Chapter 39
Translator: penny
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: 10-Year Seclusion (2)
Before entering ten years of seclusion in the elders' exclusive cultivation cave with the reward from my master, I finally got to see Hyang Mae after a long time.
"Yoo Lang!"
"Hyang Mae!"
We'd both been busy chasing the fortuitous encounters Geum So-ryeo had given us and handling all sorts of things, so it had been years since we'd last met. In the meantime, Hyang Mae had tamed several spirit beasts and advanced to Foundation Establishment Perfection, preparing to break through to Core Formation.
"Foundation Establishment fifth layer! Impressive!"
"You're the impressive one, reaching Perfection already!"
The higher the realm, the harder it is to grow further, but Hyang Mae was progressing smoothly without any such hindrance.
"You'll form your core soon."
"Wow! I'm so jealous! Taming a Hoo as a spirit beast! When will I ever tame a dragon..."
"Hahaha, you'll do it in no time, Hyang Mae."
I chatted happily with Hyang Mae, but since I needed to enter seclusion as soon as possible for the Grand Dao Tournament, I explained the situation and parted ways early.
"You're going to the Grand Dao Tournament?"
"Yeah."
"Why all of a sudden? There'll be tons of Core Formation seniors there, Yoo Lang!"
"I know. But I want to give it a try."
"..."
Hyang Mae knew it was reckless, but she looked at me with eyes full of admiration for the brave man taking on the challenge. If it were anyone else, they'd have stared at me like the world's biggest idiot.
A mere Foundation Establishment fifth-layer cultivator entering the Grand Dao Tournament, swarming with Core Formation experts? Normally, you'd worry not just about failing to shine but getting killed for your arrogance.
After a brief moment alone together, Hyang Mae and I parted. Our next meeting would be in ten years.
Then I went to see Wi A-han, gathered my brewing tools and the Nectar Spirit Liquor I'd made so far, and explained the situation.
"Master, I pray that everything you set out to do goes perfectly."
Wi A-han offered her support with a deep bow, without adding any unnecessary words.
With encouragement from her and the three women including Geum So-ryeo, I took the cultivation token Geum So-ryeo had given me and headed to the Main Peak.
When I arrived at the Main Peak, someone was already waiting at the entrance—likely contacted by Geum So-ryeo ahead of time—to guide me in.
"Pleased to meet you, Yong Yoo. I'm Yang Ho, the steward in charge of managing the cultivation caves. Elder of Sea Severing Peak instructed me to guide you. Indeed, your bearing matches the rumors perfectly."
"Rumors?"
"The elder said that among all the men she's seen, you're the handsomest."
Master...
"Allow me to guide you to the cultivation cave."
As he led the way, I probed Yang Ho's energy.
'Holy crap! Nascent Soul Realm! The steward's at Nascent Soul?!'
Geum So-ryeo at Soul Transformation third layer was unusually high-ranked, but typical peak elders were around Nascent Soul mid-to-late stage.
In other words, High Heaven Sect was using someone who could serve as an elder just to manage the cultivation caves.
"Hahaha. I only reached Nascent Soul through divination arts, so I can't advance further through cultivation. I can't compare to elders who achieved it through training. And I'm only at early Nascent Soul, at that."
Ah...
"My apologies. Your Nascent Soul power felt so immense that this disciple mistook it."
"No need. It happens. Sometimes direct disciples of elders borrow the caves, so we're used to it."
After passing a massive waterfall and descending into a deep cave, we soon emerged into a vast cavern.
In the center was a huge formation array, surrounded by piles of brilliantly glowing spirit stones.
"This is the teleportation array to the cultivation caves. Please step up."
Yang Ho and I stepped onto the array, which activated by drawing in energy from the surrounding spirit stones and transported me elsewhere.
"...!!"
For an instant, it felt like I'd vanished from existence, which was terrifying, but soon gravity pressed down, bringing a sense of relief.
In that moment wrapped in light, I arrived in a space so unbelievable for a cave that I was awestruck.
