Chapter 208: The Last Piece for the Soul Formation Stage

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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Leaving the True Realm of Illusory Dreams was not difficult.

It was sufficient to proceed toward the mark he had left in advance before entering the secret realm.

Rummaging through the fog filled with starlight and going toward the faintly felt mark, he was outside at some moment.

*Whoosh!*

As soon as he came out, a harsh blizzard poured to the point of being mistaken for a spell.

As he faced the snow-wind mixed with sharp chunks of ice, something was strange.

‘Why is it so hot?’

The True Realm of Illusory Dreams was located at the outskirts of the Absolute Cold Ice Prison, where freezing weather continued all year round.

It was normal to be cold enough to make even breathing difficult, but today was different.

The ground, which should have been piled high with perpetual snow, was replaced by damp, wet mud, and heat rising from deep within the earth heated the air hot.

At the somewhat unusual feeling, he released his Divine Sense as widely as possible and witnessed an amazing sight.

“Heh.”

Every land within a thousand li in all directions was filled with giant cracks, and the deeply gouged scars looked just like sword cuts.

Witnessing the sight of red lava that shot up between the cracked earth bubbling and boiling, he could not help but realize why it was this hot.

No matter how he looked at it, they were traces of someone fighting.

‘…Could it be Hong Seol?’

An ominous thought came to mind.

To make traces like this, the level of the Nascent Soul stage was not enough. It had to be at least at the Soul Formation stage.

Narrowing his eyes, Jin So-myeong closely examined the destruction marks filling the surroundings.

‘It has been quite a while.’

He saw a terrain where overflowing lava had cooled down and hardened solid by the cold of the Absolute Cold Ice Prison, and new lava covered it to accumulate in layers.

No matter how he looked at it, it was not a terrain formed in a short period of time.

‘It looks like traces of at least ten years.’

As he closely examined the battle traces, he found out that the destruction marks stretched continuously toward somewhere beyond the horizon.

‘Did they fight while moving that way?’

Following the traces after pondering for a moment, the surroundings were filled with sunken craters, cracked canyons, and boiling lava.

How long did he fly along the devastated land that looked as if a war had broken out.

He discovered a crater so giant that it could hold an ocean.

It was like a meteorite had fallen.

The entire ground had collapsed, and seeing the floor that melted and turned like glass due to the heat, he could tell that a tremendous explosion had occurred.

‘Is this the end?’

Using this place as a starting point, the battle traces cut off abruptly.

Was the decision made? Or perhaps Hong Seol had displayed a spatial divine ability to escape the battlefield.

He looked here and there, but there was no useful information in particular.

Only the fact that a Soul Formation-grade powerhouse had fought a battle while moving from the entrance of the True Realm of Illusory Dreams to this place became clear.

‘I don’t know if Hong Seol is alright…’

As something suddenly came to mind, he took out the Dream Journeying Path he had put in his subspace.

Seeing that Hong Seol’s consciousness injected into the spiritual treasure still remained, it seemed she was at least not dead.

“…”

Jin So-myeong, who was lost in thought while furrowing his brow, moved his steps.

First, he recovered the Essence Blood he had buried around the True Realm of Illusory Dreams, and headed to a nearby city.

There was a need to investigate what on earth had happened.

*

White Egret City, a city built in the middle of a snowfield.

Arriving at the Rank 4 immortal city where thick piled snow reflected sunlight, Jin So-myeong narrowed his eyes.

‘It doesn’t seem like much is going on.’

The city was peaceful. Numerous cultivators were busy going to and fro, leading their daily lives.

Still, since he did not know what had happened while he was in the True Realm of Illusory Dreams, he decided to be careful.

After wandering around the surrounding 1,500 km radius and burying Essence Blood to secure an escape route.

He went to a sparsely populated snowfield and took out a palm-sized mirror.

This mirror was a Rank 4 spiritual treasure named the Ten Thousand Li Water Moon Mirror, which he had received from Ju Gwang right when he ascended to the Nascent Soul stage.

‘He told me to use it when I wanted to contact the Myriad Cultivators Alliance.’

He said that if he used this mirror, he would be able to contact the Myriad Cultivators Alliance branch steward in a nearby city.

*Oooooong!*

How long did he wait after injecting spiritual power.

-Are you Cultivator Jin?

A faint vibration rang from the mirror, and then a voice resembling a voice transmission echoed in his head.

“Yes.”

-I will verify only one thing. From whom did you receive that Ten Thousand Li Water Moon Mirror?

“···I received it from Daoist Friend Ju Gwang.”

-Oh! You seem to have safely come out of the True Realm of Illusory Dreams. Where are you? I will go over there.

