Chapter 92
Translator: penny
Chapter: 92
Chapter Title: Fortuitous Encounters Come with Dangers (3)
The Sumi Space within the Mijon Sumi Dharma Wheel was an eastern sector about five times larger than mine back in the High Heaven Sect.
There was a massive area split into two levels by a small cliff, and following a passage exquisitely hidden among the rocks led to a smaller space similar to my own eastern sector.
"......Should I turn the second floor into my personal space? For living and cultivation. The first floor can have fields and a brewing workshop......"
I muttered as I toured the Sumi Space, dragging my sore body along, while Hyang Mae stood by my side, discussing how we should set up the space.
"What about that small space?"
"I'll use it as a warehouse. If I sort through the stuff I'm not using right away, I'll free up a ton of room in my storage pouch too."
If the storage pouch was like an inventory, the Sumi Space was a warehouse.
Even in games, warehouses held more than inventories, but unlike inventory items, you couldn't just pull things out anytime, anywhere at will.
As I chatted with Hyang Mae and walked, I gently stroked So-hu's fur as she lay collapsed nearby.
After receiving emergency treatment, So-hu had sprawled out to recover, sleeping soundly. Nearby, Pyeong Yu-ran sat in meditation, soothing her own body.
Ten days ago, we had finally claimed victory after three straight days of battling a late Nascent Soul Realm cultivator like madmen inside the Sumi Space.
The spear-shaped dharma treasure I'd taken from another cultivator proved surprisingly powerful, which was a huge help.
This narrow-minded treasure accepted only the most ferocious lightning spiritual power among all spiritual powers, guaranteeing commensurate might in exchange for its pickiness.
As long as I converted my spiritual power to lightning via the Tyrant Dragon Stormwind Armor, I could wield it effortlessly—and its power was so impressive that I named it Capture Thunder.
Even so, if that cultivator hadn't lost half her clones and damaged her vital energy, we might not have won. Clones really are dangerous.
After felling the cultivator, we'd spent the past seven days recuperating inside the Sumi Space.
Fortunately, none of us had suffered irrecoverable wounds, but that was only because So-hu—the toughest and most defensively strong among us—had blocked lethal strikes with her own body.
Because of that, even after seven days, So-hu bore wounds so deep she still couldn't move.
Since we'd found what looked like a demon beast's inner core in that Nascent Soul cultivator's storage pouch and fed it to her, at least she wouldn't die.
"We need to spruce this place up a bit."
Hyang Mae, saying she had just the thing, fetched some decorative banners and beautiful fabrics to start decorating the Sumi Space. Watching her, I checked on So-hu and Pyeong Yu-ran to make sure they were recovering well, then headed up to the second floor.
A-han was there.
Floating in the air while seated in meditation, A-han cradled a feather from the Qibai Luan in her arms. Fierce winds poured endlessly from the feather into her, stirring up a raging vortex.
A-han, unable to join the battle, had tended to us for days after it ended. Once Hyang Mae and I woke, she immediately began absorbing the Qibai Luan's feather to grow stronger.
With A-han's aptitude at an ordinary level even among three-element spiritual root users, absorbing a rare and potent heavenly treasure like the Qibai Luan's feather would take considerable time—but I hoped she would safely succeed and achieve her desires.
I hated seeing her occasionally flash lonely, sad smiles at me or Hyang Mae.
I knew it well.
A-han's talents were average. If she trained by the book, conventionally, ascension would remain a pipe dream.
Yet at the same time, most cultivators spent their lives immersed in cultivation without ever dreaming of ascension. Forget ascension—even Core Formation or Nascent Soul were realms called "dream stages" by many.
That's why cultivators needed fortuitous encounters, desperately scouring the world for them.
The world held countless such opportunities for cultivators, but not every cultivator could seize them.
Moreover, a fortuitous encounter went to "the one fated to claim it." People even said heaven predestined an owner for every opportunity in the world.
A-han proved it.
Despite sharing so many trials with me, she hadn't gained a single true fortuitous encounter.
"......"
That's why, seeing A-han so shaken by the Qibai Luan's feather this time, a thought struck me.
If heaven wouldn't grant her any encounters, then I would.
I'd procure encounters she could never obtain on her own, ones she'd never even meet—and hand them all to her.
So A-han had nothing to worry about.
Meeting me would be her greatest fortuitous encounter.
Four more days passed, and Pyeong Yu-ran finally finished recovering. She ended her meditation and rose.
"Hoo."
"Junior Brother Pyeong, you okay?"
"Yes. The pills helped a lot."
Pyeong Yu-ran said this while showing me an empty jade vial.
"It's a shame we're out of pills."
She glanced at So-hu as she spoke. So-hu's breathing was more even than a few days ago, but she still couldn't move.
"Her soul took damage, so recovery will take time."
"Mm."
I watched So-hu, thinking that if she showed no further improvement, I'd feed her the inner core from the Deukmyeong Yukdo Gyo-ryong.
