Chapter 228: Sky Island and Ryeo-jeong
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Translated by Frog in the Well
Read it only at Nineheavens.org
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A commotion arose on Sky Island, the flying island in the sky.
No, to be more precise, it could be said that a grand festival was being held.
“To occupy a Rank 4 medium-grade spiritual vein so easily. It is truly like a dream.”
As an old man with fine wrinkles spoke with tears in his eyes, the girl beside him tilted her head.
“Grandfather, what do you mean by that? Is it not natural for us to occupy a good spiritual vein?”
The most powerful force in the entire Source Light Sea Region was, in name and reality, Sky Island.
For Sky Island to occupy the best spiritual vein in the sea was all too natural. She did not understand what he meant by it being like a dream.
“Haha. You are still young, so you do not know, but even just a hundred years ago, this sea was crawling with Rank 3 Demon Kings. Every time a spiritual vein appeared, a great war broke out between the human race and the demon race.”
“Pardon?”
“Honestly, our human race was in a weak position. It was to the point where we were busy just barely holding out by relying on formations.”
“Oh, come on, I thought it was something serious. Stop teasing me. Does it make sense that we were pushed back by the demon race? I almost fell for it again.”
As the girl glared at him, the old man’s face wrinkled up in anger.
“You brat. This is not a joke. If the Thunderclap Swordsman had not sliced the Demon Kings apart, you would be trembling on the battlefield right now!”
The girl, who was wiping the spit droplets splashed on her face, froze while making a grimace.
“The Thunderclap Swordsman? Ah! I have heard of him too. He is the person who won the Ascending Immortal Tournament a very long time ago, right? I heard he was strong enough to transcend cultivation realms.”
A sword cultivator who wielded lightning.
The sword cultivator possessing the name Jin So-myeong was famous enough that even a young girl knew of him.
“Indeed, he was very strong. The moment he reached the Golden Core stage, he was strong enough to slice a Rank 3 Demon King with a single sword stroke.”
“A Rank 3 Demon King with a single stroke…? Wow! That is truly incredible!”
“With a single Sword Light that cleaved the sky, the blood droplets of the Demon Kings poured down like rain. I still cannot forget that scene.”
The girl, who was admiring to the point of gaping her mouth open, froze.
“Wait a minute. A hundred years ago, Grandfather must have been a Qi Condensation cultivator, but you saw a battle between Golden Core Sages? How?”
“…Quiet! At any rate, youngsters these days do not know how precious peace is.”
“Sigh. I get it, so stop nagging and just watch the Ascending Immortal Tournament.”
“Tsk! How can a little thing be so cheeky? Just who does she take after, seriously.”
“It would be Dad, who is Grandfather’s child, who else could it be.”
“My word.”
The gazes of the bickering girl and old man turned toward the stage in front of them.
Soon, the finals of the Ascending Immortal Tournament, which could be called the largest festival on Sky Island, would be held on that stage.
“Just who will win? Surely it will be Senior Wi Gang, the genius formation master, right?”
The old man, whose lips twitched as if finding the chattering girl cute, maintained a stern expression by force and spoke.
“Well. It is difficult to predict who will win. Fairy Moon is also not to be underestimated. Is she not a sword cultivator called the strongest of her class?”
“Still, Senior Wi Gang’s cultivation realm is higher, though.”
“I told you cultivation realm is not everything. Did I not say earlier? That the Thunderclap Swordsman, who had just ascended to the Golden Core stage, cleaved a Rank 3 Demon King with a single slash.”
“Ugh… that story again.”
“Uh-huh. This girl?”
The grandparent and grandchild, who were bickering again as if they had never been quiet, soon shut their mouths and focused.
For the finals began as two Foundation Establishment stage cultivators ascended the empty stage.
“I bet my entire fortune on Senior Wi! You must win!”
“Moon Cheong-ryeong! Moon Cheong-ryeong!”
The woman holding a sword and the young man holding a stylish feather fan glared at each other, and clashed without anyone having to go first.
Boom!
The pillar of fire surging from the ground was split by Sword Qi, and fire settled in the swirling wind.
How long did the tight fight continue?
“No!!”
“Waaaa! Moon Cheong-ryeong won!”
After a fierce close combat, victory and defeat were finally decided.
The woman’s blade tip pierced the brow, and the young man was teleported out of the platform by the formation right before death.
Just as the woman, showing clear signs of exhaustion, stood alone.
Rumble…!
The ground shook as if an earthquake had occurred, and the stage shattered by the battle surged up. The earth rising into the empty air gathered to become a platform for the winner.
“Winner Moon Cheong-ryeong! Ascend!”
The eight Golden Core Sages who had appeared on the platform before long shouted in voices laden with magic power, and Moon Cheong-ryeong, who ascended the platform under everyone’s gaze, was bestowed a storage pouch.
