Chapter 40
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 40
Cheongsangyeong was still a city overflowing with the stench of humanity.
In other words, it was brimming with turbid Qi.
The further he progressed in his cultivation, the more repulsive he found the turbid Qi emanating from mortals. It was proof of how far he had distanced himself from ordinary humans.
Ise headed toward the Daoist street. Whenever he left the Training Center on a mission, he made a habit of browsing the market.
His first stop was the spirit herb shop.
Stored securely inside his painting album was the meat of a new demonic beast—the Cat-Headed Snake—which he had just obtained upon completing his mission. He stopped by to restock on missing supplementary ingredients and to see if any new materials were available.
"You again?"
"Yes. What a warm greeting."
The shop owner—a Qi Refining cultivator at the same realm as Ise—let out a deep sigh the moment he saw him. While it was exceedingly rude behavior toward a customer, Ise knew the reason behind it and simply browsed the goods in silence.
"Do you have any newly arrived spirit herbs?"
"I do. The Black Jade Herb. It only appears during this season."
The merchant opened a wooden box radiating a gentle warmth. Ise's eyes shifted to the bundle of spirit herbs preserved inside. It was a plant that briefly bloomed and withered in midsummer along sun-drenched coasts. It wasn't particularly rare, but as a seasonal herb, it was well worth picking up.
"How much per root?"
"Sixteen spirit stones."
"That's too expensive. I don't suppose I could get just one spirit stone's worth ground into powder?"
"If you weren't a disciple of the Great Martial Dao, I would have thrown salt at you by now."
Ise handed over a spirit stone with a look of regret.
"Please give me one spirit stone's worth each of powdered Decade Herb, Fragrant Cat Herb, and Soft Pine."
"Again? If you're going to do this, just buy in bulk from the start!"
"If stored for too long, their potency diminishes."
"What can you even accomplish with such a tiny amount? Buying in pinches every time doesn't even cover the labor cost to grind them."
"At least I buy exclusively from you. I don't go anywhere else."
"Of course you don't! Mine is the only spirit herb shop here in the first place!"
The shop owner looked infuriated, but a customer was still a customer. Since both were constantly drained of resources trying to raise their realms, the merchant—as a cultivator of the same level—wasn't completely incapable of understanding the young man before him.
Right... The fact that he keeps sourcing spirit herbs must mean he's an alchemist. He might become a big client down the road.
Without further grumbling, the merchant neatly wrapped the Black Jade Herb and the spirit herb powders before handing them over. Ise tucked them deep into his robes, gave a polite nod, and stepped out.
His reason for buying spirit herbs in such small quantities was simple: he didn't need much to begin with.
Combinations of spirit beast meat and spiritual ingredients were already outlined in the basic manuals of Spirit Food, and many recipes were widely known to the public. However, combining demonic beast meat with spiritual ingredients was entirely unprecedented.
From start to finish, Ise had to experiment, verify the effects, and record everything himself. Once he discovered the optimal synergy, he would buy only as much of that specific material as he needed.
As these findings accumulated, a proper formula and system would eventually take shape. Until then, he had to repeat this tedious process. It gave Ise a renewed sense of respect for the grandmasters who had created cultivation arts and dharma spells from scratch.
Next, he headed to the secret manual bookstore.
The owner also scowled blatantly upon seeing him. Ise felt as though he hadn't made a particularly good impression on the merchants of Cheongsangyeong.
"...You didn't come just to browse again, did you?"
Considering Ise left empty-handed every time after only reading the freely accessible previews, the reaction was understandable.
"I'd love to buy something, but nothing really catches my eye."
"Just how grand of a manual are you expecting to find in a small bookstore like this?"
Instead of answering, Ise ran his fingers over the names carved into the outsides of the bamboo slips. Opening one revealed only the introductory first page; the remaining text was sealed by a spell.
Secret manuals in the cultivation world were broadly divided into two types: cultivation manuals containing heart methods to raise one's realm, and spell manuals used to learn various dharma spells.
Most spell manuals were only useful once a cultivator reached the Mid Qi Refining Stage or higher. Only after crossing that minor realm could they manipulate Dharma power. While some cultivation arts inherently included spells, most dharma spells required separate practice.
