Chapter 151
Chapter 151
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 151
Chapter Title: Sect Ascension
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A short while later, Siksan Daebung rose energetically.
Seoran transmitted the report of their victory at the Lone-Eyed Dragon Hall to the Western Continent via the communication array.
Then they flew for another three months.
On the way back, they made a brief stopover at the undersea city.
The merfolk, having heard the full story of the Previous Dragon God's disappearance, shed tears from the depths of their hearts.
Their god had not abandoned them.
On the contrary, he had tried to protect them until his very last moment.
The merfolk believers rummaged through their storehouses and brought out the statue of the Previous Dragon God, carefully packaged and preserved.
The statue, with an expression so ambiguous it was hard to tell if he was smiling, was placed beside the two relatively smaller statues.
From that day on, the merfolk came to worship three gods.
And in late spring, Seoran's group arrived at the Black Bamboo Sect.
*****
Seoran and Damcheong, who had been flying through the sky, landed in front of the estate's main gate.
Once inside the walls, they were to proceed on foot—one of the few rules of the household.
It had been established after Daebung had chomped through the eaves.
The two, returning home after half a year, crossed the central courtyard and headed to Elder Deng's quarters.
Damcheong swung around the broken horn clutched in her right hand.
Innocent flowers and plants fell victim.
Seoran said,
“Damcheong, stop tormenting the plants and hurry up.”
“Oh, I didn't realize...”
“Look at this. The horn's got sap on it.”
Seoran took the horn and wiped it with her handkerchief.
She scrubbed diligently, and it came clean.
What a relief.
They soon arrived at Elder Deng's residence.
The master of the house happened to be inside.
With permission, Seoran and Damcheong entered the room.
Elder Deng stared thoughtfully at Damcheong's horn, cleanly snapped off at the base.
After a moment, he began questioning her like a physician taking a history.
Soon, the diagnosis was in.
Elder Deng said with an intelligent-looking expression,
“For triggering your latent power, you were extraordinarily lucky. You've lost the ability to read heavenly omens due to the broken horn, but there are no additional symptoms. As for the broken horn... well, there are ways in the Immortal Realm.”
Damcheong asked,
“Is that true?”
“Yes. Means to repair permanent damage are a dime a dozen. Eating a spirit fruit, cultivating a unique technique, or becoming a True Immortal Realm cultivator are options. After completing the ascension ritual, you'll undergo shedding your mortal shell and emerge with a new body.”
“That puts my mind at ease.”
Elder Deng stepped out to write a prescription for a tonic suited to dragons.
Damcheong hummed a tune while picking at the broken horn's cross-section with her fingernail.
Seoran carefully stored the fact that True Immortal Realm cultivators underwent shedding of the mortal shell in her mental database.
Then a sudden doubt arose.
He gave off a somewhat professional air, but could she really trust Elder Deng's judgment?
Did he even know what he was prescribing?
From someone who forgot his own name?
Wasn't he just a quack?
Was this right?
Upon reflection, Elder Deng had consistently proven his poor judgment ever since their first meeting—in the worst possible ways.
Right after his seal was released, with only his primal soul left, he had lunged at Seoran and Damcheong and been subdued.
He'd claimed the two of them could easily handle a Lone-Eyed Dragon, yet they'd nearly been wiped out.
Based on Elder Deng's big data, it wouldn't be surprising if her remaining right horn snapped off tomorrow.
In the meantime, Elder Deng returned.
The prescription looked plausible enough.
Seoran decided to trust him one more time.
Leading away the fidgety Damcheong, Seoran pulled out her communicator and made some calls.
*****
The Carefree Club members, upon hearing the news, rushed over to visit Damcheong.
In truth, since the other two Single Spirit Root Holders lived in the same space, the only guests were Ho Hye-mun and Yi Agum.
Paradoxically, with the entire sect busy preparing for ascension, the script hall and Medicine Hall had become idle.
Ho Hye-mun arrived today as well, riding her shaggy mountain goat.
Yi Agum arrived a bit later, her ferryboat loaded with various herbs.
It was to feed Damcheong the freshly completed tonic.
Seoran, eyeing the several boxes of herbs, asked,
“Agum, these aren't from the Medicine Hall stores, are they? Is it okay to use them like this?”
“They were going to be left behind for the handover anyway.”
“Really?”
They had built countless flying ships so far, but there still weren't enough to carry everyone.
Even now, the Black Bamboo Sect and Goldcraft Sect were discarding or transferring massive amounts of supplies.
