Chapter 111
Translator: penny
Chapter: 111
Chapter Title: Second Lifebound Dharma Treasure (2)
After acquiring the Eighty-Four Thousand Pure Land Scripture Pagoda, I spent a lot of time pondering once I learned I could obtain two Lifebound Dharma Treasures.
What on earth should I choose as my Lifebound Dharma Treasure?
A Lifebound Dharma Treasure connects directly to a cultivator's soul, forming a special bond where the treasure grows stronger as the cultivator does.
Because of this intimate connection, it couldn't be just anything.
Just as the exceptionally talented sword cultivator Pyong Yu-ran chose the Great Freedom Heavenly Sword as hers.
Just as Sa-ran, who had refined herself into a Famous One, selected the Yellow Springs Glass Seal Staff.
It was best to choose something tied to one's core cultivation method or fundamental qualities as a cultivator.
That way, the synergy between cultivator and treasure would produce greater enhancements.
The Eighty-Four Thousand Pure Land Scripture Pagoda was a supreme Buddhist treasure rooted in the Five Skandhas Enlightenment Art, perfectly suited to Kang Geum-dan, who had mastered only Buddhist methods.
For me, So-hu with partial draconic spirituality and bearing the Anti-Dragon Fivefold Path, a dragon-related treasure was obviously ideal.
Since the pagoda leaned defensive, pairing it with an aggressively offensive treasure made sense—one with exceptional potential as well.
In that regard, the Sixfold Dragon of the Six Paths Enlightenment was an excellent candidate.
It was dragon-related, incredibly potent both offensively and defensively—enough for the Falling Star Sect Lord in the early Soul Transformation Realm to face three such experts—and brimmed with untapped potential.
I knew how profound and difficult the Dark Star Submergence Seal was, the method that forged Sa-ran into a Famous One.
Even if it only drew on a fragment of its insights to refine the Dragon King's offspring, the fact that it endured that process meant their core potential as the treasure's heart was not to be underestimated.
'The Dragon King's offspring have lazy, perverse temperaments that clash with So-hu, who's trying to walk the path of enlightenment... but there's no helping that.'
Anyway, the offspring had died long ago, eons passing since, so no remnant soul lingered. Temperament mismatch shouldn't matter much.
The redesign for the reforged treasure came from Sa-ran, who knew the Sixfold Dragon second only to the Falling Star Sect Lord, so no worries there. All that remained was my part.
'Hot.'
Every breath drew in scorching fiery essence, spiking my body temperature.
Even protected by the Subduing Tiger Divine Light and Tiger Dragon Tempest Armor, fiercer heat invaded, evaporating sweat instantly and making my blood feel like it was boiling.
"Huuuuh."
Chanting the Five Skandhas Enlightenment Art's incantations, I kept my mind clear and alert, using its keen senses to precisely gauge my surroundings and manipulate the flames.
Meanwhile, I pulled chilled liquor from my storage pouch, gulping it nonstop to temper the flames assaulting my body.
One slip, and my soul might burn away.
The Sixfold Dragon was a Soul Transformation-grade treasure. Taming and reforging it meant accepting severe backlash myself, even if the treasure's rank dropped.
'Regrettable, but I can't preserve all its functions.'
First, excise everything tied to Star Submergence Essence.
Absorbing it, spreading it, manifesting dharma images with it—gone.
Star Submergence Essence was high-realm energy; removing those functions drastically lowered reforging difficulty.
Next, the dragon sat in lotus position, barrier-protected, with flight capabilities. But I favored agile formations via Cloud Escape Art—no need for treasure-controlled movement.
The Sect Lord lacked combat confidence, relying on Sa-ran for protection and Star Submergence barriers, hence the feature. For me, it just weighed things down.
So, remove that too.
I melted the entire Sixfold Dragon with the flames, boldly cutting redundancies and fixing flaws.
As I guided the process, steadily feeding flames, it began melting down.
