A Foundation Establishment Storage Pouch
The contents can be preserved by consuming 10 beads of Boundless Great Ability.
"Absorb it."
The instant Jin Somyeong sent his will toward the storage pouch left behind by the Foundation Establishment great cultivator, a mysterious ripple swallowed it whole, and the subspace expanded at a frightening speed. The space, which had originally been no larger than a modest room, grew tenfold.
Ohhh!
At this size, he could stuff even large demonic beasts inside whole. Delighted, Jin Somyeong began examining the newly appeared items. He was curious what sort of treasures a Foundation Establishment great cultivator might have carried.
The first things he opened were several wooden cases, and a fishy stench surged out at once. They were packed with the corpses of insects he could not name.
Ugh.
The way they twitched faintly, almost as though still alive, was revolting. He sealed them again and tossed them into a corner of the subspace.
"Sigh."
After seeing the old Foundation Establishment monster's combat style, he had more or less expected it, but now it was almost certain.
He was a demonic cultivator who practiced devil-path arts.
Leaving the insect corpses alone, Jin Somyeong continued searching.
A jade slip!
He picked up a fist-sized piece of jade and was about to press it to his forehead when he stopped. Come to think of it, now that he had Divine Sense, there was no need to touch it directly to his brow.
The moment he focused his Divine Sense into the jade slip, five words appeared first, followed by countless mnemonic formulas.
A cultivation art compiling secret methods for commanding one hundred kinds of devils.
An art that brings together the secret methods for controlling a hundred kinds of devils.
It felt unpleasant for some reason, but he did not stop reading through it. He had to know what kind of cultivation art it was before he could decide whether to learn it.
It certainly is powerful.
The old Foundation Establishment monster Jin Somyeong had killed had controlled only one devil: the Rot-Shadow Devil, which wielded the power of decay. Yet even that had made him so strong. If one could control all one hundred devils, it was difficult even to imagine how formidable that person would become.
However, the side effects of the Hundred Devils Borrowed Control Art were severe.
His nature twists every time he commands a devil?
If one enslaved the Rot-Shadow Devil, one would feel pleasure with every act of slaughter. If his will were even slightly weak, he would drown in that pleasure and become a massacre fiend of the age.
"..."
He did not like it. Leaving aside whether it was powerful or weak, the mere fact that it warped the mind sat poorly with him.
If I lose myself, I'll become a slave to the cultivation art. What meaning would there be in growing stronger then?
Tap.
His interest faded, and he set the jade slip down. Then he reached for another one instead of the Hundred Devils Borrowed Control Art.
After examining every jade slip with care and not missing a single one, one question that had been lingering in the back of his mind was resolved.
So you need to open the Ghost Eye to see the resentment clinging to a soul.
Jin Somyeong had not forgotten what the old Foundation Establishment monster had said. The man had clearly claimed he had seen his disciple's resentment and followed it. In other words, there was something Jin Somyeong could not detect in his current state.
That had bothered him, but the jade slips explained what was going on.
Resentment, huh...
Negative emotions were the specialty of demonic cultivators. Just before death, they could pour all their malice toward their enemy and engrave it as a mark. Because it was a curse born from a final dying wish, it was persistent and vicious—and to demonic cultivators, that sort of energy was an extremely useful resource.
Sigh.
From now on, any demonic cultivator who saw the resentment clinging to Jin Somyeong's soul would come drooling after him. In a sense, it was no different from having a bounty placed on his head.
What a bother.
It was not as though there were no ways to deal with it. If he learned demonic arts, he could instead use that resentment to wield powerful spells.
Or... I can detect the resentment and tear it off myself.
If his Divine Sense grew stronger than it was now, he would be able to see the resentment clinging to his soul. At that point, cutting it away with Sword Qi should be possible. In any case, there were several solutions, so there was no need to worry too much.
Next are the Spirit Stones.
Jin Somyeong rummaged through the subspace and was disappointed. There were far too few Spirit Stones.
Only forty-seven?
For the wealth of a Foundation Establishment great cultivator, that was absurdly low. Since his expectations had been high, the letdown was that much stronger.
He clicked his tongue and was about to move on when he paused. Something felt strange. Each individual Spirit Stone was emitting a radiant, lustrous glow...
Mid-grade? Don't tell me these are mid-grade Spirit Stones?
Whoosh.
The moment he drew out one of the thick Spirit Stones and held it in his hand, his body trembled. He could feel densely compressed spiritual energy within it. Absorbing just one of these would be far better than most spiritual medicines.
There was no mistaking it. These were definitely mid-grade Spirit Stones, precious resources said to be used by Foundation Establishment great cultivators.
Jackpot.
