Chapter 11
Translator: penny
Chapter: 11
Chapter Title: Arms Aren't the Problem (5)
The pile that looked like trash was actually a heap of magic treasures and artifacts that Geum Yang-pyeong had casually whipped up out of boredom, then carelessly stacked in the corner without bothering to store them properly before taking off.
High Heaven Sect's history spanned twelve thousand seven hundred years.
Over those endless ages of neglect, most of the treasures and artifacts had rusted and crumbled into genuine junk, but one single treasure buried deepest within had survived intact.
I'd known in advance that a treasure would emerge, so the moment spiritual energy surged from the trash heap, I yanked my hand back.
Kaboom!
With a blast that scattered the trash pile skyward, a blue flying sword shaped like flowing water shot into the air.
Refined Flying Sword.
It was one of the treasures Geum Yang-pyeong had slapped together from nearby materials whenever he got bored during his Soul Harmony Realm cultivation.
Made on a whim with mostly training-grade materials he had on hand, it was a tool that even a Soul Harmony Realm expert couldn't push beyond Core Formation Realm use... but that also meant it had endless room for refinement and improvement.
After his ascension, Mun Yoo would meet Geum Yang-pyeong and learn the story of the sword's creation. Cherishing it as his first treasure, he'd stored it deep in his storage pouch and shown it to Geum Yang-pyeong, who reforged it into a new Refined Flying Sword.
This unassuming dagger-like flying sword—which looked like nothing more than a hilt with a decorative cloth strip tied to its ring and a blade that wasn't even properly sharpened—drew in the ambient qi of heaven and earth, or the qi of its registered master cultivator, to form a blade of pure essence.
True to its name as a flying sword, you could wield it by hand, but its true power only shone when controlled with divine sense.
It became a blade that floated freely in the air, striking at foes while leaving your hands unbound.
Just like how this one was now soaring toward me now—fierce as an eagle, supple as a fish, nimble as an insect.
The Refined Flying Sword moved too fast for me to react, and right as its watery blade was about to slice into me...
"Yoo Senior!"
Whoosh!
At Do Mun-hyang's gesture, all the water essence clinging to the Refined Flying Sword scattered.
As the startled Do Mun-hyang rushed to my side, the sword swiftly reformed its watery blade and lunged at her instead. She countered by conjuring a massive hand of water to seize and halt it.
"What is this thing?! A spirit-bound treasure?!"
"Beats me!"
Truth be told, I knew.
That treasure had no spirit bound to it.
I knew that ancient treasures could develop a special ego called a spirit after long existence, but that required the treasure itself to reflect and awaken its own self through countless experiences over ages.
This one had simply been buried in a trash heap in a side hall for ages. So the Refined Flying Sword rampaging on its own without a master or spirit was just activating the 'auto-defense function' Geum Yang-pyeong had embedded in it.
Talk about a Soul Harmony Realm master for you.
I promptly unleashed Blazing Palm Seal at empty air where no one stood.
Rumble!
Refining Qi Realm Completion with a Dragon Spiritual Root, and Refining Qi Realm Layer 4 with my Kang Young-jun roots.
Channeling both roots' spiritual energies as one, the Blazing Palm Seal swept through the entire side hall with power on a whole other level.
With it, the pure water essence filling the hall grew chaotic, disrupting the watery blade on the Refined Flying Sword.
Seizing the moment, Do Mun-hyang conjured more watery hands to pin the flying sword down.
"What now?"
"Hyang-ah, want it?"
She shook her head at my words.
"You found this side hall, Senior. You should take it. I'm happy just training here."
"Then we need to drain all its energy first and tame it."
"Got it."
While she held the treasure in check, I unleashed Blazing Palm Seal again, this time smashing the Refined Flying Sword itself.
I knew it wouldn't break from this, so I held nothing back.
Kaboom!
Another deafening roar shook the side hall, heat flooding every corner. But the heat faded in an instant, replaced by rising water essence once more. Seeing it, Do Mun-hyang scanned the surroundings.
"Looks like there's a treasure or formation somewhere constantly generating this pure water essence. The sword must be drawing power from it."
"Then we destroy that first."
I said it casually, but inwardly I clicked my tongue.
If we could dispel all the water essence in this side hall, the sword—which had absorbed nothing but water qi for ages—would fail to take in the shifted energies. Unable to absorb, it'd rampage until its own reserves ran dry and it stopped.
When Mun Yoo discovered this place at Foundation Establishment Layer 3, he'd used his stockpiled Karmic Force and Meritorious Force—energies unheard of in the wider cultivator world—to handle it effortlessly.
'Can't do it with just my Illusionary Flame Qi, huh?'
