Chapter 42
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 42
As Ise mulled over Hae Il’s final piece of homework, he let out a dazed sound.
“Ah, well… pardon?”
At that reaction, Hae Il mentally calculated the boy’s age, realized his mistake, and gave an embarrassed chuckle.
“I was a bit too impatient. It must sound bewildering to a greenhorn like you.”
Hae Il’s smile vanished as he added seriously, “Just keep it in mind for now. No matter how much others pressure you, if you don’t want to, you don’t have to. But your constitution is a precious one, is it not? Its lineage must be preserved. Have you ever thought about Ascension?”
“I have never thought about it.”
“I suppose not. Still, even if you eventually ascend, the Great Martial Dao can continue to flourish if you leave descendants behind. Should you develop a sense of belonging and affection for this place, consider those who will remain.”
Ascension to the Heavenly Realm. Information about it was exceedingly scarce. All that was known was that a universe of Immortals existed above the Mortal Realm, and one had to ascend to reach those higher planes.
However, Ise felt no such need. He had heard that reaching the Soul Transformation Stage alone granted an unimaginable lifespan, and he was still a world away from that. He was nowhere near Foundation Establishment; he hadn't even broken through his first minor realm yet. To him, it all sounded like a story from another world.
Ise simply nodded in response. Hae Il offered a generous gaze, as if he understood.
After staring at the sky for a moment, Hae Il stood up.
“Is this enough to get you where you wanted? Again, I don’t know any more than what I’ve told you. Figure out the rest on your own, and once you complete the Yin-Yang Origin Return Art, we can dig deeper into it together.”
His tone suggested their business was concluded.
Before Hae Il could leave, Ise spoke up, his voice hurried. He knew he was already deeply indebted. While their agreement had only been for a single day of instruction, Ise wasn't careless enough to point that out. Detaining a Great Cultivator who was about to depart was disrespectful, even arrogant.
Yet Ise couldn't let this precious opportunity slip away.
“If you have a moment, could you offer this junior one last piece of valuable advice? My cultivation… has hit a standstill at the first minor realm.”
Hae Il stopped and turned back to look at Ise. His eyes swept over Ise’s spirit veins once more.
“Hmm. Judging by the spiritual energy you’ve amassed, you’ve long surpassed the 5-Star level.”
Ise met his gaze in silent agreement. Amass spiritual energy, then gain enlightenment. Of the two, his spiritual energy had already accumulated to the point of overflowing.
“How long did it take you to reach 4-Star?”
“About a month and a half.”
“From 3-Star to 4-Star? That’s absurdly fast.”
“…No, it has been a month and a half since I first entered the cultivation world.”
“……”
Hae Il remained silent, staring as if observing some bizarre anomaly, before letting out a dry chuckle.
‘Woo Yu-hee wouldn’t even be able to show her face. This might be faster than the Dao Master.’
Hae Il kept the thought to himself. This speed of advancement couldn't be achieved by physique alone. It meant the boy’s comprehension was exceptional and that he approached cultivation with a terrifying, desperate discipline. Compared to the Dao Master, who spent more time beating up other cultivators than actually cultivating, this was a massive blessing for the Great Martial Dao.
“Considering the average speed of Single Spirit Root Cultivators and your level of comprehension, you should have already advanced. I guarantee you were blocked because of the Gu in your head. It’s remarkable you managed to advance this far with the path to your Baihui Acupoint sealed. If you try again now, you should get the hang of it right away.”
Hae Il stepped closer to Ise, who was still kneeling, and added, “Up until now, you were essentially shooting arrows with one eye closed.”
His failure to break through the minor realm wasn't due to a lack of talent, but the Gu’s interference. The wall that had shown no sign of cracking despite three months of pounding against it had actually been a barrier erected by someone else.
Relief washed over him, overwhelming any sense of injustice. If he hadn't met Hall Master Hae Il… the thought alone was horrifying.
Ise straightened his back and waited for Hae Il’s next words.
“Close your eyes and recall the most intense memory of an attribute you’ve experienced.”
Ise closed his eyes immediately.
“For example, the memory of your body burning when you fought that rogue cultivator. Recall that sensation and continuously picture your spiritual energy blazing up.”
The memory of Kim Si-won’s Fire Attribute spell burning his body. It was one of the most painful moments of Ise’s life. Even now, the agony of his flesh and bones melting felt vivid.
“Now, wrap your entire body in spiritual energy.”
Ise calmly followed his guidance.
“Don’t just imagine it—truly believe that your spiritual energy is burning your body.”
Ise was swept up in the illusion that his entire body was truly ablaze. It was hard to tell if this was because the bug in his head was gone or because of the sheer power behind the Great Cultivator’s words. While his body fell as still as death, the spiritual energy within him roared to life like a brilliant inferno.
“Feel like you’re getting the hang of it?” Hae Il asked, watching the motionless Ise.
He hadn't offered the advice with the expectation of immediate results. He was simply passing down the method he had once used to a promising junior.
“Well, look at this kid.”
This fledgling had fallen straight into a State of No-Self right in front of his grand senior. Hae Il wasn't sure whether to admire the boy's talent or punish his impudence. Though clearly a novice in the early Qi Refining Stage, his comprehension and concentration were terrifyingly exceptional.
A moment later, a haze rose from Ise’s body, and flames erupted around him. The spiritual energy wrapping his shoulders and arms flickered and blazed like a real fire.
“By the way, how long are you planning to stay like that?”
While a disciple of the Great Martial Dao gaining enlightenment was a joyous occasion, he was hardly in a position to act as a bodyguard for a Qi Refining Stage kid.
“Ah, damn it. I’ll give you exactly one double-hour.”
