Chapter 172
Chapter 172: Spirit Root Stone (1)
The still unripe morning sunlight slanted diagonally across the inn entrance. Jeon Ra-hwa paced back and forth with her back to that light, drawing meaningless lines in the dirt with her toes.
How long had she been doing that?
A single human shadow approached from afar, casting a long silhouette.
It was Kim Rae-won.
She quietly erased the lines she'd drawn, pretending she hadn't drawn them, and approached him.
"Where have you been?"
"Where? I went for a walk."
Kim Rae-won's clothes were clean. Too clean for someone who said they'd been for a walk.
"A walk? At this dawn hour?"
"When else would you take a walk if not at dawn?"
Jeon Ra-hwa sniffed. Sniff sniff. She kept sniffing for a while wondering what that smell was, but though it was hard to tell clearly, it was roughly a faint fishy smell like one might encounter from livestock such as cattle or pigs. It was so faint that an ordinary person wouldn't detect it at all—an extremely subtle level.
"Did you go to some livestock pen?"
"You're a bloodhound."
"I've always had a good nose."
"An amazing talent."
"A dog-like nose?"
"Yeah. Your dog-like nose."
"...Don't repeat it. It sounds weird."
Jeon Ra-hwa stared intently at Kim Rae-won for a moment.
Feeling something awkward and an indescribable longing, she drew another meaningless pattern with her foot as she spoke.
"...Leave a note next time."
"Well, sure."
As Kim Rae-won's back entered the inn, Jeon Ra-hwa added one more thing.
"Leave one when you're leaving too. Promise."
Kim Rae-won, who had stopped walking, looked back. The morning sun that had earlier created endlessly long shadows now rose behind him, casting deep shadows on his face. In the backlight, his teeth flashed white.
"I said you're a signpost."
The wind blew, slightly tousling his hair.
"I'm watching you and going. If you go forward, I go forward; if you go back, I go back."
"..."
Jeon Ra-hwa's chest grew strangely hot. She couldn't tell whether it was fear or trembling.
"Stop talking nonsense and just set the direction properly."
Then Kim Rae-won entered the inn just like that. The wooden stairs creaked with his footsteps.
Jeon Ra-hwa stood blankly in that spot for a long while. Until the morning sun rose completely and brightly illuminated her face.
***
Returning to his room, Dong Bong-soo closed the door and latched it. Faint morning light seeping through the window dimly illuminated the interior.
He took out the items appraised by Ak Bul-jin one by one and laid them out on the bed.
First, 《Vermilion Umbrella Lord Saber Technique》.
Characters densely written on old parchment. It was the secret saber technique of Vermilion Umbrella Lord Saber Na Hang, one of the Twenty Great Masters who had gone missing over a decade ago.
Of course, he couldn't completely believe the words of third-rate trash like Ak Bul-jin, but for now he needed to compile all the information. Discard what should be discarded, take what should be taken—that's what becomes real 'usefulness.'
Above all, he needed to understand what kind of martial arts existed in this place and what level they were at.
And though Ak Bul-jin himself might be trash, his words would likely be true. These were relics of someone who had at least reached a secret place like the Border Realm.
Dong Bong-soo flipped through the pages, quickly scanning the diagrams and formulae. An unusual martial art that used an umbrella as a weapon. It was a unique system that could perform defense and attack simultaneously.
It was certainly too detailed to be fake, and even without practicing it, he could tell it was excellent martial arts of the highest order.
He could learn one more thing from this information.
'Even someone who's among the Twenty Great Masters of this place doesn't have the skill to enter that Upper Realm.'
Perhaps this Na Hang fellow might be among the weaker ones even among ordinary Cultivation Seekers trying to reach the Upper Realm. There had been many other corpses in that place after all.
Surprising.
The 'technique' of that Bukgung Ri he'd seen yesterday had been tremendous too.
It definitely wasn't martial arts. It resembled formations but was also a technique of a different dimension from the formations he knew. It had been powerful as if actually making the power of the Big Dipper descend to earth.
