Chapter 227: Results Starting to Appear One by One

===================
Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Nineheavens.org
===================

Although they did not know exactly when it started, the Divine Wood, which was the symbol of the Middle Province, grew smaller very gradually.

The giant tree that could be seen whenever one simply turned their head began to disappear from sight.

Although it was an event large enough that it would not be strange if a panic broke out, there was no particular fuss.

For the Sacred City had announced in advance that the Divine Wood would disappear before long.

“Why are they pulling out the Divine Wood?”

“Well… are they not trying to use the Divine Wood as a material to create a powerful dharma treasure?”

“Using such a giant Divine Wood as a material? I cannot even imagine what kind of dharma treasure it would be.”

“Or they might be planning to refine a special pill.”

“Haha. If it is true, I would indeed like to try eating it at least once.”

Countless attention was focused on the Divine Wood that grew smaller bit by bit every day, but even that did not last long.

As time passed, the interest faded, and people returned to their daily lives.

*

Meanwhile, Jin So-myeong was in the middle of admiring the Divine Wood that had become a sapling.

“Even though it has become a sapling, it is truly huge.”

The Divine Wood sapling was far larger than most fully grown trees. Its height alone was twenty meters, and it was thick enough that even five or six adult men spreading their arms could not wrap around it.

“I am apologetic. With my skills, this is the best I can do.”

He shook his head at the words of the spiritual crop master who had unfolded the Wood Transformation Spell to make the Divine Wood into a sapling.

“I was merely admiring it, so there is no need to apologize.”

Observing the sapling that had stopped its vital activities and fallen completely asleep, he placed it in his sub-space. He packed it away well, as it might be useful someday.

“Ah…”

As the Divine Wood that had symbolized the Middle Province…no, the Sacred City…for a very long time disappeared, several onlookers lamented, but it could not be helped.

The Nine Heavens Divine Wood possessed the ability to absorb the surrounding spiritual Qi and enrich the vicinity of its roots.

Since it was said to be a treasure precious enough to be coveted even in the Upper Realm, he could not leave it in the Human Realm.

“Everyone has worked hard. Since this is a token of my appreciation, take it.”

When he handed jade boxes to the spiritual crop masters who had grown haggard from unfolding the Wood Transformation Spell over the course of three years, they all declined with awkward smiles.

“Lord Lord of the Divine Wood. You do not need to give us such separate gifts. The rewards for the mission we performed all come as contribution points.”

“Just take it, thinking of it as an extra. Do not regret it later for no reason.”

He distributed the jade boxes almost by force, and those who had been scanning his face took a look inside and froze.

“N-Nine Heavens Spiritual Heart Herb?”

“To think you would give such a precious thing…”

Everyone was shocked at the Soul Formation-grade spiritual object that strengthened one’s Divine Sense. Because it was too precious a treasure, they hesitated, unable to accept it readily.

Since it was bothersome to bicker with those who did not know what to do, he roughly shoved them into their hands.

“Just take it when it is given.”

“Thank you!”

As he became a Soul Formation stage cultivator, copying Rank 5 spiritual herbs was no longer a very difficult task.

The Supreme Great Ability consumed when copying the Nine Heavens Spiritual Heart Herb had also decreased to 60 million, which was merely an amount that could be recovered in two days.

Leaving behind those who repeatedly expressed their gratitude,

Jin So-myeong, enveloped in purple lightning, flew across the sky toward his cave dwelling.

‘It is a tremendous speed.’

Every time he closed and opened his eyes once, the surrounding scenery was completely reversed.

Endless plains, mountain ranges thick with shrubbery, rivers as wide as the sea…

Arriving at his cave dwelling after traversing a distance exceeding thousands of li in just a few seconds, he felt the worth of his cultivation.

The Lightning Escape Art he had just unfolded was easily four or five times faster than when he had first ascended to the Soul Formation stage.

The reasons why he had developed so rapidly in just three years were multiple.

It was because his proficiency in the Lightning Escape Art had reached Great Success, he had studied the lightning-attribute cultivation methods gathered in the Sacred City to improve efficiency, and crucially, he had unfolded it by consuming the Purple Divine Thunder rather than the Five Elements Divine Thunder.

‘Let us call it the Purple Lightning Escape Art .’

The purple lightning born as the Five Elements Divine Thunder absorbed the Lightning Tribulation.

Unfolding the Lightning Escape Art using the Purple Divine Thunder, he could move several times faster than usual.