Ordinary Spirit Stones were actually called low-grade Spirit Stones. One had to gather more than a hundred of them to exchange for a single mid-grade Spirit Stone. Forty-seven mid-grade Spirit Stones were no different from 4,700 ordinary Spirit Stones.
Now that's more like it!
He barely suppressed the cheer that nearly burst out of him. With a grin leaking across his face despite himself, he continued rummaging through the subspace.
A sword?
He pulled it out of the subspace and examined it closely. At a glance, it was clearly not a first-rank Dharma artifact. It floated in the air by itself while emitting a chilling aura, making it anything but ordinary.
He tried infusing spiritual energy into it, but as befitted a second-rank Dharma artifact, it did not respond. Jin Somyeong's level was insufficient.
Hmm... So there was a reason that old monster mainly used spells.
If it consumed this much spiritual energy, it could not be used inside the secret realm, where one's cultivation was restricted to Qi Refining. Jin Somyeong scratched his chin, then glanced down.
Looking at the Boundless Divine Sword fastened at his waist left a bitter taste in his mouth. Someday, this sword would be unable to keep up with his cultivation and become a troublesome relic.
Just as he felt a strange pang of regret, a clear sword hum rang out.
Woooong!
The Boundless Divine Sword vibrated faintly, revealing a trace of spirituality.
"...You want to eat it?"
The Boundless Divine Sword's intent was clear. It wanted the second-rank flying sword floating before it.
Jin Somyeong was a little taken aback. He had not known the Boundless Divine Sword could express will. Its previously faint spirituality seemed to have suddenly strengthened.
Don't tell me it absorbed that pure white flame together with me?
After thinking for a moment, Jin Somyeong picked up the second-rank flying sword. The instant he carefully brought it to the Boundless Divine Sword—
Crack!
The second-rank flying sword split apart. He did not even have time to react. Once he gathered his dazed thoughts and examined it, the second-rank flying sword had already turned into scrap metal. It had completely lost its spirituality and become an ordinary piece of iron.
"Ha."
It was absurd, but he was not angry. Had the Boundless Divine Sword not been of great help to him all this time? What mattered more was what changes had occurred in the Boundless Divine Sword after it absorbed a second-rank Dharma artifact.
Shing...
He examined the pitch-black treasured sword, dark as shadow. The spotless blade, clean enough to reflect his face, remained as it had been. He cautiously ran his fingers along the flat of the blade, then took his stance.
Swish!
A simple downward slash. No Sword Qi was placed into it, just an ordinary sword strike—yet the result was astonishing.
Rumble!
A tree ten meters away split diagonally. The thick trunk, so broad that a grown man could not wrap his arms around it, had been cut apart by nothing more than the sword wind.
...Has it reached second-rank level?
The change that had come over the Boundless Divine Sword was simple, but powerful. It had become sharper and sturdier.
Jin Somyeong carefully sheathed it and smiled. With deep satisfaction, he stroked the scabbard and fastened it at his waist once more.
After that, he continued examining the storage pouch. Aside from the second-rank flying sword, there were quite a few minor Dharma artifacts. He scanned through them and nodded.
Not bad. There's a lot I can use.
What pleased him most was a jewel that hid one's presence. This orb, called the Hidden Form Bead, activated just by being carried and was effective even against Foundation Establishment-level perception.
Since it was a second-rank Dharma artifact, he could not use it inside the secret realm, but once he got out, there was a high chance it would prove extremely useful.
Good.
Having finished searching the subspace, he left the area. He intended to gather as many treasures as possible before the secret realm came to an end.
Before he knew it, a month had passed since the secret realm opened.
It ends today.
Smiling, Jin Somyeong swept his gaze through the subspace. The space, now expanded tenfold, was packed full with various demonic beast meats and spiritual herbs.
Needless to say, he had also obtained two more Foundation Establishment spiritual items, bringing the total to seven. With this many resources, he would have more than enough to cultivate until he reached Foundation Establishment.
Time to head out.
Tap.
He put on the Faceless Mask and disguised himself as an ordinary wandering cultivator. Then he headed toward the exit he had found a few days earlier.
The exit was on a broad hill, where faint cracks shimmered in the air as though they would open at any moment. Jin Somyeong stared at the hill, where several hundred people had already gathered, then walked forward openly.
"...He's alone?"
"He looks fairly strong."
All sorts of gazes flew toward him, but he did not respond to each one. He merely rested his hand on his sword hilt and quietly closed his eyes. One by one, the probing gazes withdrew in the face of his calm attitude.
Then he heard voices whispering nearby.
"He looks like a wandering cultivator at a glance... Should we try robbing him?"
"What nonsense! Can't you tell? He's a sword cultivator."
"...A wandering cultivator, and a sword cultivator? Can someone nurture Sword Qi without proper teachings?"
"Quiet. Guys like that are trouble. Don't touch him."
