Woong woong-
In my mind, a volume's worth of mystical runes floated gently.
I examined these runes, gradually understanding their content.
The name of the method was Hidden Consciousness Technique (), a mystic art that allows one to conceal one's divine consciousness to appear at a lower realm. It could be executed solely through the manipulation of consciousness, without the need for spiritual power..
The basic principle of Hidden Consciousness Technique involved compressing one's consciousness and pushing it into the upper dantian. This temporarily reduces the size of the consciousness but increases its density and clarity for a period, potentially accelerating the practice of cultivation methods.
'Due to dealing with intent, it has some commonalities with Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts and Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts .'
I carefully read through all the mystical runes left by the hunched old man.
At the very end of these runes, I found a message left by him.
[As a martial artist who has reached the realm of Five Energies Converging to the Origin, your consciousness is larger than that of other cultivators. However, don't be arrogant just because you have mediocre Five Elements Spiritual Roots. Just conceal your superiority and focus on your practice. Showing off an ambiguous talent will only attract jealousy from those who lack even that.]
"Thank you for your valuable gift."
I quietly expressed my gratitude to the hunchback old man and placed Kim Young-hoon aside for a moment.
Then, I recalled a bandit group nearby.
'They were called the Tuho Gang.'
I had a particular memory involving them.
Before experiencing regression.
In my first life.
When famine struck the village I lived in, the Tuho Gang raided and looted everything from our impoverished village.
Bang, bang!
I kicked off the ground and rushed towards their base near Lianshan City. I was more familiar with the geography around Lianshan City than any other place in Yanguo.
Arriving at the cave where the Tuho Gang is based, I let out a wry laugh at the familiar stench.
The smell of alcohol, rotten vegetables, dried semen, rusty weapons, sweat and dirt.
Yes, the collective scent of poverty, ignorance, and violence.
I was all too familiar with these scents.
Memories of my first life came flooding back.
"Come out, everyone."
I spoke softly, yet clearly, into the depth of the cave where the Tuho Gang resided.
Hiccup, hiccup..
A drunken member of the Tuho Gang, his face flushed from daytime drinking, stumbled towards me with a flexible sword in hand.
"What the hell are you, fuck..."
"Hahaha..."
His stupid and pathetic appearance only made me laugh.
When I was in the early peak in the 4th cycle,
I annihilated the Chicken Waterway Fort within a moment, and even they were more organized and skilled than these fools.
Truly, lowly and pathetic robbers.
That was the Tuho Gang.
I had memories of bowing down at their feet, offering everything I had, begging for my life.
"You, you little shit, you dare come to our great Tuho Gang..."
"Life must have been hard, right?"
"What...?"
"In your next life, may you have better chances."
Thud!
No need for a sword, not even a hand technique.
I didn't even need to make a fist. I simply extended my finger and flicked the drunken Tuho gangster's forehead.
Using a simple technique to send a shockwave through his brain, he immediately fell over, foam bubbling from his mouth.
There would have been no pain.
Entering the foul-smelling cave, I reminisced about my first life.
The Tuho Gang was vicious.
But ironically, most of them were originally peasants.
Driven to desperation with land taken by landlords, they left their homes and became bandits.
Perhaps I would have been among them if I had been a bit weaker.
They were another possibility of my miserable first life.
Thud, thud!
I touched the heads of each person I encountered, shaking their brains and instantly killing them.
They were pitiable.
But they were definitely criminals.
Going deeper into the cave, I found kidnapped people and women lying around, half-naked.
I pressed their sleep acupoints and quietly killed the Tuho gangsters.
After walking through the cave for a while, I reached its deepest area.
There, a bearded giant was guzzling liquor.
He was the leader of the Tuho Gang.
"...For what reason caused you to operate such a bandit group?"
"Uh..."
The giant, blowing on a liquor bottle, looked at me with dull eyes.
He was someone I knew.
In my first life, he was the one who led the attack and burned down my village.
But now, seeing him, he was at best a second-rate martial artist.
"Is there usually a special reason? Life is painful, so I thought maybe stealing happiness from others would make it better."
"So, did life get any better for you?"
"Haha, can't you see? Do I look happy to you? Life is nothing but pain."
"Why is life painful?"
"That is... um. Its painful because its painful. Is any more explanation needed?"
Life is indeed painful.