The secret manuals within his price range were useless dross of questionable practicality, while those that caught his interest commanded prices in the hundreds of spirit stones. Not only did he lack that kind of wealth, but even if he had it, none of the texts were enticing enough to buy in advance. He judged it wiser to return and procure what he needed after breaking through to the next minor realm.
"Do you have any technical books related to Spirit Food preparation?"
"Spirit Food, is it? Barely anyone looks for that, so I rarely stock it. How about a guide on cultivating Spirit Rice?"
The bookstore owner pulled a book from a stack inside a wooden chest marked with the words, '20 spirit stones per volume. 30 for two,' and handed it over.
Spirit Rice. Rice infused with spiritual energy. Even when simply boiled into a plain bowl of rice, it possessed exceptional turbid Qi suppression effects. It paired reasonably well with almost any demonic beast meat, making it a highly versatile ingredient.
Ise immediately turned to the first page.
While the Scripture Hall of the Great Martial Dao also possessed books on Spirit Food, they were introductory texts that provided only a high-level overview. This book, however, contained specialized, concentrated information on cultivating Spirit Rice—from growing environments and the precise timing for spiritual energy injection, all the way to post-harvest storage methods.
After checking the table of contents on the first page, Ise closed the book.
"I'll take this."
He paid the twenty spirit stones. Spending his funds on a technical manual rather than a cultivation or spell manual felt like a bit of a waste, but he couldn't keep browsing for free indefinitely. Besides, it was a necessary investment for his future.
"If any new secret manuals related to Spirit Food come in, I'd appreciate it if you could set them aside for me."
"Will do. Next time, buy a spell manual as well. Look closely, and you'll find plenty of useful ones."
Ise smiled, agreed, and left the bookstore.
So much to buy, and far too few spirit stones.
He needed to replace his destroyed shield, but his most urgent priority was cooking utensils. Fortunately, he had a fine tool in his Spirit Food Knife, but a knife alone wasn't enough.
Cutting boards, cauldrons, tableware—he needed to replace every single utensil that came into contact with his ingredients with Dharma artifacts. They had to be made of spirit materials or rare metals that wouldn't degrade the efficacy of his Spirit Food. He had already verified that whenever Spirit Food touched mundane items used by mortals, its potency diminished slightly.
Don't skimp on this.
Once he established a solid foundation, he could always earn the spirit stones back. Hadn't he already confirmed there was a clear demand?
Ise spent all his remaining spirit stones to purchase as much Mystic Iron as he could afford. It would have been wonderful if he could obtain Cold Iron, Spirit Bones, or even Black Iron, but that was wishful thinking. Still, Mystic Iron would be far superior to hundred-fold refined steel or ordinary iron.
Just then, a messenger talisman flew out from somewhere and fluttered in front of him. When he extended his arm, the talisman settled onto his palm.
— To the Management Office.
It seemed to be a message sent by U Jeol.
How did he know I was here?
Ise examined the talisman from various angles, but found no traces of tracking spells or similar magic. There was no other text. After checking the message, he injected spiritual energy into the paper, reducing it to powder that scattered in the wind.
When he returned to the Training Center, U Jeol was waiting in front of the Management Office.
"Did you call for me?"
"You returned quickly. Were you nearby?"
"Yes. Here is the mission completion report."
While U Jeol transcribed the report, Ise checked the mission notice board. It was completely empty. Missions had been sparse lately.
"Why have missions been so rare these days?"
"It must be because industrious initiate disciples dried up the supply of low-grade demon ghosts. Reflect on yourself."
Ise readily accepted the answer. The senior cultivator standing before him possessed an exceptional knack for leaving people speechless.
After a moment, U Jeol added unexpectedly, "I heard there's an impure element who, instead of focusing on cultivation, turned into a cook to earn spirit stones. I'm contemplating whether to report this to the Kirin Hall Master."
"This junior was foolish. From now on, I will make sure to set aside your share separately."
"Talent in the auxiliary arts is rare by nature. Do not worry, and devote yourself to your work."
He was truly a cultivator filled with human warmth. Ise barely suppressed a chuckle before getting to the main point.
"May I ask why you summoned me?"
U Jeol drew a sealed letter from his robes.
"It's a letter sent by Hall Master Hae Il of the Azure Dragon Hall."