Regretfully, I said,
"One more Blazing Palm Seal. Sense where the water essence is coming from."
"Yes!"
I gathered twice as much spiritual energy as before and launched Blazing Palm Seal into the air again.
Clang!
A bell-like toll echoed as a pitch-black handprint scarred the ceiling. Far fiercer Illusionary Flame Qi surged out, shoving back the water essence.
Do Mun-hyang, eyes closed and attuned to heaven and earth's qi, snapped them open as the flames overwhelmed the water. She dashed to one wall.
Bam!
But punching the wall left her wide-eyed in shock.
"So tough...!"
She'd probably meant to smash it, but the side hall's walls were sturdier than expected.
In that brief gap, the freed Refined Flying Sword absorbed qi anew, reforming its blade. I hastily swatted it with Blazing Palm Seal.
But this time, it cleaved my palm strike and bore down sharply.
Calmly casting Water Escape Art on myself, I weakly unleashed Blazing Palm Seal toward my own body. The force turned me to water that splashed everywhere, evading the blade.
"Cough!"
Reverting, I spat blood from internal injuries—but better that than being bisected.
"Yoo Senior!"
Seeing it, Do Mun-hyang pulled a binding cord treasure from her storage pouch and flung it at the sword. It wrapped around, halting its frenzy. Then she produced a mirror, shone it on the sword for ten seconds, and punched the reflection.
Her fist sank into the mirror, and a giant woman's fist materialized in midair to smack the sword.
"Ah. Last one."
As the mirror shattered, she eyed the sword with mild regret—only for it to slice the cord and resume moving, her face twisting in dismay.
"Yoo Senior, use this!"
She handed me a talisman, then summoned another watery hand to grab the sword.
"Paste it where I punched earlier and cast your spell!"
"Me?"
"Yes! See? Your Blazing Palm Seal left a mark on the ceiling! Mine didn't! You're more likely to break the wall!"
Taking her advice, I rushed to the spot, slapped on the talisman,
and unleashed Blazing Palm Seal without restraint, heedless of consequences.
My palm connected with the talisman, amplifying the power. Soon, a storm of Illusionary Flame Qi and Five Skandhas Enlightenment Art radiance engulfed the side hall.
"Urgh!"
"Kyaa!"
I flew back, tumbling wildly, while Do Mun-hyang dropped to her knees.
As she faltered, the sword broke free—but with the hall now brimming with Illusionary Flame Qi, it flailed, unable to reform its blade.
It flew toward the wall I'd cracked earlier with my palm strike. Spotting it, Do Mun-hyang tossed another treasure.
A wooden bird carving clashed with the sword as I scrambled over and thrust my hand into the crack.
Nails splintering, skin tearing in agony—but ignoring it, I shoved deeper until my fingers closed on something small. I yanked it out viciously.
Blood dripped from my palm, revealing a deep navy gourd bottle.
Vast Bounty Gourd Bottle.
Reading the inscription, I sealed the stopper tied to it, cutting off the overflowing water essence. I tried stashing it in my storage pouch, but...
Pop!
The pouch burst the moment it went in, drained of spirituality.
"Ack!"
Abandoning the attempt, I left the gourd exposed. The sword, sensing its water source, went berserk targeting it.
Do Mun-hyang and I held out against it for another half shichen. Fortunately, its draining reserves slowed it down, making it manageable.
"Whew. That was rough."
"Yeah. We caught the bastard somehow."
I examined the now-docile sword in my hand, then rummaged the trash for a matching scabbard.
Finding a short one with red cord, I sheathed the sword, bound it to my wrist with the cord, and hid it up my sleeve.
Parading a treasure like this would just invite Foundation Establishment seniors to snatch it.
"Want this?"
I offered the Vast Bounty Gourd Bottle. She looked tempted but pondered, then shook her head.
"That pure water essence would hugely boost cultivation. You have a water spiritual root too, Senior—use it for training. I can borrow it later."
"But then you get nothing out of it?"
I was grateful, but giving her nothing felt wrong. Honestly, getting this sword owed to her buying me that Vessel Completion Pill.
"No. Watching that flying sword absorb water essence gave me an insight. Thanks to you... I think I can break through the minor realm."
My eyes widened.
She was at Foundation Establishment Layer 4 now? Since steadying her Dao Heart after meeting me, she'd advanced a layer nearly every year... Was that even right?
It hit me anew: she was the main heroine who'd stuck with the protagonist to the story's end.
Yeah. She couldn't keep up without talent like that.
"Alright... I'll gladly take them then."
I pocketed the sword and gourd. We left Geum Yang-pyeong's side hall and returned to my dorm.
Exhausted, we collapsed into each other's arms and fell fast asleep the moment we arrived.