Chapter 34
Translator: penny
Chapter: 34
Chapter Title: Sohu (3)
Ahan and I were soaring across the sky at an astonishing speed.
At first, since I couldn't use a flying dharma treasure and my spiritual power had skyrocketed straight to the fifth layer of the Foundation Establishment Realm, feeling like unstable gunpowder ready to explode at any moment, I planned to walk back until I could fully stabilize my strength.
Then, recalling how Sohu had fought while flying through the sky, I decided to ride it instead. Sure enough, Sohu carried both Ahan and me while racing through the heavens several times faster than Ahan's Wind Escape Art.
Sohu glided smoothly through the air, kicking its legs in the void as if pushing off the ground.
'We need a saddle.'
Sohu's body wasn't exactly suited for riding, so one wrong move and we might tumble off.
Though Sohu possessed late Foundation Establishment-level strength, it proved its innate Nascent Soul-grade heritage with dragon blood true when it encountered another late Foundation beast—it melted it away effortlessly with a single thunderous roar.
Moreover, influenced by the dragon's power to tread clouds and summon rain, Sohu always flew with a tailwind, and even skies thick with rain-laden clouds cleared to bright sunshine the instant we passed.
This wasn't Sohu actively using any divine abilities; it was purely the innate spirituality it had been born with.
"Sohu is truly amazing."
"Isn't it? I hear spirit beasts like this can overcome the Transformation Tribulation after many long years and take on a human-like form."
"Ah! I've heard that before."
Upon transformation, spirit beasts gain the advantages of both beasts and humans.
They surpass cultivation through innate spirituality alone and can learn techniques, divine abilities, and spells.
"When do they transform?"
"It takes enduring ten thousand years, so at least ten thousand years old."
"Ten thousand..."
"Since Sohu forged a new body from the corpse of an unborn child, it'll probably have to endure another ten thousand years."
That distant span felt impossibly remote for a Foundation Establishment cultivator, who might live two hundred years—Ahan's expression turned dazed.
Sohu seemed depressed at the thought of its past life erased and facing another ten millennia ahead, its tail drooping limply.
Seeing this, I changed the subject.
"Or so they say, but if it reaches the Body Fusion Realm and reforges its body anew, it could transform before hitting ten thousand years."
"Body Fusion Realm? That's next to impossible either way."
I nodded at Ahan's words.
Right. That's the typical cultivator mindset.
All cultivators should strive for ascension, but reality trips them up.
Due to lacking innate talent.
Due to scarce cultivation resources.
Due to missing fortuitous encounters.
Eventually, their realm stagnates, and they abandon cultivation to enjoy their current power.
Tales occasionally surface of cultivators descending to the mortal world as kingdom guardians, living in luxury—that's because those who quit do exactly that.
Before reaching Foundation Establishment myself, I'd planned the same once resolving the Mun Yoo issue.
"Exactly, Junior Sister Ahan. I even plan to brew some Nectar Spirit Liquor for your cultivation..."
We'd been chattering about Sohu for a while, then shifted to Ahan's cultivation as we flew, when our eyes caught a small mountain devastated beyond recognition, surrounded by cultivators.
"Huh? Young master, what's that?"
"...Steer clear. No need to get dragged into trouble."
Sohu understood and began veering away from the ruined mountain, but its striking appearance drew two patrolling cultivators before we could escape.
"You there, travelers—pardon the interruption."
The cultivator was polite, but wariness and sharpness underlay his tone, making it obvious he'd cast a spell the moment we tried to leave without speaking.
I sighed softly, halting Sohu, and scanned the approaching pair with divine sense.
'Early Foundation... and robes from some minor sect I've never heard of in Yong Yoo's memories.'
Probably a nameless small sect.
"What is it?"
Stepping forward, the male cultivator startled at my face, then hardened upon seeing Sohu and Ahan.
Sohu looked far from ordinary to any cultivator unfamiliar with rears, so that reaction made sense.
"Kyaa?!"
The female cultivator flying behind him reacted with startling familiarity, her focus shattering—her escape art failed, and she plummeted.
"What?! Junior sister!"
The man hurriedly caught his junior sister, then drew his sword on me.
"You bastard! What did you do to her?!"
"Nothing."
"Looks like you're the one who destroyed our sect's Treasure Mountain too!"
"No, I didn't."
As the man made a racket, the other mountain guardians scowled fiercely and flew over.
"Haa."
This face of mine...
Two years ago, it had gotten me the Wood Fiend Queen and Sohu; now it was causing problems.
"Young master, it's a risk we must bear. Treasures naturally stir envy and greed in those without them. We have to endure the strife that follows."
"It's not a face I asked for."
Having sensed all twelve approaching cultivators were Foundation Establishment, neither Ahan nor I worried much.
When we first left High Heaven Sect, Ahan remembered me stuck at the second layer despite years of training, so her concern was obvious.