At the news he had been waiting for, Ise's heart began to race. When U Jeol injected spiritual energy into the sealed letter, the chain-like illusion binding it dissolved. Taking it, Ise carefully checked the contents. On a thin sheet of pine paper, a brief location and a simple map had been drawn.
"This is... a map."
"It must be where the Azure Dragon Hall Master resides. Go."
"So I am to go directly to him."
"Did you expect the Azure Dragon Hall Master to come see you? He is a very busy man."
The place marked on the map was the Black Tortoise Plateau on the Hangsan Peninsula. It was situated right in the center of the large landmass that jutted out to the southwest of the Three Peninsular Kingdoms.
"Is this, by any chance, the main mountain of the Great Martial Dao?"
"I wouldn't know. Only the recipient can check the contents of a letter from a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator. But there is no history of the Sect sharing the location of the main mountain with an initiate disciple."
Ise had wondered if he might get a look at the main mountain while he was at it, but security seemed tighter than expected.
"Depart immediately."
"Yes. I shall be on my way."
Ise took the spirit stones and the demonic beast carcass U Jeol handed him, offered a respectful bow, and withdrew.
* * *
It took Ise five full days to reach his destination.
Even though he rushed his steps with an eager heart, the distance was quite substantial. After arriving at the Black Tortoise Plateau, Ise realized that the main mountain of the Great Martial Dao might indeed be nearby. There was no hard evidence, but his intuition was screaming that it was so.
If one were to choose a location for the main mountain of the Great Martial Dao, this place would be ideal. It sat at the southwestern tip of the Three Peninsular Kingdoms. The interior of the Hangsan Peninsula was a massive mountain range; mortal cities were settled along the coastline, while further inland unfolded rugged terrain worthy of being called a natural fortress.
The elevation was so high and rough that even flying birds would grow exhausted and need to rest mid-passage. Among those peaks, the Black Tortoise Plateau rested so high that one could look down upon the clouds.
How strange.
What was even more mysterious was its shape. It was almost as if the terrain had been neatly sliced clean through, like a carrot chopped with a kitchen knife. He wondered if it could really be an artificial creation. But remembering Hall Master Hong Mi-hui lifting an entire training room, it didn't seem entirely impossible.
A plateau perched above the clouds. A single isolated building stood on that vast, empty land. It had black roof tiles and red pillars, and a stone statue of an azure dragon sat atop the roof, its maw open toward the south.
There was no sign of human presence nearby. The doors of the residence were closed.
Should I wait here?
He thought about knocking on the door, but stopped, realizing it might be disrespectful to recklessly touch the abode of a Great Cultivator. Instead, he decided to sit cross-legged and pass the time by cultivating.
Before long, as if sensing Ise's arrival, the air ruptured.
It wasn't a figure of speech. Literally, the intact air split apart like tearing paper, and from the gap emerged a man clad in blue Daoist robes.
Above his hero's headband, a two-pronged feathered crown swayed in the wind. He was a young, strikingly handsome man whose features subtly resembled those of Hae Un-chan. Yet, Ise could not get a proper look at Hae Il's face.
The moment the man's soles touched the ground, an immense spiritual pressure poured forth, crushing down upon Ise's entire body.
At first, his breath hitched. Soon, his field of vision narrowed. Then, the strength drained from his limbs, and his mind grew dazed.
It was on an entirely different level from the pressure he had felt when he first met Kang I-tae. If that had been a waterfall, this was a massive tidal wave.
Hae Il.
It was a spiritual pressure whose overwhelming momentum seemed to embody his very name. His consciousness flickered in and out.
* * *
"Ah, my apologies for that."
Those were the first words he heard upon opening his eyes. Ise was lying flat on his back, while Hae Il sat cross-legged in midair, scratching his head with an embarrassed look.
"It's been so long since I last saw a fledgling like you that I didn't even think about it."
Ise looked up at Hae Il from the ground. Reflexively, he tried to stand, but his muscles were completely limp, as if he had just suffered a full-body cramp. He was barely able to prop himself up on his elbows.
"This initiate disciple... apologizes for offering his first greeting in such a disrespectful posture. I am Ise."
"It's fine. Normally, you shouldn't even be able to speak. Doing this much is commendable. I am Hae Il."
The sole Nascent Soul Great Cultivator of the Eastern Continent.
This was his first meeting with Hae Il.