Chapter 146
Chapter 146
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 146
Chapter Title: Soul Transformation (3)
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Successful negotiation to avoid fighting would be ideal.
But she couldn't afford to be overly optimistic.
If one desired peace, one had to prepare for war.
Duke Deng compared and analyzed the forces on both sides.
"The Supreme Star Realm can be called the stage of birthing stars. Upon reaching this realm, one can draw infinite spiritual power from the star of one's spirit located in the middle or lower dantian. However, the One-Eyed Dragon is a dragon on the verge of ascension, still in an incomplete state."
Seoran asked.
"An incomplete state? You mean it's not at the Supreme Star Realm?"
"Strictly speaking, since it has contained a star within its dragon pearl, it is at the Supreme Star Realm. However, due to the environment of the lower realm, it hasn't fully blossomed, so we can call it a quasi-Supreme Star Realm."
"Then Lady Damcheong is still at the quasi-Supreme Star Realm as well?"
Duke Deng nodded.
"Last time, I mentioned that colossal species are rare in the lower realm, didn't I? The same goes for dragons that have completed their dragon pearls. Because they are far too vast an existence for the lower realm to accommodate, they can only fully bloom after ascending to the upper realm. There's even a hypothesis that dragons who have completed their dragon pearls suffer from a blind longing for ascension because they instinctively reject their incomplete state."
Seoran's head tilted to the side.
"Lady Damcheong, what do you think?"
"It feels like it might be true, and also like it might not."
"So you're saying you don't really know."
Seoran's gaze shifted back toward the blackboard.
Duke Deng continued his explanation.
"In any case, what I want to say is simple. If Investigator Ryu and Lady Dragon join forces, it won't be difficult to defeat the One-Eyed Dragon. Whether it's the One-Eyed Dragon that became a Supreme Star Realm two thousand years ago or the Lady Dragon who just reached it twenty years ago, their power in terms of quantity is roughly equal."
Seoran asked.
"What about in terms of quality?"
"I don't know what kind of life the One-Eyed Dragon has lived, but it likely lacks significant combat experience. At best, it has slain packs of yokai. The Incarnation Realm cultivator it killed hundreds of years ago was ambushed mid-flight, making it a one-sided battle. To begin with, there are no equals to dragons in the lower realm."
"Excluding other dragons, that is?"
Duke Deng nodded.
"Yes, exactly. If it was indeed the One-Eyed Dragon that killed the previous Dragon God, then we might need to be a bit more cautious. But that's all. In a 2-versus-1 fight, you couldn't lose even if you wanted to. Besides, you have me by your side. From now on, I'll impart the upper realm's cultivation methods and spells to you."
Seoran and Damcheong cheered with bright smiles.
But one had to hear people out to the end.
"Unfortunately, however, the cultivation methods I know are only for human cultivators. Dragon clan cultivation methods are extremely rare. While I teach Investigator Ryu the cultivation method, Lady Dragon, you can self-study the spells. I'll quiz you on how diligently you've memorized them later."
Duke Deng handed Damcheong a spell textbook he had written himself.
The book was so thick it looked almost like a cube.
Damcheong's arms sank limply.
Regardless, private tutoring on the cultivation method began between Seoran and Duke Deng alone.
*****
Seoran learned a total of five Origin Spirit Realm cultivation methods.
Earth-attribute spell-specialized method: Crimson Earth Transmission Scripture.
Metal-attribute spell-specialized method: Thunderclap Ironclad Gold.
Internal energy-specialized wood-attribute method: Blossoming Prosperity Art.
Defense-specialized fire-attribute method: Embracing Flames Body Protection Art.
And the last was the water-attribute method: Falling Water Pierces Stone.
The literal meaning of the cultivation method's name was as follows.
Dripping water pierces rock.
There was an intuitive mental image connected to the literal meaning.
Namely, the scene of water drops falling one by one, slowly boring a hole through rock over a long period.
It might seem like a late-bloomer type of cultivation method.
But that was incorrect.
Falling Water Pierces Stone was not a late-bloomer cultivation method.
On the contrary, it was an extreme attack-specialized cultivation method.
The spiritual power of a cultivator who had mastered Falling Water Pierces Stone carried a property that destabilized barriers.
That was why one could not rely solely on barrier defenses and neglect evasion when fighting Black Bamboo Sect Origin Spirit Realm cultivators.
A classic deadly secret art that killed the ignorant.
Of course, Falling Water Pierces Stone had its drawbacks as well.
It also destabilized the user's own barrier.
However, this drawback turned into an advantage once Embracing Flames Body Protection Art was learned.
Embracing Flames Body Protection Art was an extreme defense-specialized cultivation method.
Its primary function was even to generate formless flame barriers.
The property that destabilized spiritual power barriers actually reinforced formless flame barriers, leaving only the advantages of both methods.
Thanks to this, successive Black Bamboo Sect Origin Spirit Realm cultivators transformed into great yokai-slaying machines upon mastering both Falling Water Pierces Stone and Embracing Flames Body Protection Art.
In times of chaos, they were called sect-slaying machines.
This was also why the Black Bamboo Sect was one of the Five Great Sects of the Western Continent.
The reason Seoran was suddenly explaining all the Origin Spirit Realm cultivation methods she had learned to Duke Deng was simple.
It was due to compatibility issues with the upcoming Cloud Mist Realm (Soul Transformation) cultivation method.
Surprisingly, one could not just learn any cultivation method willy-nilly.
After pondering for a while, Duke Deng spoke.
"Fortunately, there shouldn't be any major issues."
"To think there are compatible cultivation methods and incompatible ones... I never dreamed of such a thing."
