Learning Spell Arts
Jin Somyeong stepped into the archive hall and schooled his expression.
With as much confidence as he could muster, he approached the old man with the goat beard who was dusting the shelves.
"Shopkeeper. I'd like to buy a spell art, but may I ask you a few questions first?"
"Hm...? Of course! Our archive hall carries not only spell arts but many cultivation methods as well. What would you like to know, honored customer?"
Fortunately, the old man was exceedingly courteous. He behaved as though Jin Somyeong's worn, shabby clothes were not there at all. It was enough to make Jin Somyeong think of the customer service mentality from Earth in his previous life and feel almost moved.
His expression brightened, and Jin Somyeong got straight to the point.
"I heard that an early-stage Qi Refining cultivator needs to use a Breath-Concealing Talisman to enter Jeokyang Mountain."
"That is correct. You are quite knowledgeable, honored customer."
"Then is there perhaps a stealth spell art that can replace a Breath-Concealing Talisman?"
"There is, of course. It is called the Breath-Concealing Art, and it is one of the five essential spell arts for Qi Refining cultivators. The price is twenty Spirit Stones."
"..."
Not Spirit Stone fragments, but twenty whole Spirit Stones. At that filthy price, he swallowed without meaning to. With the income he had made as a mortal, it was an enormous sum he could have saved only by climbing Jeokyang Mountain for sixty years.
When Jin Somyeong fell silent, the shopkeeper smiled gently.
"Honored customer, the Breath-Concealing Art is extremely popular. Since demand is high, the price naturally has to be somewhat elevated."
The old man remained courteous, but the words now struck Jin Somyeong in a different way. He held back the groan that nearly escaped him. In truth, since he did not have a single coin anyway, it hardly mattered whether the price was high or low.
With a composed expression, he said, "Then... may I perhaps take a look? I've heard there are many fake spell arts circulating in the market."
"Heh heh. Untrustworthy wandering cultivators do sell carelessly copied fakes without the slightest responsibility. But our archive hall is different. We deal only in authentic copies, without a single character missing. Here! Examine it yourself."
Jin Somyeong opened the book the goat-bearded old man handed over so confidently. As if inspecting its quality, he quickly skimmed the opening section.
The Breath-Concealing Art. The most basic stealth technique. Its principle lies in closing the pores and trapping within the body the spiritual energy that naturally leaks outward. Once mastered, it works not only against late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, but even against sensitive first-tier demonic beasts.
Jin Somyeong's eyes moved rapidly. He pushed his concentration to its limit and desperately committed the core principle to memory. Then he turned the page and memorized the essential formula as well—only for his breath to catch.
What in the world does this mean?
The principle of the spell art was logical enough and fairly easy to understand. But the moment he tried to learn the concrete method of execution, it felt as if he had run headlong into a wall. No matter how he examined the formula, which included methods for handling spiritual energy, none of it truly registered. It felt like reading an alien language.
...Fine. Let's focus on memorizing as much as possible.
His eyes moved swiftly. Fortunately, after becoming a Qi Refining cultivator, his memory had improved, and he barely managed to succeed.
Whew.
Before he knew it, about two minutes had passed. With regret, he closed the book. Since the shopkeeper was watching from beside him, there was no way he could examine the whole thing. The longer he leafed through it, the more dubious the shopkeeper's expression became.
Good enough. This much should be plenty.
Fortunately, he was now confident he could use the Boundless Great Ability to perform the Breath-Concealing Art. He would be more certain once he left the archive hall and tested it.
He had achieved his goal, so he could have ended it there, but it felt a little wasteful. He praised the goat-bearded old man.
"As expected! The archive hall isn't famous for nothing. It's clean, without a single missing character. By any chance, do you also have a spell art that can control water?"
"I recommend the Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art. It is a lower-grade first-tier water-type spell art. It can condense water energy in the air to form mist and clouds, and even summon rain. Once mastered, it can also allow one to ride the clouds and fly through the sky. The price is ten Spirit Stones."
Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art!
The moment he heard it, he wanted it. If it could control water energy, then naturally it should also be able to manipulate dew imbued with spiritual energy. If he learned the Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art, collecting dew on Jeokyang Mountain would become far easier. Harvesting every one of the hundreds of dew drops covering the dew tree would no longer be a dream.
"May I take a look?"
"...Of course."
Jin Somyeong hurriedly opened the book.
When beginning, it is helpful to have water suffused with spiritual energy. Fill a vessel with spirit water, and if you succeed in distinguishing water energy among the Five Elements...
He skipped the preface and turned the page. Drawing his concentration to the extreme, he flipped quickly through the book and grasped the principle of the spell art first. Then, just as he succeeded in memorizing the essential formula—
Thwack!
