Chapter 65
Translator: penny
Chapter: 65
Chapter Title: Caught the Tail (3)
I rode So-hu alongside Ahan, while Hyang Mae and Pyeong Yu-ran each flew on their own flight cushions, chatting as we soared through the sky.
"Senior Sister Pyeong, the Sect Master summoned you?"
"Yes. Seemed like he had something to give me once I came out of seclusion."
"Ah."
"The Sect Master will probably be pleased. The gap between Core Formation and Nascent Soul is huge, but Young Master Yong faced off against a Nascent Soul cultivator."
I pulled a dissatisfied face at Pyeong Yu-ran's words.
Sure, I'd transformed into a mutated single-element spiritual root by now, but for someone who'd originally possessed a five-element spiritual root like me, my combination arts and the Dao combat prowess built on them were a tremendous source of pride.
To others, a five-element root might seem worthless and inferior, but that was precisely what had allowed me to stand against other geniuses in this brutal world.
In that sense, something others might find laughable—even to me, it was deeply frustrating that I hadn't truly matched that Nascent Soul cultivator.
"Young Master Yong, normally people wouldn't even dream of facing someone just a few minor realms higher."
Pyeong Yu-ran gave me an incredulous look as she spoke.
"Next time we meet, I'll kill him."
"Hahaha!"
Pyeong Yu-ran burst into delighted laughter at my words, clearly thrilled.
"Senior Sister Pyeong, once I've fully absorbed my insights, let's have a Dao debate sometime."
"I'd be happy to."
After finishing my talk with Pyeong Yu-ran, I chatted with Hyang Mae and Ahan.
The two were still pale from the shock of the sudden Nascent Soul ambush, and Ahan in particular—who was only at Foundation Establishment—had taken a heavy hit to her vitality when she'd been trapped in that flower and drained of a massive amount of spiritual energy.
Thanks to acquiring my Auspicious spiritual root, I was now able to emit Auspicious light to bolster Ahan's vitality as we spoke.
"Sorry, both of you. You got dragged into danger because of the grudge I created."
"Huh? No, Yoo Lang. Everyone picks up a grudge or two in life."
"I'm fine too, Master."
Hyang Mae shook her head, insisting it was no big deal, while Ahan forced a smile to show she was okay.
But Hyang Mae seemed more preoccupied with something else.
"You've explored the Bright Abyss Valley multiple times here in the High Heaven Sect, but no cultivators have ever been found inside over the past few centuries. Could there be a hidden secret realm?"
"Probably some sect or clan hiding out there. That guy fought me alongside his juniors before."
As we talked, Pyeong Yu-ran chimed in.
"Doesn't this tell us something? I grabbed it during our brief clash earlier."
With that, Pyeong Yu-ran pulled a bloodstained scrap of fabric from her robe sleeve.
The fabric bore an embroidered insignia of some kind.
"What's this? It's not like any sect emblem I know."
"First time I've seen it too."
It might belong to some minor righteous sect, but Pyeong Yu-ran shook her head, saying she didn't recognize it either.
"Since the Sect Master summoned me, I should show him this too."
So, at my suggestion, I took the fabric scrap with the insignia from Pyeong Yu-ran.
We then caught up on what had happened in the sect during my year in seclusion, and Hyang Mae revealed she'd received a 'Black Tortoise Egg' from Geum So-ryeo herself.
"A Black Tortoise egg? For real?"
"Yes! Isn't it amazing?"
"...Whoa."
Black Tortoise? Where the hell did she get a Black Tortoise egg? It never appeared in the original story.
"Master said an ancient secret realm had been discovered up north, and when she went to check it out, there was a Black Tortoise sealed there. Mun Yoo... you remember him, right?"
"Yeah. I do."
"That Mun Yoo... ah, apparently he's fallen to become a demon now."
"Uh. Huh?! Fallen to demonhood?"
"Yes."
Just one year in seclusion, and the world was full of astonishing news. What the hell had that Mun Yoo guy done to fall like that?
"Mun Yoo wiped out an entire sect there, and by coincidence, an ancient secret realm was hidden nearby."