"In most cases, you don't need to worry about it. You just need to pay attention to compatibility between Origin Spirit Realm and Soul Transformation cultivation methods. It's the transition from Five Elements spiritual power to mixed origin spiritual power, after all. Otherwise... well, just avoid cultivating methods with opposing effects together."
Seoran let out a sigh of relief.
"Phew... So you're saying the effects of the Origin Spirit Realm cultivation methods I've learned will remain intact?"
"Yes, you're fortunate. Two are from the Black Bamboo Sect, and two from the Gold Forge Sect, right? Thanks to that, there's high homogeneity between them. If you'd picked up a mishmash from everywhere, most cultivation methods would lose their effects upon learning a Soul Transformation method—not uncommon at all. Of course, it's also thanks to the tremendous harmony of the Cloud Mist Realm method I'll teach you today."
"A highly harmonious cultivation method? Is it a basic one?"
Duke Deng became unusually excited.
"A basic method? What are you saying!? Creating cultivation methods is the domain of geniuses among geniuses! Even those creators unanimously praise highly harmonious cultivation methods! It's the very point through which all upper streams pass and to all lower streams connect! To liken such an eternal masterpiece to a mere basic method!"
"No, that's not—"
"Answer me! A cultivation method that only a select few born with special spirit bones, bloodlines, or environments can learn, versus one that anyone can learn! Which is the greater cultivation method between the former and the latter? Well?!"
Seoran stammered her response.
"Th-the latter seems greater."
A smile returned to Duke Deng's demonically twisted face.
"As expected, Investigator Ryu knows her stuff. Sorry for raising my voice suddenly. I got carried away. In any case, remember the greatness of highly harmonious cultivation methods. Only by gaining insight into all things in the world, unbound by biased experiences, subjective limitations, or personal idiosyncrasies, can one create a highly harmonious cultivation method."
"Did you create that cultivation method, Duke Deng?"
"Probably not. It's clearly beyond my capabilities. Oh, by the way, the easiest to create are bloodline-exclusive cultivation methods. Because descendants with similar spirit and flesh as the creator can learn them. There are relatively fewer factors to consider. That's why cultivation clans usually possess several bloodline-exclusive methods each. Ah, we've strayed off-topic. Let's continue the lesson."
The name of the harmonious cultivation method that Duke Deng had praised until his mouth went dry was 'Nameless Method'.
Seoran couldn't help but ask this question.
"Did you perhaps forget the method's name?"
"No, this really is the name of the cultivation method."
"The cultivation method is named Nameless Method?"
Nameless Method—method without a name.
Upon reflection, it seemed like quite a good name.
Seoran had always liked such things.
Duke Deng doused her enthusiasm.
"The name is a bit silly, but the completion is excellent. The learning process is somewhat convoluted, though."
A silly name...
Nameless Method—wasn't it rather poetic?
Seoran felt a bit dejected.
It took about half a day to master the Nameless Method.
*****
Seoran and Damcheong learned various other spells as well.
Most were joint attack spells.
It seemed the pre-degeneracy Duke Deng had been a Yosul Surgeon, as he possessed highly biased spell knowledge.
While preparing for battle with the One-Eyed Dragon, Seoran improved her puppets, bamboo missile ballistics, and artificial satellite golden bamboo flowers.
Including Shiksan Daebung, the trio threw themselves into joint attack spell training.
To fell the One-Eyed Dragon in a short battle, consultations with Duke Deng or the think tank were frequent.
Half a year later, autumn arrived.
With the sect members' cheers behind them, the trio of Seoran, Damcheong, and Shiksan Daebung departed the Western Continent.
The three flew toward the world's center at speeds incomparable to the Southern Continent expedition.
Any yokai legions they encountered were utterly crushed.
Around winter, the group arrived at the world's center.
In the midst of the vast ocean stood a massive empty cavity.
This was the terrain called the center of the world by the Water Immortal Realm.
It was also known as the entrance to the underworld, said that falling into the deep hole surrounded by seawater would lead straight to the land of the dead.
Vortexes of dark clouds churned in the skies above.
The cloud path laden with heavenly tribulation—the Ascension Gate.
The timing was perfect; the passage was open.
But the object the group focused on was elsewhere.
That existence was swimming between the world's center leading to the underworld and the Ascension Gate to the upper realm.
It was the One-Eyed Dragon.
A body so long and enormous it filled their field of vision.
Ruler of winds, thunderclouds, and weather.
A spirit among spirits.
The One-Eyed Dragon stared at the Ascension Gate.
It simply floated there, borne by the winds across its entire body.
Its whiskers were soaked by the rain, lightning gleaming off its scales.
Even the lofty clouds humbled themselves before the dragon.
The One-Eyed Dragon turned its head and spoke.
"I've been waiting."
Only then was the One-Eyed Dragon's right face visible.
Embedded in the crushed eye socket's scar, in place of the eyeball, was a dragon pearl.
Additionally, one beneath its jaw, and one in its right claw.
Dragon pearl, dragon pearl, dragon pearl.
Three dragon pearls.
And three stars.
Countless thoughts flooded Seoran's mind.
One dragon pearl per dragon.
A dragon that steals another's pearl cannot ascend.
The reason the previous Dragon God went missing.
The One-Eyed Dragon blocking the world's center.
The reason a dragon on the verge of ascension had not left for the upper realm.
No, the reason it could not leave.
Three dragon pearls.
Waiting—for whom?
For herself, an Incarnation Realm cultivator?
For Damcheong, of the dragon clan?
Or for the fourth dragon pearl?
Why hadn't she considered this possibility?
Her thoughts could not continue further.
Damcheong's shout snapped Seoran back to reality.
Seoran blew the horn as soon as she regained her senses.
Her command activated the puppet legion.
Immediately after, the One-Eyed Dragon charged.