Chapter 143
Chapter 143
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 143
Chapter Title: Dragon Palace Sojourn (3)
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Dragon Palace, year 7.
The disappearance of the Previous Dragon God had plunged into a labyrinth of mystery.
In truth, over a hundred years had passed since he vanished, and it seemed unlikely he was still alive at this point.
The master detective duo ultimately declared their defeat.
Dragon Palace, year 8.
In the deep sea, where seasons were nowhere to be found—not even autumn—the Doll Doll series reached its conclusion.
A boy and girl finally grasping peace and happiness.
It was an unremarkable ending, but the readers of the Western Continent, who had cheered them on for thirty years, were thoroughly satisfied.
Dragon Palace, year 9.
Seoran stood on the cusp of Quintuple Spirit Root Harmonization.
Soonest in summer, at latest by winter.
It was time to start preparing to leave.
But she still had to remain in the Dragon Palace.
*****
Damcheong suddenly called for a tribal vote.
To be precise, it was a yes-or-no vote on whether to follow the Earth God and the two Dragon Gods in ascending to the Immortal Realm.
Seoran and the others tried to dissuade him, but it was no use.
The long-awaited voting day arrived.
The merfolk moved in orderly fashion, confirming their identities, receiving ballots, and entering the polling stations.
They responded to exit polls as they left.
The exit poll results were announced immediately after voting ended.
The approval rate was, of course, 100%.
The merfolk's unity was truly impressive.
Seoran peeked at the results sheet and said.
“Do we really need to count the ballots?”
“No, you never know.”
“Well...”
Thanks to First-Class Believers like Hongrin-eo leading the way, the counting proceeded swiftly.
Turnout neared an astonishing 98%.
At this rate, virtually everyone eligible had voted, except the bedridden invalids.
Soon, the official tally came in.
Seventy percent approved, the rest all invalid.
Aside from the fact that thirty percent of the merfolk didn't understand voting, there were no major surprises.
Damcheong checked the results and breathed a sigh of relief.
“Phew, what a relief. I was worried there might be many who wanted to stay in the mortal world and await the Previous Dragon God's return.”
Around the time spring was passing above the sea surface, Damcheong and the merfolk's joint ascension was confirmed.
And Seoran left the Dragon Palace for the surface.
She had been tied up with election committee duties, but now she finally had time to travel.
Her first destination was the Eastern Continent's Great Primeval Forest.
*****
Seoran set foot on Eastern Continent soil after so long.
After completing teleportation array procedures and emerging from the ancient ruins, summer's lush greenery welcomed her.
Over thirty years since the Great Rift closed, the depths remained eroded by the underworld's influence.
Seoran raced full speed to Taibon Valley.
She looked forward to reuniting with her Five Elements Treefolk friends.
Crushing yokai packs like a murderous chariot, she arrived at her destination in no time.
Taibon Valley looked utterly unchanged from her last visit.
Which made sense, upon reflection.
To the Five Elements Treefolk and ascetics, twenty or thirty years wasn't much time.
Seoran closed her eyes and enveloped the entire city with her senses.
The learning district where she had taught, the places she frequented preparing for the beauty contest, her favorite eateries.
Fond memories welled up vividly.
Lost in nostalgia, Seoran opened her eyes.
She had found her targets.
A straight trunk and a burning branch walked along, chatting amiably.
Seoran darted toward the two trees.
“Straight Trunk! Burning Branch! Long time no see!”
Hearing the familiar voice, the two Five Elements Treefolk halted and looked around.
Straight Trunk spotted Seoran first.
“Seoran, have you finished your seclusion?”
“Something like that. Came to see your faces.”
“It's really great to see you again.”
Burning Branch noticed her late.
“Ah, there you are. Long time no see.”
“Twenty-odd years is just a blink for Five Elements Treefolk, right?”
“That's how happy we are to see you.”
The ascetic and two trees chatted for a while in a quiet, sunny spot.
As Seoran prepared to leave, Straight Trunk asked.
“Seclusion again?”
“Yeah, pretty much.”
“You're so diligent. When will you emerge next?”
Seoran planned to ascend soon.
But she couldn't just blurt it out.
It was classified.
So Seoran smiled vaguely and brushed it off.
“This time it'll take a bit longer.”
Burning Branch said.