Somehow, I felt I could relate to those words.
Clearly, this person and I were in different positions, under different circumstances.
Yet, somehow, I could see my past self in him.
The weak and insignificant me who was burdened with pain from life, unable to even find the reason for my suffering.
Through the eyes of another vulnerable person, I was able to reflect on my past years.
"Right. Life is indeed painful."
"Hmph, yeah... life really is..."
"But..."
I looked at the leader of the Tuho Gang with pity.
"From my experience, pain is not the end."
Swoosh
I gently pushed the Tuho Gangs leader.
The energy I inserted with the tip of my finger caused his brain to burst, and he breathed his last.
He must have gone peacefully.
I gathered a few silver coins and money from the gangs residence and left.
Stepping out, I bathed in the sunlight outside the cave, freeing myself from the nightmare that tormented me in my earlier life.
With the silver coins, I went to Lianshan City, made identity plaques for myself and Kim Young-hoon, and bought clothes.
Then, I raided the unorthodox factions within the city and took them all down.
Selling the gold and properties I acquired from them, I bought a decent manor and devoted myself to educating Kim Young-hoon.
Around a month later.
Kim Young-hoon, following my teachings, easily reached the state of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit.
Whoosh-
Three Qi flowers blossomed in the air and then entered back into Kim Young-hoon.
Shortly after, his eyes shone with enlightenment, and he experimented with his new senses, trying out various techniques.
Then, his intent connected with my consciousness.
"...! Wait, hold on. By the way, Seo Eun-hyun... That consciousness of yours... what is it exactly..."
He gazed at me, fascinated by the domain of consciousness surrounding me.
I smiled and drew a saber in the training ground, adopting a primary saber stance.
Rapidly, I demonstrated the Severing Vein Saber Method.
Severing Vein Saber Method, First Move, Mountain Force.
Holding the saber, I struck both upper and lower positions simultaneously.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Second Move, Mountain Spirit.
Spinning and slashing in all directions, I created a defense that no one could penetrate.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Third Move, Mountain Presence.
I unleashed continuous saber energy, mimicking the overlapping mountains.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Fourth Move, Mountain Wind.
With invisible speed, I disrupted the opposite's flow with my thrust.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Fifth Move, Mountain Unfolding.
More ferocious than the basic moves, the saber danced wildly in all directions.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Sixth Move, Mountain Bird
With light footwork, I swung the saber so fast it was invisible, making my movements unstoppable.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Seventh Move, Mountain Echo
The sound of the saber resonated, vibrating rapidly to crush everything it touched.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Eighth Move, Mountain Scream
The energy from the saber burst forth like waves, similar to Mountain Echo.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Ninth Move, Middle Mountain.
The saber energy dug into the ground, leaving a powerful mark affecting its surroundings.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Tenth Move, Dragons Mound.
Like a dragon ascending from a hill, the saber's tip thrashed wildly.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Eleventh Move, White Peak.
The ascended dragon's head glowed white, piercing through clouds. I grasped the saber and split it into ten paths.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Twelfth Move, Great Trunk.
The ten paths of saber energy merged into one, transforming into a powerful strike capable of slicing through millennium-old rocks.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Thirteenth Move, Surpassing Mountains.
Similar to Transcending Peaks but several times faster, it sliced through the air.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Fourteenth Move, Returning Home.
Beyond the slash, I released dozens of saber energies, dividing the attack.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Fifteenth Move, Saber Tomb
I poured all techniques from first to fourteenth moves into a single strike.
Severing Vein Saber Method, Sixteenth Move, Endless Mountains Beyond Mountains.
Finally, the seventeenth move...
Boom!
I unleashed all seventeen moves of Severing Vein Saber Method.
The sixteenth and seventeenth moves of Severing Vein were identical to the twenty-third and twenty-fourth moves of Severing Mountain.
Moreover, the Seveing Vein Saber Method was fundamentally quite similar to the Severing Mountain Swordsmanship.
Since they originated from the same root, there was nothing strange about it.
I handed my saber to Kim Young-hoon, who was staring blankly at it, and said,
"You saw it just now, didnt you?"
"...Yes, I did."
What I had just demonstrated was not a mere saber method.
I mixed in the enlightenment of Five Energies Converging to the Origin, showing thousands of threads of intent within the saber method.