Probably martial arts combined with what they call Formation Path or Immortal Arts in this place.
Heh heh heh...
Though low, laughter was definitely leaking out.
The fact that he was alone in the room. And anticipation for strong predators.
It was hard to hold back the laughter. Sound naturally leaked through the gap in his lips. Because he was so excited about the one-level-higher hunt that lay ahead.
A moment later.
Dong Bong-soo arranged the items laid out on the bed by category.
Broadly classified into three types.
First, things to sell.
Jewels like gold or silver items. Intricately patterned gold cups, silver ornaments, jade seals. Though he hadn't shown everything, just having a few appraised by Ak Bul-jin was enough to confirm their value.
They would be worth at least tens of thousands of silver coins.
Next, things to learn.
Over a dozen martial arts and Formation Paths including Vermilion Umbrella Lord Saber Technique. 《Heavenly Thunder Formation Manual》, 《Five Elements Return to Origin Art》, 《Formless Sword Intent》, and so on.
There were dozens of other various secret manuals too, but those would be disposed of. He'd sell some if possible, but basically destruction was right. Since the items from the Floating Island belonged to Cultivation Seekers or masters equivalent to them, someone might recognize them.
Depending on the situation, they could become 'masks' to pretend to be related to them, but they could also become sources of unnecessary grudges. Unless they were exceptionally excellent secret manuals or Formation Path-related texts, it would be better not to leave such possibilities.
Since the role he'd mainly play now was 'hero.'
It would be best not to accumulate unnecessary grudges.
Lastly, things to ingest.
Dong Bong-soo corrected his posture and sat up.
Because this was currently the most important and unknown territory.
He even spread out the third category items completely on one side of the room's floor.
Palmiko byproducts, various root plants, liquor bottles, and...
Dong Bong-soo placed seven small beads on his palm. Beads as small as marbles were glowing faintly in different colors.
'Spirit Root Stones.'
Those who had reached the Core Formation Stage, or the Internal Cores of Spirit Creatures, monsters, or bipeds who had cultivated equivalently, he'd been told. Red, blue, yellow, white, black, etc. Though the size, color, shape, and weight of each differed slightly, tremendous energy could be felt. As if holding small suns, stars, or eternal snow in his hand.
Momentarily, the conversation he'd had with the antique shop owner replayed in his mind exactly like playing a video.
.
..
...
....
.....
The night had been deepening, and the candle on Various Items Antique Shop's reception table was flickering.
"Spirit Root Stones... aren't they?"
Ak Bul-jin's narrow eyes glistened with greed.
"I'm seeing them for the first time in person too, but, hehehe. These truly cannot be priced. Because this itself is said to be the materialization of that person's 'Spirit Root.'"
"Root of Spiritual Energy?"
"Yes, Spirit Root."
"..."
"So you should sell it here right away."
Ak Bul-jin's snout smirked like a pig as he continued.
"Because it causes trouble if eaten wrong. A low-level person like Young Hero, hehehe."
The bastard coughed.
"I apologize. I misspoke without realizing. Ahem. Anyway, if a low-level person eats this wrong, they could become contaminated by the Spirit Root owner's will and become a Jiangshi that can neither die nor live."
"What if eaten well?"
Dong Bong-soo asked calmly.
"What happens to a child who eats well?"
The bastard laughed strangely. A foul smell wafted from between his rotten teeth.
"Don't they grow up big and strong?"
"..."
"I say again, a low-level person like Young Hero, hehe, cannot grow big and strong no matter what they eat. Ah, I apologize. Another slip of the tongue..."
.....
....
...
..
.
The price of slips of the tongue was mistakes.
His hand had slipped by mistake and dropped the bastard into the pig pen.
Swish.
Dong Bong-soo examined the Spirit Root Stone in detail once more. He compared it with Palmiko's fist-sized Spirit Root Stone that was glowing alone inside his inventory. Probably the size difference was as large as the cultivation gap between these marble-sized ones and Palmiko.
"Hmm."
After brief deliberation, Dong Bong-soo summoned Kaiji.