The plan was to procure what they needed in the Immortal Realm.
Damcheong's room filled with the warmth of people.
Yi Agum went to one side and began brewing.
The others chatted among themselves while paying attention to the tonic-making process.
Damcheong, downing the honey tea Seoran had brewed for her.
Geum Yeongyeong examining the broken horn.
Ho Hye-mun talking with her former disciple Jang Seonhwa.
Yi Agum wrestling with the alchemy cauldron.
Elder Deng offering advice from beside her.
Siksan Daebung and the genius human-faced bird Hongsoon devouring the snacks brought by the maid.
The three-eyed cat snatching fruit amid the birds.
Even one word from each made for ten.
“Damcheong, more honey?”
“This seems sufficient.”
“How exactly does the horn read heavenly omens?”
“Teacher, I've been wondering about this for days. During the technique cultivation...”
“Ah, that part was tricky. In that case...”
“Mokju-goe-ocho? First time hearing that name. What's this?”
“It's that brown herb over there. They must call it something else down here.”
“This is really tasty.”
“Try this one too, Daebung.”
“If you're not eating that fruit, give it here.”
The bustling atmosphere soon quieted.
Crammed into the warm room, everyone grew drowsy.
By then, the tonic was ready.
Yi Agum handed it to Damcheong, saying,
“Drink it while it's hot, Dragon Lady.”
Damcheong took the bowl and glanced around.
Countless eyes were fixed on her.
They had come to visit out of worry for her.
Every gaze overflowed with goodwill and affection.
Impulsively, Damcheong spoke up.
“Call me by my name.”
Yi Agum, closest to her, asked back.
“Pardon? By name?”
“Yes. No more 'Dragon Lady.' I'd like you to call me Damcheong from now on.”
“Uh...”
As everyone hesitated tensely, Siksan Daebung shouted loudly.
“Damcheong! Damcheong!”
Hongsoon beside him swiftly covered Daebung's beak.
The room's eyes darted about.
It was the tensest moment imaginable.
Damcheong chuckled and said,
“Hm, but I'd appreciate the honorifics.”
The tension broke, and the others laughed along.
Hongsoon released Daebung's beak.
Siksan Daebung excitedly chanted Damcheong's name.
Yi Agum spoke again.
“Eat it before it cools, Damcheong-nim. Like this?”
Damcheong replied,
“Much better.”
Then she gulped down the tonic.
The dragon restorative slid down her throat.
Damcheong immediately made a dying face.
“Urk...!”
In the end, Yi Agum replaced it with grape-flavored tonic.
*****
Having become an Incarnation Cultivator, Seoran gained the Heaven-Observing Eyes that could read heavenly omens.
Careful observation of the skies revealed that the Ascension Gate would next open in the winter of this year.
Over half a year remained, but considering the flying fleet's speed, they needed to depart as soon as possible.
Elder Wang blankly watched the boarding procession.
He was the one who had brought Seoran, now a duke's daughter, to the Black Bamboo Sect along with Yi Agum.
For that merit alone, he had received countless commendations from the leadership.
A young couple, each holding a child's hand, boarded a ship.
“Mom, Dad. Where are we going?”
“To the Immortal Realm.”
“Yeah, just sleep a few nights and we'll be there.”
Countless others boarded the fleet.
A woman clutching swollen hopes to her chest.
A man glancing around nervously.
Those lost in thought, gazing up at the flying fleet.
The communication human-faced bird flock was being transported cages and all.
Porcelain dolls bustled about carrying luggage.
Word was, the core of the animal farm, the Dharma Brain, would also be taken to the Immortal Realm.
Elder Wang took one last look at the Black Bamboo Sect's landscape.
Due to frequent external activities, the headquarters' scenery felt strangely unfamiliar.
But like the other cultivators, this mountain range was his spiritual home.
Before the old man's eyes stretched mountains that seemed to touch the heavens.
Each peak bore grandiose halls too magnificent to believe they were man-made.
Clouds flowed like rivers through the mountain gaps, evoking awe.
Gazing down at the sight stirred many thoughts.
But Elder Wang sighed them all away.
Then he boarded his assigned vessel.
The next day, the Great Barrier Formation that had guarded the mountains since the sect's founding was lifted.
Aside from the incongruously standing colossal cactus, it was a paradise fit for immortals.
Flying fleets rose from all across the vast mountain range.
All the Daoist sects' long-cherished dream of sect ascension began.