The Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda (3)
Jin Somyeong nodded as he examined the interior of the restriction.
There are plenty of useful spirit herbs here.
After only a few steps, he came upon a cluster of orchids wreathed in snow-white cloud. They were Cloud River Clear Fragrance Grass, a mid-grade third-rank spiritual material.
Even eaten raw, the herb helped increase one’s magical power, and it was the main ingredient in third-rank cultivation pills.
Pluck, pluck.
He uprooted all twenty-one stalks of Cloud River Clear Fragrance Grass and stored them in his pocket dimension. He planned to take them together with pills during cultivation.
While searching the area carefully in case he had missed anything, he found a ragged scrap of cloth half-buried in the dirt.
Hm?
He turned it over and studied it from several angles, but it did not seem especially valuable.
It was an ordinary fabric, the sort commonly used to make everyday clothing for Golden Core merchants.
There was only one unusual thing about it.
It’s so old it’s about to crumble.
An immeasurable span of time clung to it. The spiritual energy contained within the material was on the verge of scattering entirely beneath the erosion of years.
Jin Somyeong brushed the soil from the scrap and examined it more closely. It bore marks suggesting it had been forcibly torn apart by some tremendous force.
It seemed a battle had taken place here long ago.
So that’s why treasures accumulate inside the restrictions.
While investigating the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda from the outside, there had been one question that bothered him.
The pagoda opened once every three hundred years.
It had not been long since it appeared in the Sahon Wilderness, but the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda itself was extraordinarily ancient. No one knew when it had first come into existence in the cultivation world.
And yet treasures still remained inside?
Naturally, that was because treasures were constantly being produced. Up to that point, he could understand it.
Spirit herbs grew and propagated on their own as long as the environment was suitable. There was nothing particularly strange about that.
But why was there a restriction wherever spirit herbs could be found?
Had someone designed a formation that detected spirit herbs across this vast secret realm and installed restrictions at their locations?
He had been curious, but now he saw that the order was reversed.
The restrictions came before the treasures.
The formation trapped spiritual energy, and once the concentration became so dense it could be mistaken for a fourth-rank spirit vein, spirit herbs naturally began to grow.
Then, every three hundred years, when the secret realm opened, cultivators swarmed in and broke the restrictions.
In the process, as they killed and were killed by one another, treasures inevitably accumulated around those restrictions.
Why would anyone create a secret realm like this?
Jin Somyeong, who had been lost in thought, flicked the old scrap of cloth away.
It was not especially valuable to a Golden Core cultivator, so there was no need to keep it.
He left it for some lucky low-realm cultivator who might come here in the future.
Step, step.
He was about to leave just like that when—
“...”
An inexplicable unease made him turn sharply around. He glared at the scrap of cloth lying on the dirt, then picked it up again.
The confusion was enough to crease his brow.
Why does it feel like such a waste?
Had he overlooked something? He even consumed the Boundless Great Ability to sharpen his senses.
He examined the cloth with every sense at his disposal, but there truly was nothing special about it.
It was a fabric called Blue Flow Silk, a common material so cheap that one upper-grade Spirit Stone would be enough to commission an entire outfit.
After studying it for a long while, he let out a sigh.
I’ll keep it for now.
When he put the scrap of cloth into his pocket dimension, a strange ease settled over him. It was as if some hunger deep within his heart had been satisfied.
At the same time, a subtle sense of wrongness brushed past him.
He could not understand himself for feeling content over a useless scrap of cloth.
“...Ah, I don’t have time for this.”
Jin Somyeong scratched between his brows and shook his head.
As time passed, the restrictions inside the secret realm would rapidly dwindle. If he wanted to obtain Nascent Soul spiritual materials, he had to hurry.
Let’s move on to the next layer quickly.
The deeper one went into the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, the higher the quality of its treasures became.
If this place where he had first entered was considered the first layer, then he had to reach at least the third layer to obtain fourth-rank spirit herbs.
Whoosh!
He flew in a straight line toward the stone pagoda standing in the distance like a lighthouse.
The stone pagoda vanished at random and appeared in unexpected directions, but each time it did, Jin Somyeong silently adjusted his course.
In any case, he had to reach that pagoda to move on to the next layer.
He had no idea how long he had flown when he sensed a restriction at the edge of his Divine Sense.
Oh?
For the briefest moment, Jin Somyeong wondered whether he should ignore it and pass by. Then he shook his head.
If nothing else, the spiritual energy inside the restriction alone would be of great help to his cultivation.
Cultivating here is the same as saving time.
No matter how he thought about it, it was too wasteful to leave behind.
Boom!
Jin Somyeong summoned a clone and began attacking the restriction, only to pause.