“Congratulations on the victory. This is the championship prize that was announced. And this time, specially, a Golden Core spiritual object is added…”
*
Meanwhile.
Jin So-myeong, who was watching all those scenes from high in the sky, nodded his head.
‘Everyone is doing well.’
He had worried if a problem might have arisen as a Rank 4 spiritual vein suddenly appeared, but Sky Island was exactly as it had been in the past.
The culture of achieving the Golden Core stage with the help of seniors, and those who had grown guiding their juniors again was being well maintained.
Honestly, it was also wondrous to see seniors and juniors getting along amicably.
Even in the Middle Province where resources were dozens of times more plentiful than on Sky Island, it was difficult to find such a sight.
‘Is it the power of culture? Or…’
is it the achievement of a capable leader?
He fell into thought while gazing at the Castellan of Sky Island who was bestowing a Golden Core spiritual object upon the winner of the Ascending Immortal Tournament.
Perhaps the reason such a special culture had settled on Sky Island was because the leader, the Castellan of Sky Island, maintained order well.
“Runner-up Wi Gang! You ascend as well.”
He waited quietly while watching the Foundation Establishment stage cultivators who had achieved good results in the Ascending Immortal Tournament receive awards in succession.
Because he did not wish to rashly appear now and lower the status of the Golden Core Sages.
Time passed and the Ascending Immortal Tournament was completely finished. Around the time the Golden Core Sages also returned to their respective cave dwellings.
he quietly sought out the castle where the Castellan of Sky Island stayed and announced his visit.
How many minutes did he wait in the reception room?
A man with the appearance of being in his late thirties, wearing a clean dharma robe. The Castellan of Sky Island closely examined Jin So-myeong’s face, then bowed respectfully.
“I pay respects to the Lord of the Divine Wood.”
“Hm… have you heard news of me?”
Castellan of Sky Island Ha Gyeom-hwi wore a bitter smile.
“Very occasionally, news from the outside trickles in. I was truly shocked to hear that Senior Jin has ascended to the Soul Formation stage. And please, do speak comfortably.”
“I see. My coming to find you this time is because I have something to tell you.”
“I shall listen closely.”
“Unlike before, the Rank 4 medium-grade spiritual vein that appeared recently will not disappear even as time passes.”
Ha Gyeom-hwi, who widened his eyes in surprise, grew dark in his complexion.
“Is only this spiritual vein special? Or…”
“All the spiritual veins that appear in this sea in the future will be the same.”
“Sigh.”
Ha Gyeom-hwi, who sighed, knit his brows as if troubled, and Jin So-myeong felt he knew what he was worrying about.
He handed a jade box to the Castellan of Sky Island, who was lost in deep thought with a darkened complexion.
“Since it is a Soul Condensing Pill, accept it.”
“Pardon?”
At the mention that it was the pill required when becoming a Nascent Soul stage cultivator, the eyes of the Castellan of Sky Island, who had been calm even when the Soul Formation cultivator arrived, shook violently.
“Since I am repaying the grace you bestowed when I was at the Foundation Establishment stage in the past, do not decline.”
“Ahumry even so, how could you give a Soul Condensing Pill.”
“Whether you use it yourself or give it to someone you like, do as you please. However, to defend a Rank 4 spiritual vein, you will ultimately need a Nascent Soul stage cultivator.”
“…Thank you.”
“I do not know whether the stabilization of the spiritual vein will be a blessing or a curse, but when I visit again someday, I hope you all will be doing well.”
The silent Castellan of Sky Island bowed his head as if to keep it in mind, and Jin So-myeong, who wore a faint smile, quietly departed after scanning Sky Island once more.
***
As time passed, Jin So-myeong arrived at a nameless wild hill and narrowed his eyes.
According to the investigation by the Sacred City, Ryeo-jeong was here.
‘Was she staying in a place like this?’
Actually, this wild hill had the name of Mount Taiqing, but that was a name commonly used only by ordinary people, not cultivators.
‘It is a place with no spiritual vein at all.’
To the cultivators moving toward the Great Dao of Longevity, Mount Taiqing was merely the mortal world where spiritual Qi was sparse.
Although it was not a good place for cultivating, the scenery was good nonetheless.
After viewing the perennial snow covered in thick mist, he took a step.
Just as he passed the mountainside while flying slowly.
“Who is it?”
A cool voice was heard from within the mist, and a beautiful woman holding a pure white folding fan appeared.
The woman, who was aiming a Magic Treasure with a cold expression, froze upon seeing his face.
“…Daoist Jin?”
After standing blankly for a moment, she smiled broadly, put away the folding fan, and greeted him.
“It is truly nice to meet you after a long time. Have you been doing well?”
