Chapter 21
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 21
A week after joining, Ise finally headed to the Training Center Management Office to receive an assignment.
He hadn't wasted those seven days without reason. He had simply been waiting for the spirit stones and two basic Dharma artifacts scheduled to be issued a week after his arrival. After all, one couldn't march into battle unarmed.
During that time, Ise focused entirely on memorizing the theoretical manuals for the Four Great Arts of cultivation: the Basic Manual of Alchemy, Basic Manual of Talisman Crafting, Basic Manual of Artifact Crafting, and Basic Manual of Formation Crafting.
"Hey, have you been waiting long?"
His assigned senior, Park Gang-seo, walked over carrying a bundle. He dropped by to see Ise every couple of days to explain the basic, unwritten knowledge of the cultivation world.
"Here are your rations from the Main Mountain. Two basic Dharma artifacts and ten spirit stones."
"Thank you."
"Normally, initiate disciples get a basic ration of five spirit stones a month, but top-tier initiate disciples get extra. Must be nice! Ten a month... if you save them up, you might even be able to buy a medicinal pill before heading to the Main Mountain."
"Are we allowed to consume medicinal pills?"
"Bwahaha! Of course! You can eat as many as you want. They just discourage raising your cultivation realm solely through pills. Honestly, though, pills are so hard to come by in the Three Peninsular Kingdoms that you couldn't eat them freely even if you wanted to. So, if you ever get the chance, be sure to grab some."
Park Gang-seo laughed heartily and slapped Ise on the back before pointing to the two Dharma artifacts.
"To use the Purification Rod, hold the artifact in front of a demon ghost's corpse and recite the exorcism mantra formula of the 'Ghost-Banishing Spirit-Purging Qi Refining Art'. Any demon ghost you hunt must be exorcised and sealed. Never forget that."
"Understood."
"You don't need to worry too much about the Purification Rod... The Demon Ghost Sealing Scroll, on the other hand, is a type of single-use storage artifact. While it doesn't strictly have to be a demon ghost, it's used to seal corpses. However, you must account for where you use every single page. If you use it without authorization, you'll pay a heavy price. Tearing it carelessly or letting it fall into the hands of outsiders is a severe crime."
"I will keep that in mind."
The Demon Ghost Sealing Scroll was a special Dharma treasure developed and managed by the Great Martial Dao—a scroll capable of sealing hunted corpses for temporary storage. Meanwhile, the Purification Rod was used by early to mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators to exorcise and purify demon ghosts.
Ise handled the two Dharma artifacts, mentally reviewing the formulas he had memorized. With his new gear secured, he headed straight for the Training Center Management Office.
The interior of the office was a small space containing nothing more than a notice board and a Foundation Establishment cultivator sitting in front of it.
"Senior. May I receive an assignment?"
Without even looking up, the cultivator merely gestured with his chin.
"Check for yourself."
He pointed at the notice board and immediately returned his eyes to the secret manual he was reading.
There weren't many missions posted.
– Find Missing Livestock (1 Contribution Point)
– Purify Contaminated Area (1 Spirit Stone, 2 Contribution Points)
– Exorcise Grade 9 Evil Spirit (2 Spirit Stones, 3 Contribution Points)
– Collect Unpaid Debt (1 Contribution Point)
No matter how hard he looked, there was no mission to hunt demon ghosts. Most of the listings made him wonder if this was really work meant for Daoists.
The only one that seemed somewhat relevant was the evil spirit exorcism mission. The problem was that exorcising evil spirits was not the job of the Nang Pavilion. It was a mission that required the inclusion of at least one aspiring shaman.
"Is this all...?"
The management office cultivator answered, still without taking his eyes off his secret manual.
"Not many missions come in at the beginning of the year. Most are handled at the Main Mountain if possible. It normally takes six months before initiate disciples officially go out on missions. You're the strange one for coming here so early."
"I see."
"Even these are just tasks that no one at the Main Mountain wanted to do. Don't waste your time. Focus on your cultivation instead."
Despite the cultivator's advice, Ise couldn't give up so easily. For a whole week, he had repeatedly meditated and trained in the place richest with Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy, yet his spiritual energy reserves had barely changed. With the next realm right around the corner, he didn't want to waste time doing nothing.
In the end, his hand reached toward the only viable mission remaining.
"I will take this one."
"An evil spirit exorcism mission must be undertaken with an aspiring shaman."
"Yes. May I accept it first and add the team member afterward?"
Annoyed, the cultivator handed over the assignment ledger. Ise wrote his name next to the text reading: Exorcise Evil Spirit - Client: Hajin Inn.
"If you don't finalize the team by today, the assignment will be canceled."
"Understood."
The cultivator shooed him away with a flick of his hand.
Ise immediately went to find Seol Ryeong, who was currently practicing.
"Do a mission with me."
"...? All of a sudden?"
"Yeah. It's an evil spirit exorcism mission, and it requires an aspiring shaman."
"Of course it needs a shaman, it's an exorcism mission... But is it okay for us to go on a mission just a week after entering?"
"Turns out it is."
"I'm not mentally prepared yet..."
Flustered, Seol Ryeong trailed off. She would be going on countless missions day and night in the future anyway, but the first step was always the hardest.