“It is a place about five hundred li east of White Egret City.”

Somehow, feeling like he knew who it was just by hearing the tone of voice, he gave the exact location.

Sitting on a nearby flat rock, he closed his eyes. He waited for a long time while meditating.

In the far distance, a scholar in clean attire appeared from beyond the sky.

Looking at the youth who had a handsome face without a single blemish, Jin So-myeong smiled faintly and spoke.

“Daoist Friend Ju. It has been a long time.”

“Well, look at that. I disguised myself to the best of my ability in my own way, yet you recognize me right away.”

The youth wearing a bitter smile was enveloped in light and transformed into a drunkard old man.

Although it was something he had already expected, it was surprising when he actually saw it in person.

He did not expect that Ju Gwang, one of the cultivators who entered the True Realm of Illusory Dreams together, would still remain here.

“Could it be you waited near here until I came out?”

“Yes. There is something I must pass on to you, who are Senior Hong’s disciple… Huh?”

Ju Gwang, who was about to say something, paused, and his eyes widened.

“The 9th layer of the Nascent Soul stage? No, just what did you do in the True Realm of Illusory Dreams for your realm to already…”

He could not continue his words as if it were unbelievable.

“I was lucky. More than that, the entrance of the True Realm of Illusory Dreams was in ruins; what happened?”

“Ah, right. That was why I waited for you.”

Ju Gwang, who gulped down the liquor in his gourd flask as if his throat was dry, spoke.

“About twenty years ago. The Lord of the Divine Tree came all the way to the entrance of the True Realm of Illusory Dreams. Your master, Senior Hong, fought a match to draw his attention.”

“···How did it turn out?”

Ju Gwang’s complexion darkened.

“I don’t know either. By the time I went out, the surroundings had already become quiet. I examined the place where the battle occurred later, but no one was there.”

“Then you don’t even know where Master is right now?”

“Communication was cut off completely. We are guessing that she might be hiding to recover from her injuries.”

Was her injury serious enough that she could not contact the Myriad Cultivators Alliance?

The reason she hid her whereabouts was understandable.

As an organization grows larger, undercurrent battles also become fierce.

Since there might be spies infiltrated from the Sacred City inside the Myriad Cultivators Alliance, it was correct not to contact them hastily.

“Understood for now. Was there nothing else?”

“Hmm. Strictly speaking, you are an outsider, but since you are Senior Hong’s disciple, it should be fine to tell you.”

Ju Gwang, who hesitated for a moment, continued.

“Right after Senior Hong and the Lord of the Divine Tree clashed, the Myriad Cultivators Alliance made a resolution.”

“If it is a resolution?”

“We mobilized all the forces we had secretly nurtured in the meantime to destroy teleportation arrays all over the Middle Province.”

“Pardon?”

For a split second, because it was unbelievable, he closely inspected Ju Gwang’s expression, which was serious.

To think they destroyed all the teleportation arrays. That was no different from saying they would fight head-on with the Sacred City.

If the teleportation arrays were broken, even the Sacred City could not react quickly.

Apparently, a tremendous commotion had occurred while he was in the True Realm of Illusory Dreams.

“Teleportation arrays were broken to tie the feet of the Sacred City, and the selected talents of the Myriad Cultivators Alliance…meaning those who had prepared since long ago to challenge the Soul Formation stage…stepped forward.”

“Could it be…”

“Divided into four groups, they invaded the Rank 5 spiritual veins located throughout the Middle Province simultaneously. So that even if the Lord of the Divine Tree appeared at one place to interfere, the other three places could challenge the Soul Formation stage.”

“Multiple people challenged the Soul Formation stage simultaneously? Did they gather that many Soul Formation spiritual objects?”

“That is not it. The Myriad Cultivators Alliance possessed exactly two Soul Formation spiritual objects. Excluding the one Senior Hong obtained and used directly, only one was actually remaining.”

“To challenge even without a Soul Formation spiritual object… Did they succeed?”

“I am sorry, but from this point on, I do not wish to speak of it with my own mouth.”

Ju Gwang, who sighed heavily, offered a jade slip.

Injecting his Divine Sense to scan it, the events that had occurred in the meantime were compiled.

First of all…

Contrary to everyone’s expectations, the Lord of the Divine Tree did not interfere at a single place.

However.

Despite that, the results were disastrous.

They failed to cross the wall of the Soul Formation stage. Without the Lord of the Divine Tree even needing to interfere, they failed the trial and died.

With the exception of exactly one person.

Gwan Il-pyeong.