Actually, even the ordinary Lightning Escape Art was fast enough that most people could not even react, so to become even faster than that. It was an absurd divine ability.

If one had to point out a flaw, it was that the amount of Purple Divine Thunder was insufficient, making it difficult to sustain for long, which was slightly regretful but fine.

At any rate, the moment when victory or defeat was decided in battle was a very brief instant.

What was more important than duration was how powerful the firepower he could unleash in a single moment was.

‘The lacking Purple Divine Thunder will also increase if I cultivate.’

Nodding his head, Jin So-myeong sat cross-legged and operated the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art.

Crackle…!

He retrieved the Purple Divine Thunder floating around his body and guided it to his dantian, then injected magic power to bolster the weakened energy. The consumed Purple Divine Thunder had to be replenished in this manner.

After a long time had passed and he finished his circulation, Jin So-myeong moved on to the next cultivation.

‘As for the Thousand Transformations Art and the Hundred Battles Mind-Splitting Art, I can just invest the Supreme Great Ability, and now I would gradually like to learn a stealth spell as well.’

He turned his gaze to the pile of jade slips stacked like a mountain in the corner of the cultivation room.

These jade slips were the stealth spells possessed by the Sacred City, but they were all not to his liking.

It was not because the level of the spells was lacking.

The Presence-Concealing Aura-Extinguishing Art, the Submerged Shadow Soul-Extinguishing Art, the Smokeless Submerged Shadow Art, the Illusory Light Ink-Concealing Art…

The jade slips rolling around like junk were all outstanding stealth spells that would make anyone’s eyes snap open if they saw them.

Were they not secret transmissions filtered and selected in the Sacred City? There was no way their level was low.

The reason they did not satisfy him was simply because his goal was too high.

‘Although trying to hide my body from an entity with a higher cultivation realm than myself is nonsense in the first place…’

Still, as he wondered if there was a way, an idea worth trying popped into his mind.

‘Should I rather create it personally?’

If he created a secret art by combining the advantages of various stealth spells and registered it in the proficiency system, it might fill in the lacking parts.

‘Alright. Let us try it.’

He immediately picked up the jade slips and read them meticulously letter by letter.

If it did not work after trying, he could just resolve the problem or find another method. There was no reason to hesitate.

*

Practice to unfold A Single Flash Lightens the Heavens regardless of state of consciousness, dominating the surrounding spiritual Qi to unfold Soul Formation-grade spells, cultivation to raise his realm, practice to precisely control his physical body which had ascended to Rank 5, and so on.

As he spent each day fruitfully, time flowed rapidly and a year passed.

Around the time he was gradually grasping what direction he should create the stealth spell in.

he heard good news.

It was said that Cheong Hwa-ran, who was at the Golden Core Great Circle, had safely reached the Nascent Soul stage.

Although he wanted to visit immediately and check if she could nurture the Life-Generating Fire, because a cultivator who had just broken through a Great Realm was better off taking rest, he waited.

Another half a year passed like that,

and Cheong Hwa-ran, who had completely reined in her unstable aura, personally came to visit.

Just looking at the smile formed on her lips and her sparkling eyes, one could know how happy she was.

“I congratulate you on ascending to the Nascent Soul stage.”

“It is all thanks to Senior Jin. I will surely repay this grace. Even excluding the matter of nurturing the Life-Generating Fire.”

Listening to her voice full of emotion, he understood how she felt.

Having started as a Qi Condensation rogue cultivator and become a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, how happy must she be? She probably felt like she had gained the entire world.

“Yes. I will also hope to receive help from you someday, so raise your realm diligently.”

“Understood.”

“Great. More importantly, since you have become a Nascent Soul cultivator, let us check if you can nurture the Life-Generating Fire.”

“Yes.”

As he handed over the pure white flame contained in the furnace, she narrowed her eyes, having regained her composure by calming her breathing.

Staring intently at the Life-Generating Fire for almost five minutes, she nodded her head.

“I shall try it once.”

The moment she wrapped both palms around the pure white flame at the center.

The Life-Generating Fire, which had only been burning quietly, wriggled and was absorbed into her left palm.

Around the time sweat formed on her forehead, the absorbed flame exited through her right palm and returned to the furnace.

‘Hm?’

Looking quietly, his eyes widened suddenly.

Actually, he had not harbored very high expectations…

Although very, very slightly, the vitality contained within the Life-Generating Fire had grown. She had truly succeeded.

“Heh. Amazing.”

