Chapter 121
Chapter 121
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 121
Chapter Title: Dragon God
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South Continent cultivators truly rejoiced with all their might.
They let out high-pitched shrieks rivaling musical instruments, jumped up and down in place, and scattered innocent scraps of paper into the air.
Considering they had suffered from natural disasters for over hundreds of years, it was actually a fairly restrained reaction.
A moment later, the people barely regained their senses.
They began clearing the paper strewn across the ground and straightening their clothes.
Occasional grumbles could be heard about who had thrown so much paper.
The institute director, having tidied his disheveled hair, spoke up.
"So, you're saying this single pillar was the root of all the problems?"
Seoran nodded.
"Yes, that's clear. This place didn't become a volcanic zone because fire spiritual energy gathered here in great quantities. Rather, a volcano formed because fire spiritual energy abnormally congregated at this spot. Our predictions had the cause and effect reversed."
"Personally, I had hoped Senior Brother Liu's hypothesis was correct. If it were a colossal volcano causing it instead of the pillar, there's no guarantee the anomalies wouldn't recur in a few hundred or even thousands of years."
"No need to worry. Look at this pillar. Even now, it's drawing in fire spiritual energy."
The institute director turned his head toward the pillar.
The pillar, engraved with intricate patterns on its surface, trembled as it collected only the fire attribute from the heaven and earth spiritual energy.
Its operating principle was beyond even speculation.
The institute director gave a faint smile.
"Well, on such an auspicious day, there's no reason to invite needless worries. The important thing is that we've saved countless lives on the South Continent from natural disasters, isn't it? Come to think of it, I haven't even thanked Senior Brother Liu yet."
"How could I alone receive thanks when we all accomplished this together?"
"No, that's not true. Without Senior Brother Liu, the Dragon God, and the expedition team, how could we have welcomed such a joyful day? Even a million thanks would not suffice."
Seoran and the institute director laughed heartily.
South Continent cultivators and West Continent cultivators exchanged compliments with one another.
In an instant, the spacious belly of the Food Mountain Great Peng brimmed with a warm, harmonious atmosphere.
With the mission complete, all that remained was the return journey.
The group returned the giant-sized robes they had borrowed without prior permission.
Then, with light flaps of their wings, they departed the volcanic zone.
The Food Mountain Great Peng occasionally landed on the ground, picked up seeds in its beak, and took flight again.
Each time, new seeds were added to the seed storage.
Seoran licked her lips in pleasant anticipation, wondering what she could make with those colossal plants.
Despite occasional detours along the way, the group had long since left the desert giant tribe's territory.
It was thanks to the Food Mountain Great Peng's subsonic flight.
In the end, the South Continent guardian team, which had set out in summer, returned before spring of the following year arrived.
The rare good news brought by the massive flat-eyed creature turned the Cultivation Alliance—and indeed the entire South Continent—into a festive mood.
*****
Lying sprawled on a plush lounge chair, munching on fruit, Seoran suddenly had a thought.
'Aren't we about due to head back?'
It had already been over a month since Seoran and the expedition team had settled into the Cultivation Alliance headquarters.
They hadn't been able to refuse the invitation to stay until the festival ended, partly to recover from travel fatigue.
The festival fervor had spread across the South Continent like wildfire and showed no signs of dying down.
Thanks to that, Seoran had been lounging like a swan ever since.
Idling about, eating snacks, meditating and practicing her techniques, reading technical texts.
She found every day wasted in such leisure unbearably regrettable.
Seoran sprang to her feet and resolved herself.
"I need to leave the South Continent now!"
She immediately issued a summoning order.
The expedition team assembled in short order, fully prepared.
Cultivation Alliance officials tagged along as well.
The institute director asked on their behalf.
"Senior Brother Liu, why depart in the dead of night like this? Was our hospitality lacking in some way?"
Seoran replied.
"No, not at all. We are truly grateful for your generous hospitality. But we can't impose forever. We have urgent preparations to make back home as well."
"Preparations?"
"Yes, preparations for the sect succession ceremony."
The South Continent folk listening nodded in understanding.
It was an irrefutable reason.
In this world, nothing was more urgent than a sect succession.
The institute director spoke with genuine regret.
"You have such an important event ahead. Understood. If there's any material you need, just say the word. We'll prepare whatever it takes."
"Thank you, Director."
"No, we are the ones who should be grateful."
The moment of farewell arrived.
The expedition team vanished into the Food Mountain Great Peng's beak amid the South Continent people's parting greetings.