The mist that had enveloped the wild hill vanished smoothly. She had withdrawn even the installed formation.
“It is nice to meet you too, but is it alright to lower your guard so easily?”
“I saw enough of how strong Daoist Jin is in the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda. There is no meaning in being on guard anyway, so why go out of one’s way to suffer? It is better to just trust. Is it not so?”
“Haha.”
“By the way, how did you know I was here and come find me?”
“I was searching here and there because there was someone I had to find, and discovered you by chance.”
“By chance? If it were anyone else I would have told them not to talk bullshit, but since it is words spoken by Daoist Jin, I shall believe it.”
“…Your words have become a bit rough during the time I did not see you.”
Pausing and blinking her large eyes, Ryeo-jeong laughed awkwardly.
“Oh, I am sorry. Because those damn bastards harassed me, I did so without realizing.”
“You said you have many enemies. Is it still so?”
“Ah, do not worry about that. Perhaps because they were wicked bastards, they all ended up unable to live long and died. Ahem.”
Swinging her fist as if thrilled, she coughed awkwardly belatedly.
Just as she avoided his gaze from embarrassment.
A woman who had been hiding behind a large rock stealthily approached and embraced Ryeo-jeong.
“Mom, mom.”
A fully grown young lady held candied fruit tightly in her hand, and her long hair was stuck in clumps.
Ryeo-jeong, who pulled them off one by one and thoroughly brushed off even the dirt smudged on her cheek, spoke in a soft voice.
“So-yul. I told you that you must not run while holding candied fruit. If you fall doing that, you might get hurt.”
“Yeah, yeah. I know too.”
“This child, really…”
An adult female who looked to be in her early twenties clung tightly to Ryeo-jeong and stared intently at Jin So-myeong.
It was a gaze as if asking who you were, which was truly cheeky. As he faced the eyes as innocent as a child’s, a sound transmission was heard.
-Just in case you misunderstand, she is not my biological daughter. Although I raised her personally since she was a newborn baby…
Ryeo-jeong, who sent the sound transmission, avoided his gaze slightly then quickly continued.
“But by any chance, have you already become a Nascent Soul stage cultivator? It was the case in the past as well, but your ability to handle energy is truly exceptional. I do not even have a grasp of how strong you have become.”
“Hm. Actually, it has been a while since I ascended to the Soul Formation stage.”
“…….”
He spoke honestly since there was no need to hide it, and Ryeo-jeong, who blinked her large eyes, suddenly burst into laughter.
“Haa, it has truly been a long time since I laughed with a comfortable mind. Your joking has improved a lot. At any rate, I should call you Senior rather than Daoist now. Senior, please speak comfortably too.”
“…I shall.”
She did not seem to believe it at all.
Apparently, because she stayed in the mortal world with no spiritual vein, she was ignorant of rumors.
Since what she thought his cultivation realm was was not important, he brushed it off.
He examined the woman who was staring blankly with candied fruit in her mouth.
Because there was not a single bit of magic power accumulated in her dantian, she looked like an ordinary person who had not cultivated at first glance, but she was definitely at the Golden Core stage.
Curious about what had happened, he observed her and sent a sound transmission to Ryeo-jeong.
-This Fairy seems to have an unsound mind, how did she become like this?
-She became like this after being hit by a curse thrown by a Golden Core demonic cultivator who trained in a demonic cultivation method as he was dying. What a severe curse it is, her condition worsened the more she absorbed spiritual Qi.
-So that was why you were staying in a mortal world like this.
-Yes. I have done everything I can in my own way, but there is no improvement so I am in a bleak state.
Come to think of it, the reason Ryeo-jeong had entered the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda was to obtain the fruit of the Ten Thousand Soul Tree, which possessed the effect of healing a damaged soul.
‘Did it have no effect even though she ate the fruit of the Ten Thousand Soul Tree?’
Examining the woman who was mumbling candied fruit with a blank face, he spoke.
-May I take a look briefly? I want to check if she can be treated.
-Of course.
She permitted it readily, but she did not particularly seem to expect anything. It seemed her words that she had done everything she could were not false.
However, there was a vast difference between what she, a Golden Core cultivator, and Jin So-myeong, a Soul Formation cultivator, could do.
He retrieved one of the countless treasures piled in his sub-space.
Having turned the Hundred-Tempered Heart-Clearing Pill, a medicinal pill that woke up those engulfed by heart demons, into powder, he created a gust of wind to feed it to the woman.
“Fairy. Stop playing the baby and wake up. Is Daoist Ryeo not suffering because of you?”
In fact, as Jin So-myeong saw it, she was already perfectly fine. She merely did not wish to wake up herself.
How much time passed in the quietness?
“Ah.”
Simultaneously with a short sigh in which countless emotions were concentrated, focus was caught in the eyes that had been turbid with no intellect.
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