Chapter 15: Flame Orb
I hurried back to my cave, eager to test out the superior magic tool called the Flame Orb. The Martial Pavilion Lord had said I had a good eye, so there had to be some hidden effect or outstanding power in it that I didn't know about.
Once I arrived at the cave, I pulled the Flame Orb from my storage ring. It was a red bead about the size of my palm, and even just holding it transmitted a palpable heat. When I channeled my magic power into it, the surrounding air grew even hotter.
Just like forming a fireball with the Yin-Yang Art, I used the Flame Orb to create one and pressed it against the cave wall. Sizzle! In an instant, the wall melted and bubbled furiously.
Normally, I shaped my magic power into fireballs using the Yin-Yang Art's method, but routing it through the Flame Orb amplified the power. Curious about its full potential, I decided to pour in all my magic power to find out.
My cave was in a remote corner of the Unkak Sect anyway, with no other disciples around. I stepped outside and peered down at the cliff below, spreading my divine sense to confirm no one was nearby.
Slowly, I began infusing magic power into the Flame Orb. Pure magical energy flowed endlessly into it, and when it had absorbed about seventy percent, a dragon's roar echoed as a fire dragon emerged from the orb.
The five- zhang-long fire dragon exuded an overwhelming pressure of spiritual energy that was utterly terrifying. I was quite satisfied. Sending it hurtling down the cliff, a massive explosion rang out, turning a ten- zhang radius into a sea of flames.
BOOM!RUMBLE!
"Impressive. At this level, even that ridiculously tough Black Blood Zombie could be killed."
After admiring the spectacular sight the fire dragon had created, I realized it might draw attention from others at the sect gate. I extinguished the flames with a blast of cold air.
"What are you doing right now?"
"……!"
Yeop Inyeong had appeared without a sound, arms crossed, staring at me coolly.
"Disciple Yuseong pays respects to the Library Pavilion Lord. I was testing the Flame Orb I received as a reward for completing the mission to kill the evil disciple."
"Flame Orb?"
With a flick of her hand, the Flame Orb flew from my grasp to her in an instant. I hadn't even had a chance to react before losing control of the magic tool. As expected of the Nascent Soul stage.
"For a Qi Refining cultivator like you, this is an excellent magic tool. From that fire dragon just now, it looked like it was a strain for a 7th star Qi Refining like you to wield—but you must have quite a lot of magic power?"
"Haha, I've just been diligent in my cultivation."
Yeop Inyeong eyed me suspiciously before speaking.
"Does the Flame Orb have a hidden function? Is that why you chose it?"
Hidden function! The Martial Pavilion Lord must have known about it and said those words to me on purpose.
I quickly bowed at the waist, adopting a polite expression.
"Pavilion Lord, please instruct me."
"Huh? Why should I? With no benefit to me?"
Could I figure out the hidden function on my own?
"If there's anything you need from me later, I'll do it within my power."
Yeop Inyeong sneered at my words.
"Would a Nascent Soul like me have any tasks for a mere 7th star Qi Refining like you?"
Fine, Nascent Soul, big deal. But I'll bow my head for now. We'll see later.
"I'm at Qi Refining 7th star now, but who knows what the future holds? In the cultivation world, I could become a Nascent Soul expert."
"Hah? Listen to this guy—words flow like a clear stream. Then you know that out of thousands of Qi Refining cultivators, fewer than twenty make it to Nascent Soul?"
"I know. And one of them will be me."
Yeop Inyeong, who had been sneering at first, no longer mocked me.
"Fine, a true man needs that kind of spirit. I'll tell you the hidden function of the Flame Orb."
"Thank you."
"The Flame Orb can substitute for the formation magic tool in the Fire Dragon Formation."
"……!"
It could replace the formation magic tool needed for the Fire Dragon Formation?! I'd just poured seventy percent of my magic power into creating a fire dragon, but with the formation, who knew how much stronger it would be? The spirit stones required probably weren't cheap either.
"Don't get too excited. It only substitutes for the formation magic tool, so it can only manifest one-tenth of the original Fire Dragon Formation's power."
One-tenth of the original... That alone should be enough to overwhelm a Core Formation initial stage cultivator. The problem was I didn't know how to deploy the Fire Dragon Formation.
"Where can I obtain information on the Fire Dragon Formation?"
Yeop Inyeong tossed me a jade slip. Scanning it with my divine sense, I found detailed instructions on deploying the Fire Dragon Formation and where to place the spirit stones.