He, who was the de facto leader of the Myriad Cultivators Alliance, successfully reached the Soul Formation stage, perhaps thanks to the Soul Formation spiritual object.

Gwan Il-pyeong, who became a Soul Formation stage cultivator, occupied the Rank 5 spiritual vein and established the Myriad Cultivators Alliance main headquarters.

“I will end the monopoly of the Sacred City.”

At the declaration that he would confront the Sacred City, which had oppressed the cultivation world for a long time, head-on, numerous cultivators who yearned for the Soul Formation stage gathered.

It would be best if even Hong Seol, who had hidden her whereabouts, came after hearing this news. Because if two Soul Formation stage cultivators joined forces, they would have a chance of winning even if they fought head-on with the Sacred City.

Just as the Myriad Cultivators Alliance main headquarters was boiling as if a festival had been held.

The Lord of the Divine Tree came alone.

As if they had been waiting, a battle broke out, and the Myriad Cultivators Alliance, which had installed all kinds of formations, launched a general offensive.

And.

The Myriad Cultivators Alliance main headquarters collapsed.

No one knew exactly what had happened.

Because the survivors were so few that they could be counted on one hand. Even those watching from afar were swept away by the aftermath and died.

Still, if there was one certain thing,

It did not take that long for a result to come out.

The Lord of the Divine Tree, who came alone, departed alone again.

Like that, currently.

The Sacred City was installing teleportation arrays all over the Middle Province again, and the Myriad Cultivators Alliance cultivators, who had lost their leader in vain, were scattered all over and became pursued.

‘Dozens of Nascent Soul stage cultivators must have helped using the power of formations, yet they died without even being able to escape.’

The Lord of the Divine Tree. He felt vaguely how strong this generation’s Star-Shattering True Monarch was.

He suddenly had a thought like this.

‘Could it be that the Myriad Cultivators Alliance is an organization created by the descendants of the disciples killed by the Star-Shattering True Monarch?’

Jin So-myeong, who organized his thoughts while reading the jade slip repeatedly, nodded his head.

“Thank you for delivering the news. Thanks to that, I know what I must do.”

“Hmm…?”

Although the situation looked complex at first glance, it was not that difficult if he focused only on the actions he should take in the future.

Ascending to the Soul Formation stage as quickly as possible. For now, that alone was enough.

‘I should earn spirit stones first.’

What he had to achieve as top priority was upgrading the Secret Realm of the Mind to a Rank 5 spiritual vein.

***

Yunlai Capital City, a city located twenty thousand li in a straight line from White Egret City.

One day, a guest visited Oh Geum-ryong, who operated the largest chamber of commerce in that Rank 4 immortal city.

He was a man wearing a large bamboo hat pressed down deeply, and since one could not use Divine Sense carelessly upon first meeting, his face could not be seen.

But, he could tell that he was young just from the atmosphere revealed on the outside.

Oh Geum-ryong, who was glancing inconspicuously, swallowed dry saliva.

‘The feeling is completely… I must be careful.’

His throat burning constantly from the moment he met the youth seemed to be a warning from the instincts he had accumulated as a merchant over many years.

No matter how he looked at it, he was not someone to treat lightly.

After letting out a short cough, he spoke while wearing a smile as kind as possible.

“I heard you were looking for a decision-maker. I am the general manager of the Wind Snow Chamber of Commerce. For what business have you visited?”

“I came to sell a somewhat expensive item.”

It was a calm tone with almost no rise or fall, but that was why it was more trustworthy.

Was it a big deal that visited after a long time? A thick smile formed on Oh Geum-ryong’s lips.

“An expensive item. Good. If you take it out, I will appraise it for you.”

*Thud.*

No sooner had the words finished than a plain wooden box without any decoration was placed on the table.

Unlike what he had boasted, it was a shabby appearance, which was slightly disappointing, but he did not act rudely for nothing and behaved politely until the end.

“May I examine it?”

Looking as if asking for permission, the youth nodded his head.

*Click…*

In the moment he carefully opened the wooden box.

“Ah?”

Oh Geum-ryong’s pupils trembled violently.

The moment he saw the lotus enveloped in red dust, the composure he had trained over hundreds of years collapsed at once.

“A S-Soul Formation spiritual object?”

At the shock that felt like being struck on the back of the head with a hammer, his thoughts cut off.

His fingertips trembled finely. He could not believe the scene lying before his eyes now.

What did that person say earlier?

Didn’t he say he came to sell something?

Wait a minute…

Is he saying he will sell a Soul Formation spiritual object now? Really?

At the opportunity that visited out of nowhere, Oh Geum-ryong’s head became complex enough to explode.

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