"Whoa."
The protagonist's luck was unreal to the end.
He destroys some random sect and stumbles on an ancient secret realm with a Black Tortoise?
"Master found Mun Yoo in the secret realm and tried to kill him, but failed... Then, while teaming up with nearby sects to reseal the Black Tortoise, she snuck away with the egg."
"Impressive."
How did things turn out like this?
So... because of me, Mun Yoo fled the sect, and with his protagonist luck, he uncovered an ancient secret realm that didn't even exist in the original story. Geum So-ryeo went hunting for fortuitous encounters as usual, swiped the Black Tortoise egg, and passed it on to her disciple Hyang Mae.
My act of driving Mun Yoo from the sect had rolled and tumbled its way into granting Hyang Mae a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
'Amazing.'
While my expulsion of Mun Yoo was the root cause of this opportunity being uncovered, it also perfectly illustrated the core framework of Black and White Immortal Chronicle: 'Mun Yoo discovers the opportunity, and Do Mun-hyang reaps the benefits.'
Was this karma? Or fate itself?
"......"
"Yoo Lang? What's wrong?"
"Nah, just thinking how the world turns in such strange ways."
"Ahaha. I never imagined the incident with Mun Yoo fleeing the sect would come full circle as a Black Tortoise egg."
"Yeah."
Hyang Mae carefully extracted the Black Tortoise egg from a special storage pouch.
The egg was enormous, far larger than Hyang Mae herself.
"Whoa. A Black Tortoise alright—even the egg is huge."
"I've been feeding it my water spiritual power to nurture it, and it's been growing on its own."
"Whoa."
Fascinated, I reached out and stroked the Black Tortoise egg. It immediately began greedily sucking in the Auspicious spiritual power flowing through me.
"Whoa."
"Ah, it seems to have some Auspicious spiritual aura too. Be careful."
"Got it......"
I nodded and continued channeling Auspicious spiritual power into the egg. This would surely help Hyang Mae.
"That said, raising it like this on water and Auspicious spiritual power alone will take forever to hatch."
Hyang Mae gave a wry smile and nodded at my words. That's when I remembered the glowing orb.
I had no idea what the glowing orb really was, but it'd been a huge boon to my cultivation. Maybe it'd help raise the Black Tortoise too? No clue, but as an immortal realm treasure, it had to be useful.
"......I got something from the ancient secret realm. Might be good for nurturing the egg, so I'll lend it to you."
"Ah."
As I leaned in close and whispered in her ear, Hyang Mae's ears turned red, and she shyly nodded.
"Yes......"
"A treasure from the immortal realm? What's that?"
At that moment, Pyeong Yu-ran asked curiously.
"Something with tremendous power inside my storage pouch."
"Oh. Yeah, a fortuitous encounter. But it's too big for me to use recklessly right now—a law treasure beyond my current level."
Pyeong Yu-ran showed keen interest at my words. I caught the subtle glint of desire in her sparkling eyes and gave a wry smile.
After hearing all the women's stories, I shared what happened in the ancient secret realm.
I skipped the part about Elder Battle Guardian Buddha or the immortal realm insights, focusing instead on Elder Ok. Everyone gasped at the mention of an immortal descending directly from the heavens.
"An immortal connected to Founder Jin Yang-pyeong?!"
"A rift to the immortal realm...! It actually exists!"
"Master, what was the immortal like? Huh? Tell us!"
By the time we reached High Heaven Sect's main peak, the women were hounding me for more immortal realm tales.
Upon arriving at the High Heaven Sect, I headed straight to the main peak to meet the Sect Master and elders.
Perhaps Pyeong Yu-ran had already reported ahead, because everyone wore broad smiles.
"Yong Yoo, how was your seclusion?"
"An immensely valuable time. I gained immortal realm insights and a major fortuitous encounter for forming my core."
The Sect Master and elders examined me closely before letting out cries of admiration.
"Your core is more refined than most single-element root cultivators'!"
"Pristine, without a speck of impurity."
"Look at that luster. No distortions at all—the light spreads perfectly evenly......"
They all began showering my core with praise.