But after the sect ruins incident, she trusted my Dao combat prowess greatly.
"Eh...!"
"Gasp!"
"My goodness!"
The female cultivators glaring as they approached froze in shock, convincing the males I was definitely up to no good.
"What technique did you use to bewitch them?!"
"You! Release them!"
I wanted to say I did nothing, but they wouldn't believe me anyway.
No point wasting breath.
In truth, they knew I hadn't used any bewitchment art.
"Hm. Maybe they're just reacting to how handsome he is? Look at that face."
"No way! They're cultivators who've tempered themselves on the path—surely they wouldn't react like this to mere good looks."
"It's not mere good looks... that's..."
A few remained level-headed, but the rest were blinded by jealousy, viewing me as the villain. Words wouldn't help.
Deciding to subdue them, I formed hand seals. The few sane males hurriedly tried defensive spells.
Denggg!!
But my clap rang like a bell, instantly binding every cultivator. I pulled the most clear-headed female toward me.
"Since you've attacked so abruptly, I need to know the situation. Why oppress an innocent passerby like this?"
"Ah, ahh... uh..."
"Can't you tell me?"
"Well, you see! What happened was!"
I quickly grasped the full story.
They were from Pine Forest Sect, a minor capital-region sect whose sect master barely reached first layer Nascent Soul and elders topped out at mid Core Formation.
To them, that ruined mountain was their sole cultivation resource—its spirit energy and rare spirit stones mined there barely sustained the sect. Then disaster struck two years ago.
Someone suddenly occupied the mountain and attempted a breakthrough. The heavenly tribulation pulverized it entirely.
Since the intruder was breaking through to Nascent Soul, Pine Forest couldn't stop him.
Fortuitously, a disciple gazing skyward noted his flight path. Tracing it late, an elder realized it led to ancient sect ruins they'd once found but feared to touch.
Thus, cautiously, all four Core Formation elders headed to the ruins—and met calamity.
The Life Soul Lamps they'd left behind all extinguished.
Meaning all four Core Formation elders dead, Pine Forest's power gutted. Desperate to rebuild and forge new Core Formation experts, they used the destroyed Treasure Mountain as pretext to seize and rob any passing cultivator.
'Lucky bastards.'
That's what I thought after hearing everything.
They hadn't been wiped out by other cultivators or sects yet because attacking them yielded nothing worthwhile.
Plus, if passing cultivators were stronger or more fiendish, these fools would've been captured, refined for pills, instead of confronting me so boldly.
"I understand your situation. I'll overlook your rudeness. Let's part amicably."
I said this, releasing the spell on the Pine Forest folk. That instant—
"Big bro! Those bastards stole my storage pouch!"
A voice thick with grievance boomed from behind me.
"......"
"......"
I glared at the awkwardly smiling female Pine Forest cultivator before me, then slowly turned. Three men rode a massive sword toward us.
One was covered in wounds, pointing and yelling at us; the man beside him, hearing it, glared murderously our way.
Scanning the Pine Forest group, the man addressed me.
"You lot dare harm my brother... You prepared for this, right?"
He brazenly revealed early Core Formation aura.
Pine Forest faces paled realizing his realm; I fumed at being lumped with them.
"Haa. I miss High Heaven Sect. Want to go back east."
"Young master."
"Why must I get tangled in you idiots' petty squabbles? No clue."
Whether I had Dao combat talent or not, I hated conflict.
Hated fighting.
Hated killing.
Unless necessary, I had no desire to.
Of course, transmigrated to this xianxia world, I'd do it if needed—but I wasn't eager to dive in.
Yet leaving High Heaven Sect, Elder Geum's "fortuitous encounter" brought two Core Formation foes and an innate Nascent-grade spirit beast without effort.
Now these fly-buzzing annoyances picked fights twice in a row.
Kill them?
The thought flashed.
But I calmed my mind.
Letting such trifles disturb me would shatter my Dao heart early on the long cultivation path, bringing stagnation.
Calm the mind. Pursue the Great Dao. Recall the distant path ahead.
I settled my wavering heart, suppressing the surging killing intent and violence from its depths.
The moment I quelled them, I felt the Five Skandhas Enlightenment Art's energy in my meridians purify further.
Could that have been a heart demon...?
Sohu's spirituality, that ferocious dragon nature, must have seeped into me, affecting my temperament.
Expelling the demon fully integrated the rear's spirituality as my own.
'Fascinating. Because it's a Buddhist technique? Shaking off the demon raised the art's proficiency.'
The unexpected gain lifted my mood instantly.
I wanted to probe the rear spirituality I'd claimed, but circumstances first—I swiftly formed seals.
Denggg!!
Binding everyone present, I ordered Sohu to bolt.
"Sohu! To High Heaven Sect! Need a drink when we get there."
Krrrng!
Hate fighting and hassle? Just run. How could those fools catch up?