had directly experienced the distant power possessed by a Soul Formation cultivator, he could believe it even less.
He firmly clenched his jaw. Just as he was forcibly suppressing the words he wanted to say.
“To have fought and won against a Nascent Soul cultivator during his Golden Core days. His strength is marvelous, but he was also born with heavenly luck.”
“Do we just need to find this guy and kill him?”
Receiving the gazes of the assembly, Myo Seol shook her head.
“No. Just locate him and report back. The Heavenly Venerable has stated that he will personally step forward.”
“…The Heavenly Venerable personally?”
Everyone was bewildered. This was because it was unbelievable that the Heavenly Venerable would personally deal with a mere Nascent Soul.
Just what was so special about this man named Jin So-myeong?
It was far too excessive a treatment.
Of course, his talent in reaching the mid Nascent Soul stage in a hundred years was great enough to be called brilliant, but that was all.
It was not a reason for the leader of the Sacred City to step forward personally.
“I have already given you sufficient information. Do not try to know more. You only need to keep in mind that if things go wrong, billions of living souls may die.”
“Mmm. It must be a forbidden art with quite severe harmful effects.”
“Mobilize all of your disciples in your respective assigned regions. We must search the entire world to find him as quickly as possible.”
The silent Nascent Soul cultivators nodded their heads.
Honestly, it was hard to understand, but that did not matter much. If the Heavenly Venerable had set his mind, they, as subordinates, would simply follow.
However, not everyone was convinced.
Yeo Mu-rin, whose face had been stiff throughout the meeting, glared at the jade slip containing information about Jin So-myeong.
The Master of the Divine Wood.
‘How can the Heavenly Venerable, who reigns above all people, personally make a move to deal with a mere Nascent Soul rogue cultivator?’
That was far too disrespectful of a matter.
For him, who had been born and raised in the Sacred City and had spent his entire life working to become the next Lord of the Divine Wood, it was hard to tolerate.
‘Could it be?’
An ominous thought arose.
‘Is he trying to bring him to the Sacred City rather than kill him?’
There was only a single condition to become the Lord of the Divine Wood.
Being overwhelmingly stronger than anyone else. Aside from that, all were merely trivial conditions.
If Jin So-myeong were to submit to the Heavenly Venerable…
It meant he could become the next Lord of the Divine Wood.
“…”
Yeo Mu-rin’s complexion darkened noticeably.
***
Jin So-myeong, who was waving the completely ruined Flowing Water Evil-Revealing Mirror back and forth, smirked.
Various thoughts arose at the sudden turn of events, but he brushed off the minor worries.
‘Divination? It does not matter.’
He was different now from his Golden Core days.
Tracking a Nascent Soul cultivator with divination was an act that was difficult to the point of being close to impossible.
‘At best, they would have only found out whether I am alive or dead.’
Anything beyond that was impossible.
To even find out an inaccurate location, a Soul Formation cultivator who had mastered divination would have to sacrifice their lifespan, and who in the world would do such a thing?
There was no need to worry too much.
What if someone were to come by any chance? He would just have a fight.
Putting the ruined Flowing Water Evil-Revealing Mirror into his sub-space, Jin So-myeong traversed the sky.
‘I should buy some pills with the accumulated spirit stones, and finish cultivating the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art in a suitable place.’
His plan remained the same. He intended to cross over to the Middle Province using the teleportation array marked on the map.
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