Chapter 47
Translator: penny
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Immortal Path Tournament (5)
The Immortal Path Tournament spanned several days, narrowing down the participants through five grueling trials until only eight remained.
The first trial tested divine sense, the second spiritual power, the third...
While the initial trial saw a massive wave of dropouts, it also meant that those who survived were all exceptional talents.
As such, the High Heaven Sect ramped up the intensity and strictness of the trials even further, relentlessly culling the numbers. It wasn't until the fifth and final trial concluded that they could finally select the eight finalists.
I, of course, made it into that final eight. Though there had been a bit of a hiccup in the last trial.
The trials tested the foundational abilities of a cultivator. Thanks to my potent divine sense and dual spiritual roots, I breezed through every one with flying colors—except the very last.
The physical body trial.
In other words, it gauged a cultivator's raw physical prowess, something neither divine sense nor dual spiritual roots could compensate for. I struggled hard with that one.
For the record, the top scorer in the physical trial was Pyeong Yuran. Astonishingly, she walked the path of dual cultivation in dharma and body.
Dual cultivation in dharma and body referred to cultivators who trained both a core cultivation method and a body refinement technique simultaneously. While it could make one immensely powerful, it also brought massive hurdles when advancing realms, so it wasn't a common path for most cultivators.
This stemmed from the fact that their body refinement methods weren't mere low-level techniques that simply toughened the flesh. They were true body refinement arts that elevated one's cultivation realm through physical tempering.
Take Oh Su-un, a direct disciple of Sea Severing Peak who also pursued dual cultivation. Despite having a method powerful enough to propel him to higher realms, his body refinement held him back, leaving him stuck at the fifth layer of Core Formation even at 220 years old.
Thus, embarking on dual cultivation at lower realms meant cripplingly slow progress. Typically, only after reaching Soul Harmony Realm—granting a lifespan of ten thousand years—did cultivators dare attempt it.
Whatever the case, for me, aiming for a hyper-speed breakthrough to ten thousand years, body refinement arts or dual cultivation paths were off the table.
I've digressed. The key point now was the eight finalists advancing to the Dao Debate trials.
"Master, you did great!"
"Thanks, Ahan."
Entering the lodgings assigned to the Dao Debate participants, I took the towel from Ahan, who had arrived early to wait, and wiped my sweat while mulling over the finalists.
The top favorites—Yeom Suk, Pyeong Yuran, and Je Sang-woo—had naturally passed with ease.
I made it through too, and Hyang Mae had cleverly wielded her spirit beasts and demon beasts to sail through every trial effortlessly.
The remaining three were two inner disciples from High Heaven Sect and one from the Mountain Water Sect. Since they needed exactly eight finalists, the trials stopped once that number was reached, letting these three scrape by. No real threats there.
The brackets came out right away, laid out like this:
Yeom Suk vs. High Heaven Sect Disciple 1
High Heaven Sect Disciple 2 vs. Je Sang-woo
Pyeong Yuran vs. Do Mun-hyang
Me vs. Mountain Water Sect 1
Luckily, my first opponent looked like an easy win, so I turned my thoughts to Pyeong Yuran or Hyang Mae, whom I'd likely face in the second round.
Sorry to say it about Hyang Mae, but Pyeong Yuran would probably be the one advancing, right?
"Here, some medicinal wine."
"Mm."
I downed the medicinal wine Ahan offered, replenishing the spiritual power I'd overtaxed during the physical trial.
"And this is a gift from the Yong Gongzi Support Group..."
"Huh?"
"It's a medicinal feast to restore your vital energy."
The dish Ahan showed me was a massive fish steamed with various herbs. It looked mouthwateringly delicious at a glance.
"Hey, do you know who sent it? Feels bad just taking it without knowing."
I wanted to happily accept something from fans who liked me, but chowing down on a gift from a total stranger? That didn't sit right.
Especially in the cultivation world, where unprompted favors like this often hid ulterior motives or traps.
When I asked who it was from, Ahan shook her head, saying she didn't know.
"Our support group leader checked it thoroughly beforehand and said it's fine, but..."
"Our support group?"
I caught the oddity in her words and stared at her. Ahan's eyes went wide as she clapped a hand over her mouth, realizing her slip.
"......"
"M-Master, you're in the support group too?"
"Ahan?!"
Caught in a bind, Ahan promptly sold out Hyang Mae. Hyang Mae, whistling cheerfully as she entered the lodgings, yelped in shock at her sudden exposure.
"Ahan, you...!"
"S-Sorry, Master."
How could you betray me like that? Master's too naive! Leaving the two bickering, I accepted the dish and asked So-hu.
So-hu, what do you think?
So-hu poked just her nose out from my palm, inspected the food, and signaled it was safe. Trusting her, I dug in with peace of mind.
"Oh. This is good."
I'd expected medicinal cuisine to prioritize health over taste, but the herbs' aroma and flavors melded perfectly with the fish's clean savoriness and the bold spices, deepening the overall deliciousness.
Were the scales deep-fried in oil? The crispy, bumpy bits crunched satisfyingly alongside the crunchy herbs and the tender steamed fish, adding a fun texture that had me chewing thoroughly without realizing it.
It was a huge fish, but it went down so smoothly that I'd polished off more than half in no time.
And the effects were potent too—my body warmed up, vitality surging through my fatigued frame from the five trials.
"I never really liked fish much."
"Really?"
As I ate with relish, Hyang Mae and Ahan stopped their squabble and stared like they were watching an eating show.
"Yeah. My tongue's sensitive, I guess... I could feel every tiny bone others ignored. Even after picking them out meticulously, more would poke during eating. Hated that."