Wouldn’t it be better to reach the third layer of the secret realm as fast as possible?
The deeper he entered the secret realm, the denser the spiritual energy inside the restrictions would become.
Just as that thought crossed his mind—
Craaaack!
The restriction, which had been erupting with thunderous explosions, split apart in a pattern like a tortoise shell. It was thanks to his clone, which had unleashed a relentless assault without fearing retaliation.
The sight swept away the hesitation in his heart.
I’ll only break the restrictions along the way.
It would not take long anyway. There was nothing wrong with taking the restrictions he encountered on his route. It was not a waste of time.
Thinking so, he poured all his concentration into controlling the Blood Spirit Clone.
Kwoooooom!
The instant the clone’s sword split the restriction as if cleaving it in two, an intoxicatingly dense wave of spiritual energy surged out.
The scene inside the shattered restriction was similar to the last one.
The concentration of spiritual energy was so high it could be mistaken for a fourth-rank spirit vein, and spirit herbs potent enough to be eaten raw were scattered everywhere.
He suppressed the impulse to go in at once.
Instead, he sent his clone ahead first and checked whether there was any danger.
It’s safe.
He swapped positions with his main body and entered the restriction. After instinctively remaining vigilant of his surroundings—
Thud.
He immediately sat down cross-legged and circulated Cheonroedochegyeol. Of course, he did not forget to ask Mugeuk to keep watch.
Until the spiritual energy inside the restriction was exhausted, he focused his entire mind on cultivation.
Cultivation pills, the Cloud River Clear Fragrance Grass he had harvested earlier, and even the Boundless Great Ability—if it helped build magical power, he used it without hesitation.
Crackle...!
With every breath, the lightning within his mental image grew by the smallest measure, and the sight pleased him.
At this rate, I’ll reach the third layer of Golden Core soon.
Two days later, Jin Somyeong gathered up every spirit herb in the area with a deep sense of satisfaction.
Then he advanced toward the second layer of the secret realm, and each time he encountered a restriction, the same pattern repeated.
He summoned his clone, shattered the restriction, and cultivated inside the dense spiritual energy.
Whew... This is all well and good, but there are a lot of annoying flies.
Perhaps because of the tremendous noise produced while attacking restrictions, quite a few uninvited guests came looking.
Fortunately or unfortunately, none of them went so far as to launch an actual attack.
Their behavior was so identical it could have been rehearsed: they looked back and forth between Jin Somyeong and his clone from a distance, then quietly withdrew.
Some smacked their lips with envy from time to time, but no one actually charged in. As expected of Golden Core cultivators, they were all cautious.
...What a shame.
From time to time, the urge to chase after them and seize their storage pouches crossed his mind, but he held himself back.
That would cross the line.
There was only one line Jin Somyeong had drawn for himself in order to preserve his humanity in this brutal world.
Goodwill for goodwill, malice for malice.
He had done his best to uphold that principle until now.
If there had been any exception, it was only when he fought the demon beasts that had been at war with humans on Sky Island.
Having thought that far, Jin Somyeong paused. He pressed his brow and tilted his head.
Something feels off.
Most of the cultivators who had come when he broke restrictions had been at the first layer of Golden Core. Their wealth was obvious enough.
At most, a thousand upper-grade Spirit Stones?
To him, whose Spirit Stones gushed forth endlessly, that was nothing much. So why had he coveted them so badly...?
He felt strangely dazed.
He stood there blankly, contemplating it for quite some time. Then, from deep within his heart, a thought rose to the surface.
Is it so strange for a person to have a little greed?
No. It was perfectly normal, nothing unusual at all.
Besides, the intentions of those who had come after hearing the commotion were obvious. Had Jin Somyeong appeared weak, they would have attacked him and taken his life.
The moment a convincing reason came to mind, every question and concern vanished as if washed clean.
Feeling lighter, Jin Somyeong kicked off the ground. He soared high into the sky and flew toward the stone pagoda.
This was a secret realm. Time was too precious to waste worrying over useless things.
Before he knew it, a month had passed since the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda opened.
During that time, Jin Somyeong had discovered a total of nine restrictions. Thanks to them, the third layer of Golden Core was now within reach.
There was more good news.
Perhaps because he had moved diligently without growing lazy, he had finally reached the stone pagoda that served as the entrance to the next layer.
The method for crossing into the second layer of the secret realm was simple. He only had to walk toward the stone pagoda.
Even at a leisurely pace, it would take only a minute to reach it. Looking at the stone pagoda so close it could be called right before his eyes, Jin Somyeong nodded.
Let’s go.
There was no reason to hesitate, so he moved immediately.