The ceiling was embedded with blue spirit stones mimicking a clear sky, wondrous flowers and grasses bloomed everywhere, and mist heavy with spiritual energy poured from cascading waterfalls, enveloping the entire cultivation area in mystery.
In this paradise-like paradise, I spotted over a dozen towers carved from massive pillars holding up the ceiling.
"What are those towers?"
"Those are the training grounds prepared for elders. Choose whichever you like. Each tower has assigned attendants, spirit beasts and yao beasts captured by the sect slaves, puppets crafted personally by the Sect Master, vast Sumeru Spaces, and more. You can do any kind of training you desire—meridian arts, spells, divine abilities, combat practice, anything at all."
Sumeru Spaces... pocket dimensions. And one in every tower?
I was promptly assigned one tower, and Yang Ho summoned the 150 attendants managing it to introduce me.
"This is Yong Yoo, who will be using this tower for the next ten years. Serve him well."
"Understood, Steward."
After Yang Ho left, I greeted the attendants once more.
"I'm Yong Yoo, and I'll be in your care for the next ten years. Looking forward to working with you all."
"Yes."
"Likewise!"
"Wow..."
Hearing the female attendants greet me especially enthusiastically, my ten-year seclusion began.
The elders' cultivation caves regularly received the finest heavenly materials, earthly treasures, and cultivation resources gathered by High Heaven Sect.
The attendants were all skilled artisans, sorting and classifying the resources and treasures more meticulously than outer attendants, ensuring equal quantity and quality distributed fairly to every tower.
"Hey, you can't just pile all the best treasures in one spot like that."
"I-I know, but..."
"But what?"
"They're headed for Young Master Yoo's tower."
"Oh. Then toss these in too."
"Young Master Yoo will surely need Fiery Essence Qi too, right? Send this along. It was meant for Elder Jo's place, but..."
"Elder Jo doesn't pay attention to us anyway; he won't notice if it's missing."
"Right, right."
Occasionally, very personal reasons disrupted that fairness, but it wasn't a serious issue.
Either way, this place remained a paradise overflowing with spiritual energy more than anywhere else, a true heaven for cultivators.
"This spirit beast goes there... this one..."
"What spirit beasts or yao beasts would be good for Young Master Yoo's Hoo?"
"He seemed to like this one."
"Then let's deliver it."
All cultivators in the caves were equal, but some were more equal than others. As Yong Yoo began his training, three years passed.
'Geum So-ryeo said ten years here equals a hundred outside... it's truly amazing.'
In one year of training, Yong Yoo first raised his Strong Spiritual Root to fifth layer. Then, over the next two years, he began cultivating his Dragon Spiritual Root.
Higher quality than his Strong Spiritual Root, the Dragon Spiritual Root absorbed the cave's spiritual energy like a fish in water, advancing layers with the aid of Nectar Spirit Liquor made from the cave's precious resources, reaching Foundation Establishment seventh layer.
'Two layers in two years. Outside with ordinary Foundation Establishment resources, he probably wouldn't have gained even one.'
After reaching Foundation Establishment, Yong Yoo had advanced quickly using the paired cultivation method with Do Mun-hyang and the fortuitous encounter with Sohu.
So he'd never considered how slow normal Foundation Establishment training was, but this exceeded imagination.
Even with Three Elements Spiritual Root aptitude and Nectar Spirit Liquor, it took ten years per layer—explaining why so many cultivators failed to surpass Foundation Establishment and died after exhausting their 200-year lifespan.
'And it gets harder the higher you go. The first minor realm might take ten years, but the next? Fifteen, twenty? No wonder.'
Yong Yoo gained a fresh understanding of how grueling the path of cultivation was.
Time was the cultivator's ally, allowing prolonged persistence toward higher realms.
Yet time was also the greatest enemy.
The time allotted to a cultivator was far less than needed to advance realms.
Thus, cultivators sought more resources to accelerate training, seizing every fortuitous encounter to climb faster.
'Dragon Spiritual Root at seventh layer now. Time to train Strong Spiritual Root again. Maybe push it higher than Dragon this time?'