Perhaps, if he continues to explore the essence of the Severing Vein Saber Method he just witnessed, he would eventually reach the realm of Five Energies.
"You are truly... a genius. How can you master such a high level of martial arts..."
He exclaimed in admiration, and I gave a bitter smile.
A genius.
"...I am not a genius. Like our other colleagues at the company, I just awakened a slightly unusual ability. With that ability, I could immediately reach the realm of Five Energies Converging to the Origin, but beyond that is impossible."
I made sure he didn't misunderstand, but his brief remark stayed in my mind for a long time.
Genius.
A single word that summed up all my past lives.
But I couldn't deny it.
In this world, there are many who haven't even had the chance to experience my past lives opportunities.
Instead of arguing against being a genius, I pointed out the flaws in Kim Young-hoon's martial arts, taught him literacy and speech, and instructed him in martial arts.
Three months later, Kim Young-hoon mastered literacy and speech and was getting accustomed to martial arts
I left the Record of Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts in the manor and told him to read it when he reaches Five Energies Converging to the Origin, then left the manor.
In this life, I might not have a significant connection with him.
I left Kim Young-hoon and headed for Seokyung City.
Having infiltrated Seokyung City, I quickly invaded the Imperial Palace using Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts and Surpassing Cultivation and Martial Arts..
Then.
Swoosh!
Using the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts, I cut through the consciousness and silently beheaded the Emperor Makli Jung.
At this time, it seems that the Shadow Guards had not been established yet, as the only people guarding Makli Jung were the Palace Guards.
Holding Makli Jung's head, I cut through invisible spells and barriers with my eyes, and safely escaped the Imperial Palace.
Having escaped, I walked for days and nights until I entered a familiar terrain.
The territory of the Jin Clan.
Woo-woong-
I had not noticed before, but now I could clearly see the energy of the barrier spread across the Jin Clan's territory.
It seems like a benefit of awakening my consciousness and being able to see the energy of heaven and earth.
The Jin Clan's barrier glowed faintly under the moonlight.
'This shouldn't be difficult.'
I easily cut through a gap in the Jin Clan's barrier and secretly entered their territory.
Although it was the Jin Clan's territory, it was mostly occupied by Qi Refining cultivators.
Most of these cultivators had no access to formation methods.
That's probably why the barrier wasn't particularly strong.
I erased my presence using the Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts and headed to the familiar training ground.
Next to the training ground, in the group lodging.
Many breaths and intents were flowing out from there.
Thud, thud.
I slowly entered the lodging.
The smell of sweat was strong.
Suddenly.
I felt something welling up in my chest as I saw this scene.
My disciples.
No, the children who were my disciples in a past timeline.
But I knew.
These children no longer remembered me.
The children I remembered were trained by me, developed martial arts with me, and grew up with me.
Yes, even though these children are the same beings as the ones I know,
They were not the same individuals.
The disciples that only I know, I would never see again.
"...Are you suffering even in your sleep?"
I looked at the sleeping children's intents and smiled bitterly.
It seems they were having nightmares of their relatives being killed by Makli Clan cultivators.
Most of their intents were emitting dark light.
For these children, life was nothing but pain.
'These children are certainly not my disciples.'
But still...
'I can't just ignore you.'
Having lived, I knew that pain was not the end.
Gently...
I placed Makli Jungs head in the middle of the training ground.
Then, looking back at the sleeping children, I murmured softly.
"Live."
Even if life is painful, it's not all there is to it.
Discovering something beyond suffering makes life truly valuable and worth living.
"Please... live."
After giving a final smile to my disciples, I went to the back of the Jin Clan's territory, to a warehouse.
The warehouse was enveloped in a sinister aura.
I opened the door of the warehouse.
Inside, there were hundreds of crystal beads, each containing a resentful spirit.
Sheek-
I drew my sword from its sheath.
"May you, the deceased, shed your resentment and rest in peace."
Flash!
The Sword Gang shining from my sword scattered in all directions, embedding into the crystal beads.
Hundreds of crystal beads shattered at once, and the spirits began to escape.
Pop, pop-
The spirits that escaped from the beads soon forgot their resentment and turned into bright lights, ascending to the sky.
The sight of countless spirits rising to the sky and then disappearing was both poignant and beautiful.