A fourth-rank spiritual material. Something that will help me challenge Nascent Soul.
Hye-gong had said he only needed to desire it when he first entered the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, but who knew?
As he headed to the second layer of the secret realm, he murmured his wishes with all his might.
A fourth-rank spiritual material. Advancement in realm. A treasure that could raise his cultivation overnight.
As he pictured what he wanted, a slight regret welled up in him.
If only he had properly understood information about Nascent Soul, he could have chosen a specific spiritual material as his goal...
Ah.
At the stray thought that abruptly surfaced, he lightly bit the tip of his tongue. Gathering his concentration amid the stinging pain, he strode forward with Nascent Soul fixed as his objective.
The tower grew larger and larger without end.
Just like when he first entered the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda, his mind grew hazy.
He continued walking toward something that, like a mirage, seemed impossible to reach.
Flash!
A burst of light blinded him. At the same time the stone pagoda vanished, a barren wasteland with not a single blade of grass appeared before him.
Jin Somyeong stood in a daze, then flinched.
By reflex, he lowered his stance and gripped the hilt of his sword. He released his Divine Sense and kept watch over his surroundings.
...No one is here.
The second layer of the secret realm was similar to the first.
There was not a shred of spiritual energy in the air, and a stone pagoda was visible near the horizon. If he reached that place, he could probably move on to the third layer.
Jin Somyeong narrowed his eyes and surveyed every direction before setting off.
Whoosh!
As he had done on the first layer, he flew straight toward the stone pagoda, intending to move on to the third layer immediately.
He was diligently chasing the stone pagoda as it fled this way and that when his gaze snapped aside.
It was because he had discovered his first restriction after arriving on the second layer.
It’s much larger and thicker than those on the first layer.
He circled the broad restriction, large enough to fit a soccer field inside, and examined it carefully. Its durability also seemed far higher.
He summoned a Blood Spirit Clone infused with thirty percent of his strength and controlled it.
The clone, transformed into a scholar in his fifties, tapped lightly on the restriction as if knocking.
Daaang— daaang—!
A sound rang out like the tolling of a massive bell. He had merely struck it lightly with a finger, yet it erupted with a thunderous warning chime.
It’s gotten even louder.
The moment Jin Somyeong stepped back a few paces, the clone standing there with an expressionless face drew its sword.
Clang!
The instant the sharp scrape rang through the air, reflected Sword Qi grazed past his neck.
Oh.
As expected of the second layer, the restriction’s retaliation was fairly vicious. His neck had nearly been cut off, but since it was only the clone, it did not matter in the slightest.
Rather, it raised his expectations. The harder the restriction was to break, the denser the spiritual energy within should be.
He continued attacking the restriction while dodging the repeated counterattacks by a hair’s breadth.
Crack!
The restriction trembled as if it would collapse at any moment.
Jin Somyeong, who had been watching the clone’s performance, frowned.
A cultivator was flying toward him leisurely with his hands clasped behind his back. The man was dressed neatly, like a scholar.
Fifth layer of Golden Core.
It was the first mid-stage Golden Core cultivator he had encountered since entering the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda.
Perhaps confident in his own skill, the man approached without hesitation despite seeing Jin Somyeong together with his clone.
It was not strange.
To the other party, Jin Somyeong and his clone probably appeared to be at the second and first layers of Golden Core, respectively. More than that, they likely seemed like shoddy fellows lacking in magical power.
In any case, the distance between him and the scholar grew shorter and shorter.
Three hundred meters. Close enough that either side could attack by simply stretching out a hand.
The scholar stood in the sky with his hands still clasped behind his back and asked with a smile, “Are the two of you companions?”
His tone was courteous, but perhaps because he spoke while looking down from above, there was something vaguely irritating about it.
“And if we are?”
“Oh? Then why are you standing idle, fellow Daoist? I observed from afar, and only that swordsman seemed to be working hard.”
“Whether I stand idle or not has nothing to do with you. Stop meddling in other people’s affairs and leave while I’m still asking nicely.”
When Jin Somyeong waved a hand as if shooing away a fly, the scholar curled his lips as though he had found an intriguing object.
“Just leave, you say? My, my! That won’t do. From where I stand, this is far too unfair. I simply cannot stand by and watch.”
The scholar shook his head very slowly and exaggeratedly, then looked at the clone.
“You there. It seems you’ve been caught by a malicious brute and are suffering greatly. I’ll help you. How about joining hands with me to deal with that man?”
Trying to sow discord with his clone?
Jin Somyeong was so dumbfounded that he stayed silent, and the scholar, apparently taking that as a sign that his words had worked, smiled even more deeply.