The Stirring of the Heat Soul Tribulation
He was slightly concerned that Unhae Jinjun might resume his pursuit, but he could not keep wandering without any destination. Thus, he boldly set his course toward the location of the Divine Tree Yang Origin Soft Body Art.
In truth, he had considered claiming the Dao scriptures first from the palace at the map’s center. Yet the competition there would undoubtedly be ferocious, with Deification-stage and higher existences swarming the site. He had refrained, unwilling to become a shrimp crushed between battling whales.
They say a grand array lies there as well. Even if I went now, I might simply have to wait idly or return empty-handed.
He could always visit later, once the area had grown quiet, assess the situation, and then decide whether to try again. After all, this was a world he had entered through the Mountain Sea Pearl.
So he traveled toward Bongbeop Mountain, where the Divine Tree Yang Origin Soft Body Art was said to reside.
And then, without warning, the Heat Soul Tribulation flared.
Though momentarily startled, he kept his composure, sharply changed direction, and covered a considerable distance. The detour took him off the original route to his destination—an action chosen with Unhae Jinjun’s pursuit firmly in mind.
Roughly an hour later, he had carved out a temporary cave in a suitable spot on a rocky mountain and settled inside. Seated in meditation, he poured every ounce of his focus into calming the fracturing thoughts and emotions.
Beside him, Mu-yong watched with evident worry. Next to her, Wonhee fiddled absently with an incense burner, her attention elsewhere.
This flare-up had been triggered by his feelings toward Unhae Jinjun.
How dare you interfere with me in such a way!
He had merely counterattacked and slain those who struck first. Just how insignificant did that bastard consider him to warrant such an attempt on his life?
What should have been a matter of course now stirred fresh resentment and rage that bubbled hotly inside him. The innate pride and arrogance woven into the dragon race’s bloodline reacted with sharp sensitivity to the humiliation.
Whether through the Dream-Reality Taiji or any other means, he wanted to focus on evolving into a true dragon—the surest path to greater strength—so he could repay this insult.
Fortunately, though sensitive, his condition had not deteriorated into uncontrollable anger.
It did not take long for him to gently gather and settle the splintering thoughts and emotions. He had successfully suppressed the Heat Soul Tribulation’s outburst.
Yet when he slowly opened his eyes, his expression remained far from relaxed.
For now, I have a rough understanding of when the Heat Soul Tribulation flares more easily.
It seemed to occur in situations that allowed for feelings of injustice or fury. If he remained mindful of this, he might reduce the frequency of such episodes as much as possible.
But the real problem is…
Caution alone could not guarantee perfect prevention, and the fact that this flare-up had been easily quelled offered no assurance the next one would be so simple to subdue.
What if, in an unavoidable situation, two completely irreconcilable thoughts and emotions collided?
It might invite a heart demon alongside the Heat Soul Tribulation.
Dealing with that heart demon could spawn yet another unforeseen problem. In the worst case, a third personality might emerge, causing his thoughts and emotions to fracture into three or more directions during every episode.
In truth, it was a worry without any sharp solution. As he had considered once before, all he could do was trust his own abilities and handle each moment to the best of his ability—while avoiding situations likely to trigger the Heat Soul Tribulation, as he had realized this time.
He wanted to refine and consume the Seonwon Dojong Pill as soon as possible.
At present, it felt like the only method that could resolve the Heat Soul Tribulation at its root. Should his personality split into three or more later, even that might cease to work.
“Hmm…”
The more he pondered, the more the worries swelled like a mountain. He deliberately gathered and set them aside.
When he opened his eyes, his gaze fell on the incense burner Wonhee had been toying with. It was the spiritual treasure he had obtained after killing a Nascent Soul elder of the Wungok Sect. Despite containing demon-warding power, she showed no aversion to it whatsoever.
When my eyes are closed, it might even feel pleasant to her.
Though Wonhee was a ghost, the events he had triggered through the Mountain Sea Pearl had placed her in a very special state. When she closed her eyes, none of her ghostly traits appeared; she seemed like an ordinary living person.
“Do you like it?”
At the question, Wonhee nodded vigorously. She glanced back and forth between the incense burner and Han Yujin, her expression clearly longing for something.