It'd be a waste, but So-hu mattered more than the Deukmyeong Yukdo Gyo-ryong.
"Now that even Junior Brother Pyeong's recovered, we can start moving soon. We can't wander the clouds forever."
Everyone nodded at my words.
With So-hu's nose, finding our target would be much easier, but even without it, diligently searching the area might lead us to stumble upon the Sun Moon Star Formation Great Harmony Scripture by chance.
No point sitting idle—we had to put in the legwork.
With that in mind, I moved to exit the Sumi Space.
But the moment I opened the door to the Sumi Space, a ferocious gale blasted inside.
"Ugh!"
Startled, I hurriedly shut the door, and Hyang Mae and Pyeong Yu-ran rushed over, asking what was wrong.
"Yoo Lang?"
"What is it?"
"Hold on."
I gestured for the approaching pair to stay back just in case, then cracked the entrance open slightly. Rough winds rushed in again.
Tensing at the unnatural gale, I cautiously extended my divine sense outside the Sumi Space and realized the dharma wheel had slipped free of the clouds, racing somewhere at high speed.
"......Someone's found our dharma wheel."
Tension rippled across everyone's faces at my words.
I carefully sent out a thin thread of divine sense and confirmed our dharma wheel was in someone else's hands. Powerful spells occasionally shot from nearby, revealing it was fleeing pursuit from others.
At that moment, a divine sense transmission boomed throughout the entire Sumi Space.
[Recovery seems complete, doesn't it?]
"......!"
"Kuh...!"
[I saw you lot fighting that late Nascent Soul cultivator. You all have skill, and powerful dharma treasures too.]
The Divine Sense Sound Transmission of the Cultivator moving with the Dharma Wheel was so violent that we unknowingly dropped to our knees.
'This voice is…?!'
Gong Ga-jin! This was definitely Gong Ga-jin's voice!
[You should know that if I make up my mind, I can sever your ownership mark and kick you brats outside.]
Gong Ga-jin continued to pressure us.
[But I didn't do that, which is as good as this old man bestowing a great favor upon you brats.]
What is this crazy bastard talking about…!
[This old man is currently in quite a bothersome situation, so help this old man escape it! If you do so, I will share three of the treasures this old man possesses!]
Gong Ga-jin spoke as if doing us a huge favor, but judging from the rough nature of the Divine Sense pressuring us, we acutely felt his intention to kill us if we dared not help.
I answered Gong Ga-jin in a loud voice.
"But we haven't fully recovered from our battle damage yet!"
[How dare you little runts try to deceive this old man! Did you think I wouldn't know your energies are fully recovered?!]
At my words, Gong Ga-jin's Divine Sense attacked me instantly, and I violently coughed up blood. Seeing that, Hyang Mae urgently approached, supporting me, and shouted on my behalf.
"One of our companions is in the Early Core Formation stage and won't be of much help, and the other is a Spirit Beast who is severely injured and can't move!"
[…….]
Seemingly thinking for a moment at Hyang Mae's words, Gong Ga-jin clicked his tongue.
[Tsk! Then at least the three of you help!]
I could guess the situation.
It seemed Gong Ga-jin had been in a continuous chase with Gwol Ja-yeon over the Sun, Moon, and Stars Great Harmony Mirror from the moment he left the Auction House.
Gong Ga-jin, wanting to escape Gwol Ja-yeon at all costs, probably tried to use the Cultivators who were fighting and causing a commotion while aiming for Gi Baek-ran's feather.
On his way to them, or while passing by after using them, Gong Ga-jin must have discovered my Dharma Wheel in the clouds and us inside it. Seeing us fight against a late Nascent Soul Realm Cultivator, he likely judged us useful and thought of utilizing us.
'This is a big problem with Sumeru spaces. Not being able to grasp the outside from the inside at all. I didn't realize the situation until I opened the space.'
Reflecting on this, I took out my treasure.
As I donned the Tiger Dragon Flying Wind Armor with a look of pure disgust, Hyang Mae and Pyeong Yu-ran also had no choice but to prepare for battle.
"Since we won't be able to run away anyway! Please return the Dharma Wheel to me once we go outside! If I'm worried about my family, I won't be able to fight properly either!"
[No! If you try to pull another trick, I'll crush you!]
Yeah, figured as much. I just said it with a "would be nice if it works, whatever if it doesn't" feeling.
After assessing the outside situation with my Divine Sense, I dashed outside in one breath, and Hyang Mae and Pyeong Yu-ran followed me out.
The moment we came out, a massive spell flew toward us.
Krrraaaang!
Gong Ga-jin, who deflected the spell by waving his sleeve, quickly inspected me, Hyang Mae, and Pyeong Yu-ran, then nodded.
"Good. You all are above average. Hurry up and help this old man fight that witch!"
Gong Ga-jin shouted at us, and Gwol Ja-yeon, who was pursuing him, formed a hand seal and launched a massive burst of divine power at us and Gong Ga-jin.