“…Ah.”

Unlike him, who admired purely, Cheong Hwa-ran seemed somewhat disappointed.

“I am sorry. I was confident in my heart, but to think it is only this much. I am ashamed.”

Actually, the degree to which the Life-Generating Fire had grown stronger was not much. In terms of lifespan, it was at best an increase of several dozen minutes from the original week?

Even though it was merely an increase of a speck, Jin So-myeong was simply glad.

“It is already a success. It means you are now able to nurture the flame if you invest time and care. Furthermore, as your cultivation realm becomes higher, will the speed of nurturing the flame not grow faster?”

When he spoke to this extent, Cheong Hwa-ran’s expression also brightened slightly.

“That is true, but.”

“Good. Since there are results, I shall entrust the Life-Generating Fire to you for the time being. Nurture it as much as possible in between your cultivation.”

“Yes. I will do my best.”

Watching Cheong Hwa-ran retrieve the furnace as if determined to succeed, he felt slightly anxious.

She had outstanding talent and her cultivation speed was fast, but she seemed to lack practical combat experience. She would probably be the weakest among the Nascent Soul stage cultivators existing in the Sacred City.

Pondering for a moment, he retrieved one of the Rank 4 Spiritual Treasures piled in his sub-space.

“It is a Spiritual Treasure called the Flame-Light Flying Wings . It has the effect of amplifying the power of fire-attribute spells, and since it is specialized in increasing the speed of the fire escape art, use it for self-defense.”

Cheong Hwa-ran, who was staring as if entranced at the flame wings where bright red fire like lava flickered, was startled out of his wits and hastily waved her hands.

“Is this not a Rank 4 highest-grade Spiritual Treasure? It is too excessive.”

“What will you do if you encounter a bandit while holding my Life-Generating Fire? Do not regret it later and just accept it.”

“…Thank you.”

The Life-Generating Fire was a flame far more precious than what she vaguely imagined. If rumors were to spread, old monsters whose lifespans had little remaining might flock over.

‘If they are going to die soon anyway, what would they not do?’

Subsequently, he squeezed out three drops of True Blood from his fingertips. Having rolled each into the shape of a bead, he held out the objects that had turned like red gems.

“If you encounter an enemy you cannot handle, throw these beads. Whoever the opponent is, it will buy you at least enough time to escape.”

“…”

“For reference, only with these beads can I find you wherever you are. It seems it will take at least a hundred years to nurture the Life-Generating Fire, and since we do not know what might happen in the meantime, I would like you to accept this as well.”

“If so, I shall accept it gratefully.”

“Good. Your vital energy seems to have suffered from nurturing the Life-Generating Fire, so do not overdo it for no reason and go rest.”

Sending back her who looked slightly tired, he fell into thought.

‘Since the lifespan contained within the Life-Generating Fire must be at least a hundred years to be useful, I should ascend and then come back to retrieve it later.’

At any rate, since one problem was resolved, he felt relieved.

The smiling Jin So-myeong headed back to the cultivation room, and time flew like an arrow, another three years passing.

*

One day while focusing on cultivation.

Myo Seol, who came to his cave dwelling with an expressionless face, bowed and submitted a report.

“A fixed spiritual vein has emerged in the Source Light Sea Region that the Lord of the Divine Wood had given word about.”

“Already?”

“Yes. According to the investigation by dispatching cultivators, it is a Rank 4 medium-grade spiritual vein.”

The Source Light Sea Region was the sea where Sky Island was located, and it was said that a Rank 4 spiritual vein had appeared in that place where the Golden Core was the highest realm.

Since cultivation resources would become plentiful, it was naturally a good thing in the long run, but because changes were bound to accompany problems, he was slightly worried.

‘I should go take a look.’

Just as he nodded his head.

“And while searching for Senior Hong’s whereabouts, we found someone who had a connection with the Lord of the Divine Wood.”

“Hm? Who do you mean?”

“It is the Fairy who was called Madame Ryeo.”

It was news of the formation master Ryeo-jeong, whom he had accompanied in the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, the secret realm he had visited during his Golden Core days.

“That is good news.”

“And the Spiritual Treasure to find Senior Hong is also almost completed.”

As the matters where he had sown seeds began to bear results, he had a premonition that the day of his ascension was not far off.

Enjoyed the chapter?

If you like our work, consider supporting us on Ko-fi. This site solely runs on donations. Every donation helps us keep translating!

Support on Ko-fi