Perhaps it was because she had heard too many rumors about how difficult it was for Qi Refining stage cultivators to survive. Here, they were under the cozy protection of the Great Martial Dao. The moment they stepped out on a mission, they would be thrown into the unforgiving wilds of the cultivation world.
"I'm not forcing you. If you don't want to, that's fine."
"Y-yeah. You should take it easy too, if you can. It's not like your advancement in cultivation realm is slow—"
"If you know any other aspiring shamans, just introduce one to me."
"...What?"
"Since it's a Grade 9 evil spirit, they won't need exceptional talent. I'll proceed as carefully as possible so it won't be dangerous. Do you know any shamans who might be interested in a mission?"
Seol Ryeong's brows furrowed. "What? Do you not have any friends?"
"Look who's talking..."
You're going to take another shaman on a mission instead of me?
Seol Ryeong's imagination began to run wild. After finally building a friendly rapport with the top initiate disciple of the Great Martial Dao, he was going to go on a mission and flirt with some other shaman?
That would literally be letting someone else reap the fruits of her hard labor!
"No one in mind? Oh well, I'll just go look for—"
"Wait a second!"
Her motives were a bit calculating, but what could she do? Cultivators were meant to act noble on the outside while remaining sly on the inside if they wanted to survive.
"I'll do it! The mission!"
"Really? You don't have to force yourself."
"Ah, I said I'll do it!"
If she wants to do it, she could just say so. Why throw a temper? Ise thought.
"In return, you have to help me out when I go on a mission."
"Of course. Just say the word."
Seol Ryeong, who had just been snapping at him, now beamed with delight.
What a peculiar personality, Ise thought.
*
After registering his new team member, Ise waited for Seol Ryeong to pack her gear and explained the details of the request to her.
The request stated that an evil spirit, estimated to be Grade 9, had appeared in Namsan Valley—a fairly large nearby village. It was harming brokers passing through the mountain pass, and they were tasked with eliminating it.
"Isn't this too little information?"
"They told us to get the details from the Outer Gate affiliate stationed at the Great Martial Dao outpost in Namsan Valley. By the way, why are you packing so much stuff? Are you moving?"
"B-be quiet. Women naturally carry a lot of luggage when they travel..."
She says that, but most of what she's packing are protective Dharma artifacts...
Seeing Seol Ryeong's faintly trembling hands, Ise wisely kept quiet.
*
Instead of heading straight to their destination, Ise stopped in the middle of Cheongsangyeong. He repeatedly looked around as if searching for something.
"Where are you going?"
"You received your rations too, right?"
"Yeah. An exorcism Dharma artifact and eight spirit stones."
"Since it's our first mission, I figured buying a protective Dharma artifact would be better than skimping out. Do you know any good artifact merchants?"
"I know the perfect place. I'll take you to a shop run by someone I know."
"Oh, thanks."
"Though with ten spirit stones, you won't be able to buy anything decent. Even a single-use artifact usually costs around five or six spirit stones."
"If there's really nothing to buy, I'll just save them."
"Alright, do that."
Seol Ryeong led him to the deepest part of the Cheongsangyeong market district. It was a hidden alleyway in a city that was practically a tourist spot—a place nobody would ever find unless they were looking for it on purpose.
"This is the alley where real Daoists come and go. When there are too many mortals around, the turbid Qi gives you a headache, so shops selling real goods are located in secluded places like this. They have weapons, Dharma artifacts, and even cultivation manuals. They buy items as well, so keep that in mind."
"Ah. I see."
Only now did he understand why the artifact shops in the main market were packed with swindlers.
Seol Ryeong poked her head inside the shop and called out.
"Hyeon Ong! I brought a new customer! He's my friend and the top initiate of our batch, so take good care of him!"
"Sure thing."
A raspy old man's voice called back from inside. Seol Ryeong smiled softly and gestured for Ise to go in.
"He won't rip you off. But he won't give you a discount either, so don't bother wasting time trying to haggle."
"Got it."
"The martial artifacts exclusively for shamans are in the shop next door, so I'm going to take a look over there."
Ise stepped into the artifact shop.
Numerous Dharma artifacts were neatly arranged in orderly rows. Though plentiful, the space didn't feel cramped like the fake artifact shops outside. The displays maintained a precise, deliberate distance between each artifact. Seeing this methodical arrangement, Ise felt an unexplainable sense of trust.
"Looking for something in particular?"
The old man who appeared to be the artifact merchant was... a cultivator. His cultivation realm was at the Qi Refining stage, possessing an amount of spiritual energy that seemed to place him around 5-Star or 6-Star Qi Refining.
It seemed items used by cultivators were indeed traded among cultivators.
"Could I get an explanation of the artifacts you have?"
"An explanation costs one spirit stone, but since it's your first visit, I'll explain three for free."
Ise accepted this without a fuss and pointed at a hand-shaped artifact.
"That one is a hand-worn artifact. Called the Capturing Hand, it can draw in distant objects or lightweight living beings and adhere them to your palm. The price is eighty spirit stones."
"Oh... impressive. What about this one?"
"That one..." The artifact merchant paused mid-sentence.
"...?"
"That is an artifact used for Dual Cultivation Arts. You don't need to know about it yet, so ask about something else."