A silver wolf appeared from thin air. Happy to be out after a long time, Kaiji wagged his tail and licked his cheek. The warm breath and rough texture of the tongue were vivid.
As if responding, Dong Bong-soo stroked the creature's head and nose for a while. Kaiji's remaining eye curved thinly into a crescent moon with satisfaction.
Dong Bong-soo didn't hesitate further and picked up the smallest Spirit Root Stone. It was a small bead with a golden tint.
He immediately spread a Super True Energy Field throughout the room and erected an energy wall. A perfect barrier that not even a single breeze could enter. It was to prevent sound from leaking outside.
Then he opened Kaiji's mouth and put in the Spirit Root Stone.
At that moment.
Grr, grrrrrrr.
A pained sound burst from Kaiji's throat. Saliva dripped down, wetting the floor. The creature's remaining pupil began rotating madly.
The black and white crossed dozens of times per second. Like a spinning roulette. Every hair on the entire body stood on end as if struck by lightning. Each silvery-gray hair stood pointed like needles.
Grr, grrrrrrrrrrr.
Kaiji's body convulsed. Four paws scratched at empty air, and the tail whipped around madly.
Nevertheless, Dong Bong-soo calmly stroked Kaiji's fur while watching the creature's entire transformation process. Each time his touch reached, Kaiji's convulsions decreased slightly.
About one watch period passed?
Finally, Kaiji's pupils returned to their place and stopped.
However, there was one major change. The creature's eyes had taken on a faint golden color. A mystical color as if molten gold had been poured in. Not only that, but the silvery-gray fur had also become a gray color overlaid with a faint golden tint. A luster that would likely sparkle golden when receiving sunlight.
Perhaps exhausted, the creature collapsed on the floor, growling. Rough breathing echoed in the room.
Dong Bong-soo lightly tousled the head of the hardworking Kaiji. Touching it, even the fur had become softer. Like the finest silk. As if complete transformation had occurred.
"So this is what being contaminated by the Spirit Root owner's will meant."
Though he couldn't specify exactly whose it was, it was probably the owner of a Spirit Root with the Metal attribute.
The confirmation was complete with that.
If it was this kind of contamination, it was welcome as much as possible.
Though it might be difficult to digest, fundamentally this thing called Spirit Root Stone didn't seem much different from spiritual medicine.
After immediately dismissing Kaiji's summon, he sat cross-legged on the floor. He regulated his breathing while maintaining the lotus position.
While maintaining that posture, he picked up one of the smallest remaining Spirit Root Stones.
Red color.
A crimson bead like condensed blood.
'A Fire Spirit Root?'
Soon that Fire Spirit Root Stone passed his uvula, went through his stomach, and reached his lower Dantian.
At that moment.
Whoooosh.
Hot heat exploded in his Dantian.
[Critical ERROR occurred! Critical ERROR occurred! Critical ERROR occurred! The player is currently illegally downloading an unverified mod map! Player must immediately stop downloading... or... zzzt! Zzzzt! Forced log out...]
Murim Online's system threw another fit.
System windows in his vision blinked madly. Red warning messages appeared and disappeared repeatedly by the dozens.
Which meant...
He was doing well.
Though the content of that message was questionable.
'Illegal mod map.'
Had the system recognized the Spirit Root Stone owner's will space as a new map?
Of course, he'd soon find out...
Shhh.
Soon an indescribable feeling of being buried alive assaulted his entire body.
Wouldn't this be how it feels to be buried alive in a tidal flat? That kind. The stuffiness as if sand and mud were slowly blocking nose, mouth, and ears.
Damp.
Stuffy.
Breath completely blocked.
This stuffiness clinging like skin penetrated through his skin into his entire body. As if thousands of small needles were stabbing simultaneously.
Nevertheless, he didn't lose his composure.
He just waited. Because it was a natural process.
Because he'd grow stronger.
Originally, easy things aren't fun, and if easy, one can't grow stronger either.
Thus his consciousness fell and fell again into an unknowable abyss. As if plummeting into an endless hell.