“...Ah.”
Understanding instantly, he took out the Clear Spirit Calming Incense and placed it into the burner. The artifact’s own function ignited it at once, and smoke began to rise.
The smoke soon shaped itself into the form of a phoenix, seemingly amplifying the incense’s effect more than twofold.
“Oh.”
Even Han Yujin was mildly surprised. It seemed the burner’s form was no mere decoration.
Wonhee now appeared truly fond of it. She hugged the burner tightly with both arms, showing no intention of letting go.
“You really like it, huh?”
She nodded again, then spoke.
Han Yujin felt a swell of satisfaction and warmth in response. At the same time, the word “warm” somehow stirred a pang of pity.
“I’ll give it to you as a gift. Later, when the chance comes, we’ll find an even better one.”
Nodding once more, Wonhee vanished into his shadow while still clutching the burner. For a moment he stared at his own shadow, wondering whether she could still smell the incense from within.
“Do you want to keep these as well?”
He pulled out the entire bundle of Clear Spirit Calming Incense—minus two sticks reserved for emergencies—and held it up. The shadow briefly transformed into a feminine silhouette and reached out a hand.
When he handed the bundle over, the phenomenon vanished without a trace, returning to normal. Mu-yong, who had been watching, wore an unmistakably envious expression.
“What are you jealous of?”
“Jjik! Jjik…!”
“Once you can undergo humanoid transformation, I’ll give you a spacer ring.”
“Jjik! Jjijik!”
“You don’t want it? Then what do you plan to do?”
Chatting about nothing of great importance, he stepped out of the temporary cave.
* * *
A full day had passed by the time he reached Bongbeop Mountain. The scale of this secret realm truly defied imagination. Even a rough estimate suggested it was hundreds of times larger than Earth.
This is absurd… truly.
During his journey he had flown high into the sky to survey the area, but at a certain point the space-time turbulence grew unbearable and forced him to retreat.
In short, this was not a natural planet but an artificially created space, much like the Mountain Sea Pearl. That was likely why it was called a secret realm.
Just how could anyone create a domain so vast and maintain it across such eons?
The natural conclusion was that the secret realm’s creator had been a True Immortal. It also raised questions about how a sect established in a True Immortal’s domain had fallen into ruin.
Regardless, the Bongbeop Mountain before him boasted a size and height befitting the secret realm’s immense scale.
Had such a majestic mountain existed on Earth, it would surely have been called a divine peak and given birth to countless myths and legends.
Examining the clearly present formation with the Yin-Yang True Dragon Eye and his divine sense, he inwardly clicked his tongue. As expected of a secret realm, it was a profound restriction whose depths were difficult to measure.
It felt linked to the secret realm itself, making complete destruction seem impossible and even creating minor loopholes extremely difficult.
I suppose I must simply find the entrance.
Exercising patience, he circled more than half the mountain before locating the proper path.
A massive gate stood in clear declaration that entry was permitted only through here. It was wide open, not sealed, meaning anyone who had arrived earlier could have entered without the slightest difficulty.
Judging no immediate danger, Han Yujin stepped through the gate.
The instant he did, he realized far stricter and heavier restrictions were active here than he had anticipated.
First, no flight.
Aside from brief jumps or drops, every action clearly classified as flight was forbidden. With his formation master-level ability, he could discern this without needing to experiment.
A minor accidental violation might be overlooked, but the more severe the breach, the harsher the punishment would become.
Next, no leaving the path.
Straying from the stairs would likewise exact a price.
It appeared Bongbeop Mountain also served as a testing ground or qualification site. With a mix of interest and mild tension, he began ascending the stairs.
The inability to fly did not prevent the use of escape arts. Enveloped in the light of the Five Elements Heavenly Escape Art, he climbed dozens of stairs in a single stride. From a distance, it would have looked like a streak of light racing upward at tremendous speed.
Along the way, he discovered the corpse of a fallen cultivator. The body was badly damaged, making his exact realm hard to determine, but it was at least Core Formation stage.
Even a Core Formation expert ends up as nothing but a fly’s life here.
No matter how advanced the cultivation world might be, a Core Formation cultivator could easily dominate a remote region. Even in prosperous areas, they were never considered insignificant.
