Chapter 18
Chapter 18
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 18
Chapter Title: Foundation Establishment (5)
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If I had to make an excuse, Seoran hadn't intentionally pretended to be a ghost.
While diligently practicing her Concealment Art, Yi Agum had come looking for her.
Naturally, Seoran had greeted Yi Agum warmly.
She had simply forgotten she was in the middle of casting the Concealment Art.
The Concealment Art hid specific objects or locations.
It also erased any sounds or smells they produced.
That was why even looking with the Clear Eye Spell only revealed their form—sounds couldn't be heard.
And Seoran was unaware of this fact.
It was only natural that she found it strange how Yi Agum kept calling out without hearing her own voice.
In the end, she had tried physical contact, and this mess had ensued.
"I see..."
Having heard the full story, Yi Agum nodded.
The two were lying side by side.
Sunlight poured in through the hole in the house.
It was because Yi Agum had been unconscious all night.
Fortunately, Yi Agum had submitted an overnight stay form to the dormitory supervisor yesterday.
She had planned to stay over from the start.
Thanks to that, they avoided punishment like cleaning the bathrooms.
Yi Agum rose from the dust pit and looked around.
"But why are we lying on the first floor?"
"The second floor collapsed."
Yi Agum tilted her head back and looked up.
Sure enough, the roof was visible directly above.
She marveled at how they had slept in such a place.
"Want to wash up? I have morning training."
"Sure."
Seoran headed to the basement to fetch the bathtub.
Yi Agum also got up and went to the back door of the hall.
Next to the broken door was the morning delivery of water barrels.
Yi Agum effortlessly lifted a full wooden barrel and brought it back inside.
The bathtub was big enough for two girls.
"Sis, what about a privacy screen?"
"Over there."
Seoran pointed at a bundle of firewood with her hand.
No trace of normal household items was visible.
She wondered if daily life was even possible here.
"No door, no privacy screen. Nothing at all? What's the difference from camping?"
"Don't worry, I have plans for everything."
Seoran spoke confidently.
"What plans?"
"Just use the Concealment Art while bathing."
The Concealment Art hid appearances, sounds, and smells.
With that alone, you could walk naked through the middle of the street without shame.
Since no one could see you anyway.
Yi Agum frowned.
"That's a really stupid idea."
"Why, don't you like it?"
"Let's do it right now."
Yi Agum tilted the barrel to fill the bathtub.
Seoran cast the Concealment Art to cover them in a hemispherical barrier.
The two stripped off their clothes and soaked in the wooden tub.
The cold water sharpened their senses.
Dirt and sweat washed away.
While splashing water on her face, Yi Agum suddenly asked.
"But why do you always close your eyes when bathing, Sis?"
Seoran always felt uncomfortable when other women exposed themselves vulnerably in front of her.
It was because the love triangle in her mind spun furiously.
But she lacked the confidence to explain that.
So she just made up an excuse.
"Soap stings if it gets in your eyes."
"You're not a kid anymore."
The two chatted casually as they washed.
*****
Yi Agum left for morning training.
Seoran had graduated from group training as of yesterday.
Foundation Establishment Cultivators had no muscle loss or gain.
It was like a fired piece of pottery—it might shatter, but its shape wouldn't change.
Unless there was a special reason like the training assistant Demon Horse Cultivator, there was no need to exercise.
Thus, Seoran's entire day was free time.
Seoran flipped the bathtub over like a chair and, relying on the sunlight coming through the hole in the wall, read a book.
It was on Barrier Arts and Artifact Control Arts.
Having mastered two more spells in half a day, Seoran ate lunch and headed to the Artifact Hall.
She needed to borrow a communal ferryboat.
After filling out a simple form, she rented one immediately.
Once aboard and activating the Artifact Control Art, it floated up lightly.
Operating a flying artifact wasn't that difficult.
It felt like riding an electric scooter.
Seoran flew through the clouds and arrived at the forest below the cliff.
Sunlight shone well, and a gentle breeze blew.
She placed a ripe fruit from the grass on the ground and hid herself with the Concealment Art.
Enjoying the fresh grassy scent as she passed the time, a white rabbit hopped over from afar.
Her target had taken the bait.
Seoran was looking for animals to observe for Transformation Art practice.
She planned to watch about three and head back.
The rabbit glanced around cautiously, then relaxed and began nibbling the fruit.
Seoran grinned like a doting parent at its cuteness.
Then a red fox leaped from the bushes and bit the rabbit's nape.
"Huh?"