Sounding disgruntled, Hae Il went into his residence and returned with a few sweet potatoes grown in spirit soil. As he held them near the flames emanating from Ise, the skins sizzled, releasing a savory aroma. The flames of a Qi Refining novice were perfect for roasting sweet potatoes. Hae Il himself struggled with fine power control and often ended up burning them.
“Nice.”
Hae Il smiled in satisfaction.
* * *
Ise’s State of No-Self did not end in one double-hour.
The intensity of the flames steadily grew. At first, they were just enough to roast sweet potatoes, but now the heat was strong enough to singe the hem of Hae Il’s robes.
“Wait, did this kid seriously intend to make his grand senior stand guard for him?”
Once he’d gained a reasonable amount of enlightenment, he should have snapped out of it, bowed deeply, and left! Kids these days, honestly…
It was absurd. Hae Il was so busy he could have used a clone. The Head Steward was nagging him for help with the internal affairs of the Great Martial Dao, and his business in the capital was still unfinished.
Yet leaving a novice in a State of No-Self, with no telling when it would end, was also a problem. It was safe inside his cave abode, but the cultivation world was a place where anything could happen. More than a few bastards were watching for any chance to take his head, so he had to put some measures in place.
If it were Kang I-tae, he would have babbled on about how ‘protecting a disciple of the Great Martial Dao gaining enlightenment, even at the cost of one’s life, is a core principle,’ and would have stayed by his side—
‘Consider it an honor, kid.’
After some deliberation, Hae Il cast a barrier around Ise. Since it was a barrier cast personally by a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator, nothing could pass through it—neither from the outside nor from the inside.
“I’ll be back shortly to undo it, so keep cultivating hard.”
Hae Il brushed the sweet potato skins from his hands and stood up.
* * *
At the main mountain of the Great Martial Dao, a tear opened in the space within the office of Su Gyeom, who served as both Head Steward of the sect and Hall Master of the Yellow Dragon Hall.
“Senior Hae Il.”
Head Steward Su Gyeom addressed the visitor without even looking up. A moment later, Hae Il appeared.
“Please use the door,” the Head Steward said, setting down his brush on a neatly organized desk. He was used to this and showed no surprise.
Hae Il placed a sealed glass bottle on the desk. “This was planted in an initiate disciple. Analyze it and find out its purpose.”
The Head Steward lifted the bottle. His brows furrowed as he saw the pitch-black bug wriggling inside. “A spy?”
“The kid seemed completely unaware. By any chance, has anyone recently advanced from the Mid Core Formation Stage to the Late Core Formation Stage?”
“Hmm. There have been no notable movements in the political situation of the Jeong Kingdom, but realm advancements of high-ranking cultivators are treated as top-secret information by every faction.”
Hae Il briefly relayed what he had learned from Ise. The Head Steward listened with an intrigued expression before replying plainly, “I will take note of it.”
“Anyway, I’m heading back to the capital. Tell them I’ll handle the backlogged work later. Or you can do it.”
It wasn't so much that the work was backlogged as it was that he had postponed most of his duties, but the Head Steward didn't bother arguing. The Great Cultivator before him held a position that afforded him the right to be unreasonable, arrogant, and brazen.
“Are you leaving already? It hasn’t even been half a month since you returned.”
“I left something unfinished. I’ll be back quickly this time.”
The Head Steward nodded, then caught a glimpse of Hae Il’s face. A trace of a smile lingered there.
“You seem to have taken quite a liking to that boy, judging by your bright expression.”
“He just… reminded me of the old days.”
Hae Il didn't elaborate, and the Head Steward didn't pry. Instead, he simply returned to his duties.
“I, too, would like to meet him if he shares the same constitution as that person… but we shouldn't fuel unnecessary vanity in a young boy. I’ve already warned the other Hall Masters to keep it quiet.”
“Well, I’m sure you’ll handle it. Anyway, take care.”
Hae Il tore open space once more. Before stepping through, he paused. The thought of leaving Ise trapped inside the barrier bothered him slightly, but he figured he would be back shortly anyway.
It wouldn't take long.
With that thought, Hae Il vanished.
“I told you to use the door,” the Head Steward’s low voice echoed through the empty room.
* * *
Ise opened his eyes. When his mind cleared, his surroundings were shrouded in darkness. In the pitch-black night, only the lantern illuminating the Azure Dragon Hall Master’s residence cast a dim glow.
Only then did he realize he had been so absorbed in cultivation that he had lost all track of time. He immediately looked for Hae Il, but he was alone.
‘He has left.’
It was a relief, in a way. As Ise reflected on his audacity in making the Azure Dragon Hall Master wait, he prepared to stand up—and caught sight of the translucent barrier surrounding him.
‘Did the Hall Master cast a barrier for me?’
He must have been concerned that Ise might fall into danger while lost in his State of No-Self. Deeply grateful for the senior Great Cultivator’s boundless grace, Ise bowed deeply toward the residence before slowly walking north.
And then he bumped straight into the barrier wall.
“…?”
He tried channeling spiritual energy into it, but it didn't budge. It was a barrier created by a Nascent Soul Great Cultivator; naturally, he couldn't even leave a scratch on it. It was a barrier in the truest sense, segregating the space itself so that no living creature could pass through.
“Hall Master Hae Il?” Ise called out softly toward the residence, wondering if his senior might be resting inside, but no answer came.
After a long silence, Ise finally realized the truth: he was trapped.
‘…He wouldn’t forget about me, right?’
According to the rumors, whenever Hall Master Hae Il traveled abroad, he would be gone for anywhere from several years to several decades.
What if he had forgotten about him and left the main mountain?
Standing in a space containing nothing but the sweet potato skins scattered across the ground, Ise could only stare, a look of utter disbelief frozen on his face.