“Research says the underworld energy eroding the depths will be fully purified in a few hundred years.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. When that happens, we can come visit wherever you are. We'll pester you often.”
The three friends parted laughing.
Seoran returned to the ancient ruins in the depths.
Spy organization agents dispatched to the Eastern Continent bustled about preparing to withdraw.
Archaeologists did the same.
Seoran learned from the spies about the Eastern Continent's state after Operation Bank Run.
Two of the Ten Great Sects had disbanded amid infighting.
The remaining eight had lost their former prestige.
Emerging sects had sprung up like mushrooms, poaching talent and techniques with aggressive offers.
Seoran skimmed a few leaked secret puppetry manuals from the Ten Great Sects.
They might have mattered before, but now there was nothing to learn.
After all, she'd never heard of a monopoly corp on Earth skimping on R&D.
Seoran tossed the read manuals onto the cart.
The cargo was mostly ancient relics and archaeologists' research notes.
Regrettably, results were somewhat lacking.
How the teleportation arrays worked.
Who created the Great Rift.
Why the ancient civilization collapsed in an instant.
Many questions remained unanswered, but time was short.
Ahead of Black Bamboo Sect and Gold Workshop Sect's ascension, the intercontinental teleportation facilities would be temporarily shut down.
A measure to prevent potential future continental conflicts.
Seoran returned to the Western Continent via teleportation array.
*****
Seoran's next stop was the underground world.
She asked around for the address in the letter.
And arrived at a fairly nice building.
The love nest of the couple married twelve years: Toto-seo and Ji-am-seo.
Knocking brought Ji-am-seo to the door.
“Seoran, so great to see you!”
T-pose greetings exchanged.
“Great to see you too, Ji-am-seo. How've you been?”
“Busy raising kids.”
Seoran recalled the recent letter.
“You had your seventh recently?”
“Yes, so my husband and I both took parental leave and are minding the house.”
“Must be tough. I know from experience with something like childcare.”
Naturally, referring to Shiksan Daebung.
The ever-questioning five-eyed one had graduated writing lessons and now lounged at home.
Just like Geum Young-young.
Seoran and Ji-am-seo entered the love nest.
Inside, one adult mole and seven baby moles.
Ji-am-seo deftly scooped up the fourth, fifth, and sixth rolling on the floor.
Toto-seo, soothing a crying baby, said.
“Long time, Seoran. As you see, not much time for greetings. Bear with me.”
“It's fine, it's fine. This the youngest? Got general vibes.”
“It's a girl.”
Hard to tell with different species.
The older first, second, and third had pocket money and went out playing.
The fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh drifted off to Ji-am-seo's storytime.
A didactic tale about giant birds eating those who sneaked to the surface.
With the kids asleep, Toto-seo said.
“You're leaving the surface for the heavens?”
“Yeah, that's right.”
Ji-am-seo teared up.
“We'll miss you so much, Seoran.”
“I'll miss you too, Ji-am-seo.”
The three sincerely blessed each other's futures.
Seoran joined the nine-member Labyrinth-tongue family for dinner.
The next morning, she left the underground world.
The Black Bamboo Sect-underground trade pact would be inherited by the Eastern Coast Alliance.
Calls from Labyrinth-tongues for opening ties to the surface grew louder.
Lately, besides vertical shaft and horizontal shaft factions, a third force advocated going aboveground outright.
Surface-underground exchange was already an unstoppable tidal wave.
*****
In autumn as leaves fell, Seoran was at Black Bamboo Sect.
Drafting maintenance manuals for the artificial satellite Golden Bamboo Blossom.
After Seoran's ascension, the Golden Bamboo Blossom left behind would be jointly managed by the Eastern Coast Alliance.
Plus, piles of distributions awaited as agreed: territories of Yu Nation, Yang Nation, Church Nation, and more.
Seoran worked on manuals from her estate while carrying them out.
And finally harmonized her Quintuple Spirit Root.
Word spread instantly across the Western Continent.
Soon after, hostile sects surrendered.
Seoran accepted without demands.
Since becoming an Incarnation Cultivator, she had no desire to wipe them out.
She had witnessed Three Rings Sect's fall and the chaos engulfing Yu Nation.
She knew her teacher Yeo Mujin had lost family to childhood wars and cursed the world.
Seoran had no wish to spark a continental inferno.
That winter, preparations for the ascension ceremony were complete.