The age-spotted palm of the old man covered the page.
"Honored customer? I apologize, but if you wish to read further, you will need to purchase the spell art."
The old man's eyes narrowed. From that suddenly chilled gaze, Jin Somyeong could guess what he suspected. Before the atmosphere turned ugly for no reason, he came clean.
"I'm sorry. The truth is, I'm a little short on Spirit Stones at the moment. However! I will soon be coming into some. I came today to decide in advance which spell arts I intend to purchase then."
The old man's expression, which had been growing as cold as ice, softened toward the end.
"Hm. I see. Still, honored customer, reading books without purchasing them can invite misunderstandings. Please be careful in the future."
"Yes. Once I have Spirit Stones, I'll return soon."
Half driven out, Jin Somyeong left the archive hall and let out a sigh of relief.
The Breath-Concealing Art and the Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art. He had learned the principles of the two spell arts he needed to collect dew on Jeokyang Mountain.
Success.
Ordinarily, learning a spell art in such a short time would have been impossible. Even a genius blessed by the heavens would be no exception. But he was not trying to learn the spell arts properly. He merely wanted to reduce the cost when the Boundless Great Ability imitated them.
Shall I test it?
He silently recited the core formula of the Breath-Concealing Art he had just learned. Concentrating his mind, he trapped the spiritual energy within his body and regulated his breathing. Then he expended the Boundless Great Ability and made a wish.
Crack!
The instant one golden bead crumbled into powder and vanished, a mysterious wave swept through his entire body. It drifted through his limbs and bones, then seeped into the spiritual energy stored in his dantian.
Hm...?
It was a strange sensation. Spiritual energy was the foundation of a cultivator. Even a minute amount could exert a force of a thousand catties. Naturally, spiritual energy possessed an overwhelming presence, like a volcano; yet at this moment, the spiritual energy in his dantian had gone quiet, as though it had disappeared.
Impressive.
No matter how he focused his senses, he felt nothing. It was almost as if he had returned to the days when he was a mortal.
Whoosh!
When he swung his fist experimentally, he felt immense power.
Oh?
The spiritual energy had not vanished. It was merely hidden by that mysterious wave, and if he wanted to, he could use it at any time. There was, however, a problem. If he used spiritual energy while the Breath-Concealing Art was active, the cost to the Boundless Great Ability increased sharply. To maintain his concealed state, he could not use spiritual energy, much less spell arts.
Swish, swish!
After moving around and marveling for a while, Jin Somyeong stepped out onto the street. He stood loitering before a stall run by a Qi Refining cultivator. He even waved his hand in front of the man's face, but the other party showed no reaction.
It works better than I expected.
He felt as if he had become invisible. Just in case, he tested it on several others, but the result was the same. None of the Qi Refining cultivators noticed him.
After wandering for some time, the Breath-Concealing Art came undone, and the presence of his spiritual energy returned.
One bead lasts for an hour. Other than the high consumption of the Boundless Great Ability, it's perfect.
He was very satisfied. It seemed far more powerful than an ordinary Breath-Concealing Art.
Next came the Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art. To avoid drawing attention, he returned home and began his experiment.
Wuuung!
He used a crude spell art according to the principle of the Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art, and the Boundless Great Ability filled in what was lacking. The moment the spiritual energy in his dantian dropped sharply, the spell art that should never have activated succeeded.
Drip, drip!
Clear drops of water began to gather in the empty jar. By the time nearly half his spiritual energy had been consumed, he had filled a jar as large as his torso.
"Whew!"
Using so much spiritual energy in such a short time left him feeling drained, but the result was excellent. The spiritual energy consumption was high, but the Boundless Great Ability had barely been consumed.
Thank goodness.
Since the Boundless Great Ability was precious energy, he had to conserve it whenever possible. After catching his breath, he stretched out his hand again.
Wuuuung!
Spiritual energy drained away like an ebbing tide, and the water in the vessel rose into the air.
After several experiments, he succeeded in understanding the characteristics of the Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art.
It's much easier to manipulate water that already exists than to condense water energy from the air.
The good news made him smile. What he wanted was to collect dew on Jeokyang Mountain. Naturally, he could not help welcoming this particular trait.
Once the experiment was over, Jin Somyeong closed his eyes and circulated the Five Elements Qi Refining Art. He intended to recover his spiritual energy, then practice the Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art and the Breath-Concealing Art again.
They might have been spell arts whose principles he had only roughly grasped, but spell arts were still spell arts. The higher his proficiency became, the less spiritual energy and Boundless Great Ability he would consume. He had to put in the effort.
One week later.
