Did You Think Growth Would Be That Easy? (2)
Opening the storage pouch lets me access this cave, but standing here in the flesh stirs an entirely different feeling. Being back inside the cavern truly drove home why I had returned to Biseungdo.
Right now, the only spiritual flora growing here were basic herbs manageable by a cultivator in the first layer of Qi Condensation. But since my Myriad Resonance percentage was fully capped, it meant I could finally seek out the herbs suitable for the second layer.
"Has your hypothesis been proven?"
"Not yet. I need to gather the herbs first."
"Regardless, you have gathered quite an abundance of spiritual herbs."
Dokgo Yeon looked around the cave as if admiring some curious foreign attraction.
I gathered the basket, hand hoe, and various harvesting tools resting in the corner, then stepped outside. This time, I intended to seek out the very best herb accessible at the second layer of Qi Condensation: the Rock Flame Blossom.
The Rock Flame Blossom blooms atop boulders formed from cooled lava. Harvesting it requires advancing to the second layer of Qi Condensation and learning the Water Bullet Technique, because one must shoot bullets of water condensed with spiritual qi to cool the searing heat before even daring to approach.
Which brought me to my next request.
"Yeon-nim."
"Hmm?"
"Could you teach me the Water Bullet Technique?"
Dokgo Yeon tilted her head quizzically.
"The foundational method used at the second layer of Qi Condensation? What do you need that for?"
"It's absolutely essential if I want to harvest the Rock Flame Blossom, the finest spiritual herb at the second layer."
I wasn't asking for her clan's forbidden secret arts—just a standard foundational technique anyone could pick up—so I figured it was a reasonable favor. In the game, you would simply acquire it as a skill drop, but this place was reality. While the Fire Bullet Technique had come pre-installed with my initial foundation, casting the Water Bullet Technique for the first time would actually require some hands-on instruction.
"It is not difficult, but..."
"I'll give you some of the spirit pills I crafted this time in return."
Dokgo Yeon's crimson eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"That is hardly an even trade. If you are offering spirit pills of such quality, you ought to demand a secret art of my personal lineage. Though, naturally, my rules forbid taking disciples, so I would have refused regardless."
"It's fine. The Water Bullet Technique is plenty."
What would I even do with a Transformation Realm grandmaster's supreme secret art anyway? It wasn't like I had people to murder. Sure, having an ultimate technique would be fantastic for self-defense, but mastering it would take forever. Begging and making a fuss just to pry it out of her would be the real losing trade.
"Very well. Follow me."
A short while later, we arrived at the shore of a crystal-clear lake.
Dokgo Yeon crossed her arms and gestured toward the shimmering water with a flick of her chin.
"This lake is brimming with spiritual qi. Step inside."
I reached down and began fumbling with the hem of my clothes.
"There is no need to strip off your garments!"
"B-But if they get soaked, it feels nasty..."
"You will not get wet. The water is comprised purely of spiritual qi."
Really?
Wading in half in doubt, I felt the cool, crisp touch of the water envelop my legs. Yet my clothes floated cleanly against the surface as though coated in an invisible waterproof barrier. They genuinely didn't get wet at all.
"Whoa."
"Now close your eyes and focus. Attune yourself to the elemental energy of water."
Closing my eyes, I concentrated just as she instructed. I could feel the frigid energy of the water flowing into my body, circulating through my meridians.
"It should not be difficult to sense. Once you grasp it, materialize the shape within your mind."
I pictured a smooth, spherical droplet of water in vivid detail.
The moment I did—swirl!
A perfect orb of water rose gracefully from the lake's surface, hovering in midair.
"Not bad for your first attempt."
Well, of course it went smoothly. I had spent countless hours watching the skill animation in the game.
"Now, fire it."
Shooting it was simple enough; all I had to do was visualize pulling the trigger of a gun.
Pshk!
Spiritual water condenses into a high-pressure sphere, releasing a cataclysmic shockwave upon impact!
BOOOOOM!!
The streaking jet of water struck the far bank. A colossal dome of pressurized water erupted violently upward, tearing the surrounding terrain to shreds.
Opening my eyes, I stared down at my tingling palms in awe.
"That is the Water Bullet Technique. Similar to the Fire Bullet Technique, yet fundamentally distinct, is it not?"
"Yes! With this, I can definitely pull it off!"
Emerging from the lake, I seized the momentum and headed straight for the mountain where molten lava bubbled and churned. Dokgo Yeon trailed behind, seemingly having nothing better to do.
"You claim a flower grows in a desolate place like this?"
"We're almost there."
"...You uttered those exact words five minutes ago."
"We really are almost there!"
After trekking for another full hour—
"We've arrived!!"
We finally reached the summit of the volcano. Resting inside the crater was a massive lake formed from the intertwining spiritual energies of Heaven and Earth. Surrounding its perimeter were jagged black boulders forged from hardened magma.
"Unlike Black Moon Ginseng, Rock Flame Blossoms are relatively easy to spot. The hard part is approaching them, which is why gathering them is so notoriously tricky."
"......"
Just picture it: a flower blooming on the outer crust of a volcanic rock that cradles boiling magma deep within. Because its roots reach directly into the molten core, the blossom radiates unimaginable heat. To harvest it without incinerating it, you have to cool the stone all the way to its core.
And that was precisely what the Water Bullet Technique was for.
Not to mention, it doubled as a way to cool down the surrounding ground so I wouldn't burn my feet off.
Wasting no time, I fired off Water Bullets to chill a path across the scorched earth and stepped toward a promising magma rock. Slamming my fist down, I shattered the outer crust and channeled the Water Bullet's frigid moisture straight into the fissure.
Pssssshhh—!