Jin Somyeong glanced in their direction. The men who had been whispering stiffened at once. They laughed awkwardly, then ran off without another word.
Perhaps thanks to that, the troublesome stares vanished completely. From then on, it was comfortable.
He quietly meditated and waited for the exit to open for a long while.
Rumble!
With a tremor that shook the earth, the crack in the air expanded rapidly. Just as when they had first entered the secret realm, a dark vortex appeared.
"It's open!"
"Ugh. Finally, we can get out of this damned place!"
The waiting cultivators launched themselves toward the vortex one after another, and Jin Somyeong followed while keeping watch on his surroundings.
Flash!
Along with a slight dizziness, a scene similar to that of a month ago unfolded before him. The first thing he saw upon emerging was a vast crowd.
The gazes that poured over them were blatant, like predators eyeing prey. In particular, several covert gazes were unmistakably Foundation Establishment-level Divine Sense.
"..."
Jin Somyeong frowned at the vivid greed. Originally, this was where he would have received the final help of the Red Yang Sect's Foundation Establishment elder, but the situation had changed. He felt that joining the Red Yang Sect now would bring more loss than gain.
After scanning his surroundings, Jin Somyeong moved according to plan. He approached the Golden Core sword cultivator from the Great Sword Sect and cupped his fist.
"Senior. I have gathered five Foundation Establishment spiritual items. I would like to exchange them for a Foundation Establishment Pill."
"Mm."
The Golden Core sword cultivator, who had only dipped his chin with his arms folded, twitched an eyebrow. He slowly opened his eyes and looked straight at Jin Somyeong. Then his gaze swept over the sword at Jin Somyeong's waist, and a faint smile touched his lips.
"Did you cut down a seed of the demonic path?"
"...Yes."
After a brief hesitation, Jin Somyeong answered honestly. He did not believe he could deceive a Golden Core sword cultivator who had reached the third rank.
"Good. Those worms should be cut down wherever they are seen. If not for the agreement, I would have killed him long ago..."
Fortunately, the result was favorable. The attitude of the Golden Core sword cultivator, who had seemed uninterested in all worldly matters, changed. Jin Somyeong did not know why, but the man seemed to have taken a liking to him.
Is it because I killed a demonic cultivator?
As he wondered about the relationship between the Great Sword Sect and the demonic sects, the Golden Core sword cultivator spoke in a low voice.
"Since you have brought Foundation Establishment spiritual items, I will give you a choice. Right now, the resentment of a demonic-path seed clings to your soul. If you wish, I will cut it away for you. In that case, however, I cannot give you the Foundation Establishment Pill."
The Golden Core sword cultivator looked at him steadily, as if telling him to decide. Jin Somyeong shook his head.
"Senior, forgive me, but I need the Foundation Establishment Pill more."
"Good! A sword cultivator should be that way."
After that curt reply, the Golden Core sword cultivator closed his eyes again. His face was as expressionless as before, yet somehow he seemed pleased. Jin Somyeong's choice appeared to have satisfied him.
...No, if you just shut your mouth like this, what am I supposed to do?
He had not even exchanged the items for the Foundation Establishment Pill yet, but the Golden Core sword cultivator had gone as still as a stone statue and entered meditation. Jin Somyeong was wondering whether he had to interrupt a senior in the middle of cultivation when one of the Great Sword Sect disciples quietly approached and whispered.
"Fellow Daoist, please come this way. You can give the Foundation Establishment spiritual items to me."
"...Here and now?"
"Yes. It is fine."
Jin Somyeong glanced at the Golden Core sword cultivator, but there was no response. It was tacit agreement that the disciple's words were correct.
The instant Jin Somyeong took five Foundation Establishment spiritual items from the storage pouch he had been wearing as a disguise, every gaze waiting by the exit snapped toward him.
"Aaaagh!"
A tearing scream rang out. At the same time, fountains of blood erupted from both eyes of an old Foundation Establishment monster.
The staggering old monster trembled with a deathly pale face.
"Ghh... Thank you for your mercy."
Even though he had been blinded in an instant, he did not grow angry. Instead, he bowed his head again and again, expressing gratitude.
"Hmph."
Only after hearing the Golden Core sword cultivator's cold sneer did Jin Somyeong understand what had happened. It had been a warning to someone who had coveted the Foundation Establishment spiritual items that had become the property of the Great Sword Sect.
The cultivators who had been staring in his direction turned their heads away in terror.
"Fellow Daoist, here is the Foundation Establishment Pill. If you wish, I can escort you to a nearby market city."
"Ah."
Jin Somyeong, who had been staring at the Golden Core sword cultivator's slash as though entranced, jolted back to his senses. He carefully accepted the jade box offered by the Great Sword Sect disciple.
Foundation Establishment Pill.
He had finally obtained the thing he had yearned for day and night.