"Pavilion Lord, thank you so much."
"If you're grateful, grant me one favor later."
"Yes, understood."
Yeop Inyeong deployed her escape art and swiftly vanished from sight. As expected of the Library Pavilion Lord—she knows so much.
After she left, I carefully studied the jade slip she'd given me, learning all about the Fire Dragon Formation. Once I'd grasped the theory thoroughly, I went outside the cave.
I prepared the Fire Dragon Formation for real, practicing up to the step just before activation. Activating it now might draw attention like before, so I put it off for later.
After sufficient practice deploying it up to that point, I returned to my dwelling. I took out the blood-red manual I'd obtained from killing the evil disciple.
My divine sense training wasn't advanced enough to begin the Ecstasy Soul Enslavement Art yet, so I started with basic divine sense exercises.
As I was solidifying the fundamentals with divine sense practice, Moyong Wol arrived.
"Yuseong! I heard you encountered an evil disciple this time!"
Moyong Wol scanned me to check for injuries.
"Yeah, I nearly died."
Moyong Wol punched my stomach with her fist.
"Ow! What's so hard about this?"
Thanks to Iron Skin Art at the 7th stage, her punch no longer hurt.
"Without the Iron Skin Art, I really would've died this time. Tell the Medical Hall Lord I'm grateful on my behalf."
"Sure, whatever. I heard you got a superior magic tool as a reward?"
I pulled out the Flame Orb and showed it to her.
"It seemed like a good match for my main art, the Yin-Yang Art, so I chose the Flame Orb."
"Oh, good choice."
Moyong Wol and I spent time chatting about the fight with the evil disciple, finishing by circulating the Yin-Yang Art together.
The next morning, I woke from my stone bed and headed to the shop to meet Senior Baek Gong. My silver armor had been shattered in the battle with the evil disciple, and I needed to ask if it could be repaired.
I flew toward the sect's central area on my flight magic tool. After riding Jo Mihyeon's luxurious carriage, my standard-issue one felt slow by comparison. Hers was spacious and comfortable, while mine was a bare tree branch design, completely open.
If I gathered materials for a flight tool later, I'd commission Senior Baek Gong to make one.
Arriving at Senior Baek Gong's shop, I greeted him warmly.
"Senior Baek, long time no see."
The muscular, sturdy old man returned the greeting.
"Junior Yuseong, what brings you here today?"
I took out the shattered silver armor from my storage ring.
"The silver armor got broken in the fight with the evil disciple. I came to see if it can be repaired."
Senior Baek examined the armor and said,
"This much damage can be fixed with the leftover Blue-Eared White Serpent hide from last time. How about payment?"
Hearing that, I let out a sigh of relief. In fights with strong opponents, Iron Skin Art alone wasn't reassuring. If the silver armor hadn't blocked the evil disciple's attacks first this time, I might have suffered worse injuries.
For payment, I could use the hides from the demon beasts I'd hunted while training Iron Skin Art during the Iron Horn Ape mission.
I pulled the demon beast hides from my storage ring.
"These are from demon beasts I caught deep in the Gaun Mountains while hunting the Iron Horn Ape."
Senior Baek checked the hides and nodded.
"Not as good as the Blue-Eared White Serpent hide, but since it's just a repair, this is sufficient payment."
"Thank you. When should I come back for it?"
Senior Baek stroked his chin.
"Hmm, work's piled up lately, so it might take a while. I'll have my servant send it to your dwelling when it's done."
"Understood. I'll take my leave first, Senior Baek."
After leaving his shop, I returned to the cave. Once the silver armor was repaired, I'd head deep into the Gaun Mountains for the herb ingredients Jo Mihyeon had given me.
Until then, I'd focus on basic divine sense training and meditation cultivation.
Over the next month, pouring every moment except rest into training, I completed the basic divine sense exercises and finally reached the entry level for the Ecstasy Soul Enslavement Art.
My divine sense was still weak, so the success rate would be low and duration short, but as my realm advanced and divine sense strengthened, the art's power would naturally grow.
Mastering multiple secret arts like this would save my life in crises. My way of surviving in the cultivation world was to learn and master as many diverse things as possible.
Learning. There was joy in acquiring knowledge of the unknown. Even in the mundane world, there was a similar saying. Cultivators must endlessly cultivate and study for survival. What do mortals study for? Survival, the same as us.
In the end, mortals and cultivators are different, yet the same.