Thick clouds of steam hissed into the air as the boiling magma inside hardened into solid stone. Before the roots anchored inside could freeze completely solid and snap—
Snap!
I cleanly plucked the blossom from the rock.
"Got it!"
"To think someone would apply the Water Bullet Technique in such a manner. This is a first for me."
"Well, anyone who doesn't care about cultivating herbs wouldn't think of it."
"Are we returning now?" Dokgo Yeon fanned herself with an elegant hand, clearly finding the sweltering heat bothersome.
"Not yet. Since we made the trip all the way up here, I need to harvest several more. Plus, I need to take some of these magma rocks back so I can cultivate them at home."
I coated my hands in a layer of water qi, grabbed the edges of a massive volcanic boulder, and yanked. One of the greatest perks of becoming a cultivator was having superhuman strength that let you wrench giant rocks right out of the earth.
Laden with a mountain of harvested Rock Flame Blossoms and volcanic boulders, I returned triumphantly to the cave.
Day 2.
Dokgo Yeon mentioned having business of her own to attend to, so from the second day onward, I moved alone. My objective was to track down spiritual creatures capable of enhancing the Paralysis Herb and the Sleeping Grass.
The creature needed to empower the Paralysis Herb was the Yellow Butterfly, while the one for the Sleeping Grass was the Blue Butterfly. Since both species fed on the pollen of their respective herbs, locating them wasn't difficult.
The real issue was catching them.
Trying to grab them bare-handed was asking for disaster; the powder scattering from their wings would instantly leave you paralyzed and comatose. To catch them safely, you needed a bug net woven from spider silk rich in spiritual qi. And to capture those spiders, you once again required the Water Bullet Technique.
And so, I made my way to the lowest depths of Biseungdo: the Ghost Valley.
"...I can't believe I'm back here."
Visiting this place in the game had felt like playing a terrifying horror game, but standing here in reality was ten times scarier. The only silver lining was that exploring that abandoned haunted house with Hye-yeon earlier had built up some of my mental resilience.
True to its reputation, thick curtains of spiderwebs blanketed the entrance of the Ghost Valley. Saturated with spiritual qi, the webbing was absurdly sticky—adhesive enough to trap even a physically powerful cultivator. Once caught, you couldn't tear free unless you literally carved away the flesh that touched it.
Fortunately, I had the Water Bullet Technique.
Shrouding my body in a film of water and firing small pressurized bursts ahead of me, I advanced through the gloom. The dampness neutralized the adhesive properties of the webs, much like how wetting glue ruins its grip. Clearing away the webs strand by strand, grotesque silken cocoons gradually came into view.
These spiders were spiritual beasts brimming with pure qi, no different from the white, blue, and yellow serpents I had gathered during the first layer of Qi Condensation.
A pair of monstrous spiders opened glowing crimson eyes, glaring straight at me.
"Whoa, easy there. I'm not here to attack you. Think of me as a food delivery service."
Rustling through my pouch, I pulled out several small, wriggling red grubs. Flame Grubs—one of their absolute favorite delicacies! They were rare larvae found only in volcanic zones, considered the pinnacle of fine dining among arachnid spiritual beasts.
How creatures living at the bottom of the Ghost Valley had ever developed a taste for grubs that lived atop a scorching volcano remained an unsolved mystery of the universe, but whatever.
You might wonder how I knew all this esoteric trivia. Spend enough years as a hardcore veteran farmer in a ruthless, open-world PK cultivation game, and this kind of useless knowledge naturally embeds itself into your brain. Not that I ever asked to learn it, mind you.
I tossed over a few Flame Grubs that I had scooped up while gathering the Rock Flame Blossoms.
Kssshhhk!
Thrilled beyond belief, the two spiders blew gently on their piping-hot snacks before devouring them with gusto. After bribing my way into their good graces, I successfully led both eight-legged critters back to the cave.
And with that, Day 2 came to a close.
Tomorrow, I would weave a bug net from their silk and hunt down those Yellow and Blue Butterflies.
Day 3.
Meet my new best friends: Taran and Tula. Yes, I split the word 'tarantula' in half to name them.
As long as their bellies were full, their aggression vanished completely. I had stockpiled plenty of Flame Grubs, so we were destined to remain the closest of pals until the food ran out. And if the grub supply ever dried up? Well... I'd probably have to squash them before they decided to eat me.
Armed with a bug net woven from Taran and Tula's qi-infused silk, I set out toward the colonies of Paralysis Herbs and Sleeping Grass. These two plants were as ubiquitous as spring dandelions; finding them took no effort at all.
Sure enough, the wide meadow was in full, luxuriant bloom. Waves of vibrant yellow and deep blue rippled rhythmically beneath the passing breeze.
It looked like a breathtaking fairy tale landscape on the surface. But if an ordinary mortal ever wandered in here, they would succumb to eternal slumber, their body completely paralyzed until death took them.
Right on cue, swarms of Yellow and Blue Butterflies were fluttering gracefully above the sea of flowers.
Rolling up the sleeves of the cardigan draped over my one-piece dress, I gripped the net with both hands.
"All right! Let's do this!"
I charged toward the butterflies like an overexcited puppy.
Whoosh!
"Whoa, hey! You think flying higher will save you?!"
Swish—clack!
"Just surrender and get in the net already!!"
Whoosh! Whirrr—!
"You little bastards! Landing on my chest?! You think you're tough, huh?!"
Smack!
"Eeeeek! Ow, ow, ow, that hurts!!"
Ah, did I forget to mention?
These pests...
Were ridiculously, unfairly fast for butterflies.
"Stop landing on my boobs, dammiiiiit!!"
SMACK!
"KYAAAAGH!"