And from afar came the clamor of fierce battle.
After demolishing every path to the core chamber housing the Sacred Soul Heart Flame, Sa-ran stood imposingly in the sole remaining pit, awaiting enemies.
With such immense fiery power at stake, challengers were inevitable. With no normal entrances left, cultivators would shatter the entire continental plate to claim it.
So she left one deliberate entry and guarded it.
Of course, cultivators had myriad clever tricks to exploit weaknesses.
'Those with Earth Escape or burrowing treasures would go underground, but they couldn't withstand the heat.'
Yong Yoo could become clouds yet stuck to the pit for safety.
He was merely Core Formation, but his Cloud Escape was supremely advanced. Even with that, no alternatives forced pit adherence—unlikely he'd burrow secretly.
Thus, all foes would funnel here.
'Sealed for centuries—it's crippling.'
Sa-ran checked herself, red cords of the Yellow Springs Glass Seal Staff tightly wound around her right arm.
'Senses dulled, and I haven't fully adapted to this Famous One body. Until I tame it completely... I can't claim completion as a Soul Transformation cultivator.'
Her actions showed it: Sa-ran revered 'talent' above all among cultivators.
Superior spirit roots, cultivation aptitude, combat prowess, arts mastery—'qualities' were one's greatest fortune and core as a cultivator.
Acquired traits were mere add-ons; true cultivators honed innate gifts first and foremost.
She walked the Lotus Body path, sought the Dark Star Submergence Seal for Famous One status, refined her combat talent—all because of her aptitude there.
Even meeting her husband stemmed from his prodigious Qi Refining talent. Her worship of aptitude enabled that encounter, leading to him as Sect Lord and her as Soul Transformation—solidifying her beliefs.
Thus, dulled senses and unfamiliar realm hindering full combat was utter humiliation, an insult to her combat gifts.
'Come.'
Unable to endure it, she prayed fierce cultivators swarmed here.
Like hammering steel into a sword, she'd clash with them to sharpen herself, pushing her combat talent to extremes.
'Come. Come.'
As Sa-ran waited, many cultivators indeed flocked to this font of potent fire essence, as she wished.
'As expected, few Soul Transformations.'
Qi Refining showed Qi Refiners, Soul Transformations showed their peers... but most roamed ancient secret realms, staying hidden.
Unless she hunted them herself, she'd rarely see more. Some even called lower-realm haunts 'mortal world' and their training grounds 'upper realm'.
Thus, entering this Sacred Advancement Secret Realm was prime fortune—meeting so many 'mortal-world'-rare Soul Transformations.
'Most came to craft pills or treasures. That flame below holds such power.'
They'd come here for sure.
Like the purple-robed cultivator now flying at Sa-ran.
"Hahaha! Found it! There you are!"
But the purple-robe laughed with bright, joyful surprise, like reuniting with a long-awaited love, as he approached.
"...?"
Sa-ran's expression turned odd at the baffling reaction. He landed before her, arms wide.
"Haha! A beauty beyond expectations! Splendid! Marvelous!"
"What are you babbling about?"
"What else? You please me! How about it—be my Dao Companion? Pursue the Dao together, advance the path of cultivation?"
"..."
Sa-ran drooped her head in disbelief at the purple-robe's words.
"Haa... Truly. Every time, I question if sealing was right. Freed, my husband dies... and every man eyes my body."
"Hm? Married? But if he's entered reincarnation, the bond's severed, no? Why not savor new ties?"
"Shut up."
Grind.
As Sa-ran moved her arm, the Yellow Springs Glass Seal Staff dragged with a chilling scrape, like a beast from beyond this world howling.
"If you want me as yours, break me with strength."
"...Haha. I like a quick talker."
Grinning delightedly at her words, the purple-robe released his tamed horde of yokai.
Sa-ran smiled back, flooding Star Submergence Essence wildly. Moments later, his yokai swarm clashed with her.