And the massive flat-eyed creature opened its eyes.
Atop the Food Mountain Great Peng's head, colorful wreaths were piled high.
They rained down like petals with every movement of the colossal body.
Each one had been placed by South Continent cultivators as a token of thanks, and they had accumulated into a mountain.
The crowds filling the plains waved their hands.
Mortals and cultivators alike shared one heart and mind.
Amid everyone's send-off, the Food Mountain Great Peng took to the skies.
It was a beautiful farewell.
*****
At dawn, Damcheong awoke from sound sleep.
He stretched languidly for a moment, rubbing his eyes with delicate, fern-like hands.
Finally, he snapped his eyes open.
A spirited shout followed.
"At last!"
Damcheong quickly got out of bed.
But something felt off.
He had fallen asleep in a guest room at the Cultivation Alliance headquarters, yet he awoke inside the Food Mountain Great Peng's belly.
Damcheong hurriedly began searching for Seoran.
At this hour, she was surely in the steam room.
Thanks to spending nearly a year in the space, he reached his destination even in his fluster.
As Damcheong entered the changing room, the steam room door opened right on cue, and a nude Seoran stepped out.
She was twirling a single towel like a pair of nunchucks.
It was a flashy display befitting a martial arts film enthusiast.
Seoran, spotting Damcheong belatedly, asked.
"Here to use the steam room?"
Damcheong, momentarily speechless, gathered himself.
"No, the steam room isn't the issue right now! Why are we inside the Food Mountain Great Peng?! What about the Cultivation Alliance and the festival!"
Seoran answered nonchalantly.
"Because we left the South Continent last night, of course."
"We left?! Why today of all days?!"
"Huh? Does it matter when we leave?"
Damcheong dropped to his knees with a thud.
"Today... was the Carp Festival..."
Seoran panicked at Damcheong's dejected tone.
"The Carp Festival? I'm sorry, I had no idea..."
"How long I've waited so eagerly for today... Why didn't you ask before departing..."
"You wouldn't wake up no matter how much we tried..."
Seoran's words were true.
The expedition team had tried to wake Damcheong before leaving.
But he simply wouldn't stir.
They called, shook him, even blew a trumpet by his ear, but to no avail.
So they just hoisted him aboard the Food Mountain Great Peng.
They couldn't very well leave him behind alone in the South Continent just because he wouldn't wake.
Damcheong could see it in her eyes.
Seoran and the team had done their utmost.
It wasn't intentional, so he couldn't blame her.
He forced himself to steady his heart.
But he couldn't hide the sadness in his voice.
"Yes, it can't be helped..."
"Damcheong..."
"I'm fine... Let's just head back to my room..."
Seoran resolved to cheer up the downcast Damcheong.
"Damcheong, instead of that, let's go to the dining hall!"
"The dining hall?"
"Yes, have some honey tea and hang out together!"
Touched by Seoran's thoughtfulness, Damcheong felt a bit better and replied.
"Hm, that sounds good."
"Great, let's go right now!"
"Put some clothes on first."
"Yes."
Seoran slipped into a coat made from fire-rat fur.
*****
Seoran and Damcheong were inside the Food Mountain Great Peng.
Naturally, entertainment options were limited.
Today, they planned to inspect the gifts.
Seoran spoke like a museum curator.
"What you're seeing now is an analysis engine handed over by the Heaven-Net Engine Research Institute."
"Isn't this a very important item?"
"They said they could just make a new one, so they gifted it. We got a manual on maintenance too. For now, it's temporarily linked to the Food Mountain Great Peng's puppet core. Target allocation functions and countless other facilities have seen dramatic efficiency improvements."
"Ooh!"
The next item was a pile of spirit stones.
"Spirit stones gifted by the South Continent Cultivation Alliance."
"Hm, I see."
Seeming uninterested, they moved on quickly.
"Formation texts from the formation research institute."
"Aha."
Damcheong showed similar disinterest.
"The pillar found inside the volcano."
"Hmm..."
Seoran broke into a cold sweat and headed to the seed storage.
"Seeds of colossal cacti. For reference, I estimate they'll grow taller than the Food Mountain Great Peng when fully mature."
Damcheong reacted dramatically.
"Is that true?! I want to plant them right now!"
He seemed to have forgotten his gloom in his excitement.
Relieved, Seoran spent time touring the seed storage, explaining the colossal seeds.
It was truly enjoyable.
Nine months later, the group arrived at the West Continent coast.