But this one had zero bones I could feel. The visible ones were all big and easy to remove, making it a joy to eat.
"Even your pickiness is cute."
"Next time I treat you to fish, I'll be extra careful with the bones."
This face of mine still drew over-the-top reactions from women, no matter what I said.
I offered some to the two, but they refused, saying they couldn't possibly share food a fan girl made specially for me.
In the end, I ate the whole thing myself.
After rolling the last bite—fish wrapped in a long herb—into my mouth, feeling pleasantly full and tired, my good mood led us to share drinks and chat idly.
Our talk naturally turned to cultivation.
As cultivators, it was inevitable.
I shared my insights on spells gained after acquiring Post-Heaven Spirituality, especially those from the Three Realms Six Paths Diagram, helping Hyang Mae. In return, she recounted her fortuitous encounters under Geum So-ryeo's guidance and her breakthroughs to Core Formation.
Ahan focused less on joining in and more on listening intently to learn, occasionally chiming in from an array master's perspective to spark new inspirations for us.
I brought aptitude for Dao Combat and Post-Heaven Spirituality.
Hyang Mae offered single-element root insights and affinity with beasts.
Ahan contributed views from array and feng shui mastery.
With our distinct strengths as cultivators, these exchanges greatly aided our training.
Afterward, Hyang Mae and I decided to rest up for tomorrow.
"Um, Yoo Lang."
"Yeah?"
"After the tournament ends... you know, right?"
Before leaving, Hyang Mae flashed a secretive smile and trotted off.
I watched her retreating figure with a grin, then entered my room to meditate in preparation for tomorrow, circulating energy until my body brimmed with spiritual power.
Ahan sat beside me silently, working on something.
The next morning, as the Dao Debate trials began, I opened my eyes and peered down at the arena from the lodgings, sizing up my rivals.
The debates progressed at a blistering pace.
Three of the eight were clearly outclassed, so heavyweights like Yeom Suk and Je Sang-woo dispatched them effortlessly with a single spell. No surprise there.
After two rounds blinked by, Pyeong Yuran and Hyang Mae's clash turned intense.
But the gap between early Core Formation and Core Formation Perfection was vast, leaving Hyang Mae on the defensive throughout.
Pyeong Yuran unleashed ferocious attacks with her sword-form dharma treasure and blazing wing armor, while Hyang Mae countered steadily with solid foundational spells and a variety of spirit and demon beasts.
Is that armor of hers a dharma treasure too?
Pyeong Yuran weathered Hyang Mae's spells with her flame wings and armor, closing in at blinding speed to swing her sword—a blade twice her body length, wielded with natural grace that drew involuntary awe.
Each swing felled one of Hyang Mae's beasts. After a dozen exchanges, Hyang Mae was left fighting with spells and dharma treasures alone.
Hyang Mae's way stronger than a typical early Core Formation. But that's... the power of dual cultivation? Overwhelming.
Cornered, Hyang Mae detonated a dharma treasure for a desperate strike, but Pyeong Yuran cleaved the explosion with her sword and ensnared her with the wing armor, securing victory.
"......"
Hm. I'd expected Hyang Mae to lose, but...
Doesn't feel great.
At least she'd achieved her goal for entering the tournament.
"That Do junior sister was impressive, right?"
"Yeah. Holding out that long against Core Formation Perfection."
"Psh, only because she had so many dharma treasures."
"Using them well is part of a cultivator's skill. What're you on about?"
"True. Did you see her All-Heaven Toad Venom? I can barely muster a puff right in front of me, but hers filled the sky!"
"If the opponent's treasure didn't burn away the venom, she might've had a real shot."
I moved silently to the arena, overhearing the praise for Hyang Mae.
Sea Severing Peak direct disciples speaking well of her was shifting opinions among inner disciples who'd previously dismissed her. Soon, she'd be properly respected as Geum So-ryeo's personal disciple, not shunned by all.
Listening to her improved reputation, I ascended the arena and cleared my mind, focusing solely on my foe.
"Yoo Gongzi-nim!"
"Whoa... We saw the statue in the holy site, but a real face like that exists?"
"It's not just the looks. His cultivation's top-notch too! The only Foundation Establishment among the eight, yet he matched Core Formation Perfection in prior trials!"
"High Heaven Sect seems to value him highly."
"Yeah."
Naturally, the High Heaven Sect had spotlighted me throughout the tournament, so spectators buzzed as I appeared.
The referee watching us raised both hands and bellowed,
"Fourth round of the Immortal Path Tournament Dao Debates! Yong Yoo versus Gung Myeong-su of the Mountain Water Sect! We ask that both uphold decorum, sparing no grudges in your exchange!"
Hearing the declaration, Gung Myeong-su and I bowed in unison.
"I am Gung Myeong-su of the Mountain Water Sect. Please go easy."
"Yong Yoo, direct disciple of High Heaven Sect's Sea Severing Peak. The honor is mine."
As we finished our greetings, the referee nodded approvingly and swung his hand down.
Flags around the arena whipped fiercely in the wind, and he roared,
"Dao Debate—begin!"
Blazing Palm Seal
Kwaaaaang!!
Having ended it swiftly with a single spell, I bowed toward Gung Myeong-su, who lay unconscious.
"...Gasp!"
The referee, stunned—clearly not expecting a Foundation Establishment cultivator to one-shot a Core Formation one—snapped to after my bow and shouted,
"D-Dao Debate over! Winner: Yong Yoo!"
Moments later, the audience, finally grasping what happened, erupted in thunderous cheers toward me.