Whether Seoran panicked or not, the fox gulped down the half-eaten fruit in one bite.
Then it grabbed the freshly killed rabbit and vanished into the bushes.
Seoran moved the ferryboat to follow.
As her bewilderment faded, the fox's appearance caught her eye.
Its fur gleamed with good nutrition.
Occasionally flashing a charming smile, it was easy to see why foxes were called seductive spirits.
It was truly adorable.
Seoran smiled even brighter than before.
She had long forgotten about the rabbit.
Using the Concealment Art, Seoran tailed the fox for a while.
*****
Yi Agum, waiting for Seoran to have dinner, doubted her own eyes.
A fox grinning cheekily was trotting toward the dining hall.
What was this?
What was its intention?
Did it want to become dinner?
The fox stopped at Yi Agum's feet and cried out proudly.
"Kyaang! Kyaang!"
Lost in confusion, Yi Agum suddenly thought of an acquaintance.
"Is that you, Sis?"
The fox did a backflip in midair and turned into a human.
Naturally, it was the Transformation Art prodigy, Ryu Seoran.
"How's my Transformation Art? Pretty perfect, right?"
She looked triumphant.
Yi Agum deployed her ultimate social skills.
She praised it fervently.
"Wow, it's totally perfect! Sis, can you show me once more? Please?"
Seoran lifted her chin arrogantly.
"You shouldn't show off stuff like this casually. But for my Agumi, I'll make an exception."
Seoran immediately did another backflip and turned back into a fox.
Then she looked at Yi Agum as if demanding praise.
It was impressive how she could look so smug with a fox face.
Yi Agum's praise didn't stop until dinner ended.
After the meal, the two left the dining hall.
Seoran led Yi Agum to a nearby clearing.
There was a communal ferryboat.
"Hey, hop on!"
Seoran said from aboard the ferryboat.
Yi Agum grew curious.
How far would she go if she kept playing along?
They flew through the night sky and arrived at Seoran's second-floor hall.
"Go ahead, splash me as hard as you can."
Seoran filled a washbasin with water and handed it over.
"For real?"
"It's fine, it's fine."
Urged on, Yi Agum splashed the water with all her might.
Seoran swiftly formed hand seals as if waiting.
Yellow Pure Earth Spiritual Power burst forth.
The translucent sphere of spiritual power evaporated every drop of water.
It was a flawless Barrier Art, without a single wasted motion.
She had even activated it with hand seals alone, skipping the incantation.
For showing off to a child, the proficiency was astonishing.
"Wow!"
Even Yi Agum was genuinely shocked this time.
With many friends, she had heard plenty.
Activating a notoriously difficult Barrier Art without an incantation was no small feat.
Seoran, striking a pose, said.
"Agumi, we're parting ways for a while."
"Why?"
Gazing at the moon through the gap in the broken wall, Seoran declared solemnly.
"Sis is heading out into the mortal world for a trip."
"Oh?"
"Yeah."
"Isn't there some kind of exam for that? They only issue outing permits if you pass."
"The condition was mastering all the spells I just showed you."
"No written test?"
There was—it was called the Mortal World Conduct Guidelines.
But Seoran had never read them.
Coming from the mortal world, she took the written part lightly.
"Truth isn't in books, Agumi. Truth comes from experience."
"You seem really confident."
"Of course."
Seoran didn't worry even a tiny bit about failing.
A written test? How hard could it be?
Probably just elementary school morals level.
Question: What is the proper response upon finding a traveler collapsed on a mountain path?
Answer: Provide first aid and take them to the nearest village.
Any sensible person couldn't fail even if they tried.
"You always mess up somehow, Sis..."
The next day, Seoran rushed to the exam hall at dawn.
Clear Eye Spell, Transformation Art, Concealment Art, Artifact Control Art, Barrier Art.
She demonstrated unbelievable spell mastery that seemed impossible from cramming, shocking the examiners.
Having easily aced the practical with perfect scores, Seoran strode confidently to the written exam room.
And she received the test paper.
Question 1.
While Sect A of the Capital Sects maintained a three-tier alliance with Sect B for a century, Sect B's Foundation Establishment Cultivator C pursued independent Foundation Establishment Daoist D, and both crossed into Sect A's borders. During their clash, damage to life and property occurred... (abridged). Provide at least two thousand characters justifying on-site sanctions against Cultivators C and D, citing customs law on border crossing, treaties between allied Capital Sects, and historical traditions between general Capital Sects.
Seoran made a face like an elementary schooler who had wandered into the bar exam room.