In Cheonwon Province alone, Core Formation cultivators lectured and performed important roles.
Unfortunately, the level of this secret realm was simply too high.
Low-levels shouldn’t recklessly covet high-level dungeons.
Passing the corpse and continuing upward, he let his thoughts flow.
…Though I might still be a low-level myself.
If, by chance, a Void Refinement or Body Integration stage cultivator—higher than Deification—had entered this secret realm, the moment he irritated them he would die.
Seen that way, even Unhae Jinjun cannot rampage wildly while chasing me.
Especially in the palace at the center of this secret realm. It had been wise not to hurry there.
The treasures here were mostly obsolete soft body techniques considered non-mainstream, so competition should be relatively mild.
A short while later, he reached the area near the summit and discovered a large entrance leading inward. Once again he paused to assess any dangers.
The moment he cautiously stepped inside, he was startled by the sensation of all his dharma power freezing solid and becoming sealed. Even his divine sense was extremely suppressed, allowing him to scan only about ten meters around him.
“Jjik…!”
Mu-yong flinched in surprise and reflexively clutched his collar, as though she had nearly fallen.
It wasn’t called Bongbeop Mountain for nothing!
He let out a short internal sigh and checked the shadow. Surprisingly, there seemed to be no major issue—Wonhee remained quietly hidden. However, she probably would not be able to emerge and fight alongside him in an emergency.
“......”
He observed his own condition and the surrounding environment in silence, then suddenly smiled at the realization that this was not necessarily a bad thing.
Unhae Jinjun, if you follow me all the way here, I would be truly grateful!
No matter if he was a Deification True Lord, he would be unable to defy this mountain’s restrictions alone. In a situation where both dharma power and divine sense were sealed, Han Yujin—who had achieved the Dharma Body Pair of Hands—would hold a very advantageous position.
Indeed, who will end up butchering whom like a dog?
Beaming, he descended along the inner passage. He was already curious what he might obtain from killing a Deification-stage cultivator.
A few minutes later, the spiraling downward passage ended, opening into a fairly wide chamber.
The moment he entered, the gazes of six cultivators—split into two opposing groups of three—locked onto him at once.
“Who are you?”
A woman whose beauty carried a strong venomous air, suggesting she was likely a demonic cultivator, asked in a gloomy voice.
“Then who are you?”
“...How dare you!”
The woman openly displayed her displeasure with an arrogant attitude.
Even so, she rolled her eyes, gauging their strength, then looked toward the three cultivators opposite her and spoke.
“Isn’t this perfect timing? It seems ideal to send that fellow in first.”
“Hm.”
The young man who received the suggestion nodded with a rather solemn expression.
“It would be good to send the four of us excluding ourselves. We can gauge their skills as well.”
“Fine.”
The woman who answered readily signaled her two subordinates with her eyes. The young man did the same to the pair beside him.
Instead of attacking immediately, the four swiftly formed an encirclement that blocked all escape routes. Han Yujin, who had been watching their movements closely, did not tense at all. He simply let out a soft chuckle.
“You’re too hasty. Has it not occurred to you that I might be a Nascent Soul stage cultivator?”
“We have already identified all such individuals. There is no chance you are one of them.”
The young man spoke in a still solemn and calm tone, his attitude clearly dismissive of Han Yujin.
“Surrender obediently and I will prepare a path for you to live. If you perform the assigned tasks well, arranging a position for you in Taeqing Palace would not be impossible.”
Han Yujin shifted his gaze away from them, swept it once across the chamber, and chuckled again.
Immediately afterward—
BOOM—!!
With an explosive sound, his figure shot forward like lightning and slammed into one of the cultivators forming the encirclement.
The startled man swung his sword with considerable speed and power, but Han Yujin’s fist had already smashed into his jaw while a leg—its origin impossible to track—smashed into his flank.
Then, using a joint-locking technique befitting the creator of Wonryeok Mudo, he seized the sword. Leaving the now half-crippled opponent behind, he turned toward the young man.
“Kowtow and beg, and I’ll spare your life.”
He was smiling with clear amusement.
“You appear to be a Nascent Soul elder. Wouldn’t it be unfair to reach such a realm only to be beaten to death in a place like this?”