Finishing his current session and gathering his energy, Yong Yoo resumed the Five Skandhas Enlightenment Art while hearing noisy sounds from above.
Krrroooarrr!!
Each time Sohu roared, it sounded like thunder crashing down. Since entering the cave, Sohu had hunted and devoured the yao beasts and spirit beasts daily for three years, growing stronger.
Few spirit beasts matched a half-dragon's growth needs, but devouring even unsuitable ones built power.
Unlike Yong Yoo, Sohu's talent was exceptional—he might even reach Core Formation first.
'Sohu sure is having the time of his life.'
He was rampaging so joyfully it nearly disrupted training.
Chucking softly, Yong Yoo cleared stray thoughts, focusing senses inward, and immersed in training again.
Seven years left.
'Core Formation... at least Foundation Establishment Perfection.'
Achieving Foundation Establishment Perfection allowed applying for the Tribulation Pill from the sect, leading straight to Core Formation.
Core Formation would boost his Grand Dao Tournament win chances.
'My goal isn't some Flame Matriarch. It's 10,000 years without defeat. Don't forget that!'
He lived in fear that Mun Yoo's hand might crush his fate anytime, anywhere. That fear spurred him on.
Deeper into training, more earnestly—it drove him.
Soon, auspicious golden energy overflowed from Yong Yoo's deeply immersed body.
Three years after Yong Yoo entered seclusion.
Mun Yoo stood in the frozen sea skies where even seawater was iced over, gazing at the sect's capital stronghold atop a massive glacier.
After leaving High Heaven Sect, he'd unleashed himself like a wild colt, growing Karmic Force without hesitation. His appearance had changed drastically.
Half-rotted wings sprouted from his back, his skin blackened, empty sockets gaped where eyes should be, his left arm dangled three times longer than the right, while the right was thicker with metallic sheen.
Far from human, the scant Meritorious Force within him had been tainted and vanished by overflowing Karmic Force.
Moments later, sect cultivators flew toward him.
"You filthy yao beast invading our sect's skies! Know your place!"
Mun Yoo eyed the incoming cultivators, then the dragon emblem on their robes.
"Dragon..."
At the sight, light flickered in his empty sockets. He instantly drew the sword from his back and swung.
Ferocious Karmic Force winds howled, corrupting all nearby spiritual energy. The lead cultivator brushed by the wind and was shredded apart.
Grabbing the cultivator's head, Mun Yoo split his chest-wide mouth and devoured it whole.
Licking dripping saliva and blood, he laughed at the gathering cultivators and leaped into their midst.
The battle with the stronghold lasted months. Though defeated repeatedly, Mun Yoo regenerated using their flesh and blood, returning to fight.
Through tenacious combat, he gained insights, unleashing profound Karmic Force spells and fusing techniques into mighty sword arts, slaying the stronghold's powerhouses one by one.
Devouring the slain to grow and regenerate, he ultimately consumed every person and cultivator, monopolizing the stronghold's dharma treasures, heavenly materials, and resources.
Corrupting them all with Karmic Force, he absorbed their power. Soon, he reconstituted his body with even greater Karmic Force.
The sky turned blood-red, black lightning striking. Each hit melted or tore his flesh in agony.
"Gaaahhh! Aaaarghhh!!!"
The anomaly lasted five full years. Overcoming the tribulation, Mun Yoo emerged with his twisted body corrected.
Glossy black skin.
A body packed with elastic, steel-hard muscles.
Two three-chi wings unfurled from his back.
Horns on his head, blade-like protrusions across his body—he was now a majestic yao beast in form, body merely straightened.
"...How much time has passed?"
Having lost reason to heart demons from a fortuitous encounter years ago, Mun Yoo puzzled at the frozen world alone, then shrugged it off—stronger was good enough—and flew off in a random direction.
Freed from hesitation in accumulating Karmic Force, Mun Yoo's level—as befitting the protagonist—had intertwined with endless fortuitous encounters to reach Core Formation eighth layer.