'Just as expected.'
Just as others had only detected my Yong spiritual root while concealing my five-element one beneath it, now that I was at Core Formation, they saw only the superior, perfectly formed core of a strong spiritual root.
Moreover, having shattered my spiritual root once to form the core, I'd completely erased its original form, so they hadn't noticed my shift to single-element or mutated spiritual root.
'Even in the original story, spiritual root aptitude discussions faded after a certain point. Cores replace roots at Core Formation, and by Nascent Soul, even the core vanishes, leaving only the nascent soul—it's only natural they can't assess root aptitude anymore.'
I'd worried they might detect my root aptitude. Using the single primordial soul power from the Three Lives One Primordial Art—something only a three-element root user should wield—might raise suspicions.
But now that root aptitude was undetectable, I could flaunt my flawless core to meet the sect's expectations while freely deploying single primordial soul power.
"This makes up for any lacking root aptitude."
"Indeed. With such a refined core, your cultivation speed should outpace even single-element roots."
"Then that genius disciple selection tournament......"
"We can bolster the Spirit Gathering Array with something stronger......"
I chuckled inwardly as I heard talk of upgraded cultivation resources pouring my way.
"Now then... about that item hidden in your storage pouch. Care to tell us what it is?"
"Of course, Sect Master. Those present should know I possess a law treasure discovered in Founder Jin Yang-pyeong's cave dwelling."
Everyone nodded.
"Unlike the Refined Flying Sword crafted by the Founder himself, there was another treasure he left behind."
"Mm. A Soul Harmony-grade treasure."
"I thought Elder Geum had given it......"
"When I took that treasure to the peak of the ancient secret realm mountain, a massive hole tore open in the sky there. It must have been hidden by clouds all this time, undiscovered."
The elders, who'd been murmuring about my ascent to the secret realm's peak, fell silent and focused on me.
"An immortal descended from that rift. She called my treasure the relic of her deceased husband and thanked me for bringing it all the way there."
"Whoa."
"Our ancient secret realm wasn't just connected to the immortal realm—it led directly there?"
"More importantly, you reached the mountain summit? None of us ever got past a certain height."
"Quiet! Everyone, quiet! This is about immortals and the immortal realm! Pay attention!"
The elders clamped their mouths shut at the Sect Master's command.
"Elder Ok... ah, the immortal permitted me to address her as senior since I'd returned her husband's relic."
"......!"
"Connections in the immortal realm...!"
The elders stirred again but shut up under the Sect Master's fierce glare.
I wove a suitable tale about Elder Ok and Founder Jin Yang-pyeong's relationship, explaining that as thanks for the founder's ties and returning the relic, I'd received a law treasure called the Must-Return Whip.
As I finished and presented the treasure, the Sect Master and elders gasped involuntarily at the sight of the Must-Return Whip.
"This is......"
"Whoa......"
Seeing their reactions, I spoke up.
"It's a treasure too grand for me to bear alone, but since Elder Ok bestowed it personally and even performed the ownership ritual, it would be rude to keep it stashed away."
"R-right. Quite so."
"......Gulp."
The elders couldn't bring themselves to demand I hand over the Must-Return Whip or say they wanted it.
"Thus, might I humbly request the secret art for binding a law treasure to one's soul, so I may carry the Must-Return Whip safely?"
At my request, the Sect Master nodded blankly, eyes fixed on the treasure.
He clutched his head in thought before addressing the elders.
"......Yong Yoo has forged such deep ties with the Founder and brought our sect a connection to the immortal realm. We must reward him. Open the sect's hidden repository to Yong Yoo."
I'd expected the usual debate and haggling over my rewards, but the immortal connection stunned them into unanimous agreement.
After briefly reporting my other gains from the ancient secret realm, I presented the bloodstained fabric at last.
"Sect Master. This is a fragment from the robe of the Nascent Soul cultivator who attacked me and our sect's halls in the Bright Abyss Valley. I cannot identify the emblem here—might I ask for your wisdom?"
"Mm. Bring it here."
The Sect Master took the fabric, examined the emblem, and for the first time, wore a grim expression.