Jin Somyeong woke before dawn and headed for Jeokyang Mountain.
Since he had completed all his preparations, there was no hesitation. He had grown somewhat accustomed to the Breath-Concealing Art and the Cloud-and-Rain Gathering Art, and he was full of confidence.
Crack!
He expended the Boundless Great Ability and activated the Breath-Concealing Art. Following the familiar path, he strode forward without pause.
Oh?
Not long after climbing Jeokyang Mountain, his mood lifted on its own. Becoming a Qi Refining cultivator made the difference painfully clear. The once-grueling mountain trek was now astonishingly easy. Even terrain so treacherous that one careless step could cost him his life felt as free as walking across flat ground.
No matter how long he walked, he did not tire, and his breathing remained calm. Just as he was enjoying the sensation of the surrounding scenery whipping past him—
I'm here already?
He had arrived beneath the giant tree he had named the dew tree. Compared to when he had been a mortal, he had reached it twice as fast.
Truly, he could not help being impressed. Even now that he had become a Qi Refining cultivator, the dew tree remained majestic. No—because his vision had changed, it looked even more remarkable. The entire tree exuded spiritual energy so dense and enchanting that he nearly walked toward it in a daze.
And there was more. Among the lush branches, he sensed the presences of countless poisonous insects crawling about. The buzzing of wings and the faint scratching noise of something gnawing filled him with tension.
Slowly, he approached without making a sound. He stopped about five steps away and, out of habit, scanned his surroundings. After confirming there was no one nearby, he focused his mind and drew upon the Boundless Great Ability.
Splash!
Hundreds of dew drops covering the tree poured down in arcs. Like rain, they spiraled through the air and were sucked into his gourd. At the same moment, one bead of the Boundless Great Ability crumbled apart.
It worked!
It was an enormous harvest. The special gourd that could hold a hundred catties of water grew heavy. With this amount, it should easily be worth more than one Spirit Stone.
His rapturous joy lasted only a moment.
Wiiiiing!
A sharp whirring of wings sent chills over his skin. All manner of poisonous insects sleeping in the dew tree had awakened at once. There were so many he could not even count them.
Bzzzzzz!
The ominous sound was like a knife-edged gale. As though he had disturbed a beehive, every kind of insect flew about in a frenzy, sweeping in all directions to find the enemy who had stolen their dew.
Hup!
Moved by an instinctive sense of danger, he sprang backward. He maintained the Breath-Concealing Art with all his might and lowered his posture.
Boom!
In the next instant, a nearby boulder shattered to pieces. As though a bomb had exploded, nothing remained where the swarm of insects swept past. Everything within three meters of the tree was reduced to powder.
Insane!
The Boundless Great Ability required to maintain the Breath-Concealing Art began increasing rapidly. That fact alone was enough for him to realize just how dangerous those poisonous insects were. He immediately turned and kicked off the ground.
Wiiiiing!
Cold sweat trickled down his back at the fury of the enraged poisonous insects behind him. If not for the Breath-Concealing Art hiding his presence, there would not have been enough of him left to bury.
To think such dangerous poisonous insects were living in the dew tree.
A chill ran down his spine. The saying that ignorance made one brave fit perfectly. Remembering how he had once used the dew tree without knowing anything, his face went pale.
Crack!
Another bead of the Boundless Great Ability turned to powder. His idea of roaming Jeokyang Mountain until sunrise vanished completely. Not even an hour had passed, yet three golden beads had already disappeared. He felt in his bones just how dangerous Jeokyang Mountain truly was.
He hurried down the mountain and, fortunately, managed to arrive home without incident.
"Huaa."
Massaging his weary shoulders, he checked the state of his body. He was not injured anywhere in particular, but about half his spiritual energy had been consumed, and four beads of the Boundless Great Ability had vanished in total.
Recovering four golden beads would take roughly twelve days. In other words, allowing a little margin, he could climb Jeokyang Mountain once every half month.
Half a month. Not bad.
As he assessed the cost, a smile suddenly came to his lips. Now it was time to inspect the harvest. He unfolded the bundle slung over his shoulder and took out the gourd.
Slosh!
It was heavy. Unlike usual, the gourd was almost full.
With this much... I really might be able to get two Spirit Stones.
He calculated instinctively. He could collect dew once every half month, and the expected income was two Spirit Stones.
Even with bad luck, I should be able to earn three Spirit Stones a month.
It was an astonishing income. High enough that the countless early-stage Qi Refining wandering cultivators in Jeokyang Market would go mad with jealousy.
After all, three Spirit Stones were enough not only to cover food, clothing, and shelter, but also to purchase resources needed for cultivation.