Watching the scene for a moment, I stepped out of the warehouse and kicked into the air.
It seemed I had touched some inner spells, as the surrounding spells were activated, but I cut through the energy knots and quickly escaped the encirclement of the formation.
I hurriedly left the Jin Clan's territory and said goodbye to my disciples in my heart.
'Farewell.'
May you live a slightly better life in this lifetime.
I headed towards the border of Yanguo.
Beyond the border, in Byeokra Country.
I planned to find the Cheongmun Clan that resides there.
Go to the Cheongmun Clan. To learn the path of cultivation.
***
Byeokra is a nation located to the southeast of Yanguo, bordering Yanguo and situated on the Silk Road that lies across the Heaven-Treading Desert. Due to its strategic location on the Silk Road connecting distant countries beyond the desert, the wealth of Byeokra was unimaginably immense.
Silk and glassware were commonplace throughout the area.
Merchants riding camels and horses sold tobacco brought from countries across the desert.
Herbs and fruits I had never seen before roamed the markets.
'It's still a bustling place.'
I thought to myself, looking at the surroundings that had not changed at all since my last visit.
This is the place I had come to with Young-hoon Hyung-nim, who had fallen into listlessness before establishing the Palace of Martial Extremity, during the second regression.
I had learned some of the Byeokra language back then, but since it had been so long, the words weren't familiar.
'I should relearn Byeokra language for a few months first.'
Whether I go to Cheongmun Clan or not, I need to be able to speak the language to inquire around.
Fortunately, there were many merchants near the border of Byeokra who spoke Yanguo.
Seventh months later.
I spent seven months working at a pharmacy that mainly dealt with medicine, improving my fluency.
I left the pharmacy owner, who was pleading with me to continue working, and ventured deeper into Byeokra.
Though I hadn't visited often, there were places I was familiar with since the time after forming the Palace of Marital Extremity.
Similar to Yanguo where cultivators did not come forward openly, finding the Cheongmun Clan in Byeokra was difficult.
However, I traveled around the country, seeking out strange landscapes and areas with peculiar rumors.
After such searching, I finally found a territory that seemed to be that of a cultivator clan.
Phew-
"Is this it?"
With my eyes, having reached the realm of Five Energies Converging to the Origin and seeing the energy of heaven and earth, I saw a barrier made of spiritual energy encircling an entire valley.
'I've found it, the territory of a cultivator clan!'
But I couldn't yet tell if this territory was that of the Cheongmun Clan.
Even in Yanguo, the Jin and Makli clan had roots spread everywhere.
Byeokra likely has more than two cultivator clans, so I had to keep that in mind.
I spent several days and nights in front of the barrier, waiting for someone to come out from inside.
It was about ten days into the wait.
'Finally, someone's coming out.'
A man in blue robes walked out of the barrier.
'Blue robes...'
Makli Clan cultivators usually wore blue long robes.
I was a bit wary of the man due to that memory, but I approached him without showing it.
"Brother, how are you?"
"Uh, how are you?"
He received my greeting without showing any reaction upon seeing me.
"It's quite a surprise to see a fellow brother appear out of nowhere. Ha-ha-ha, if you were a mortal, I would have immediately eliminated you for discovering the territory of a cultivator clan,, but fortunately, you are also a cultivator."
"Ha-ha..."
Perhaps due to the consciousness I had obtained after ascending to Five Energies, or maybe because of the Five Element Spiritual Roots I had acquired, the man in blue robes approached me without hesitation and laughed heartily.
"By the way, are you also heading in the direction of the border, Brother? I'm planning to attend the Spiritual Path Conference held this month. It seems you are also going that way, aren't you?"
"Spiritual Path Conference...Uh, Brother. I'm sorry, but I'm not well-informed; could you tell me what that is?"
"Hmm? You don't know about the Spiritual Path Conference ?"
The man in blue robes looked at me as if I were a country bumpkin.
"You came from some remote place to train, fellow Daoist. You don't know about the greatest exchange meeting held at the border between Yanguo and Byeokra, occurring every two years? It's a meeting where Qi Refining cultivators like us exchange numerous cultivation items, spiritual medicine, magic tools, techniques, and talismans..."
"Ah, I have been so focused on training in the mountains that I am ignorant of worldly matters. I would appreciate it if you, Brother, who are well-versed in such matters, could enlighten me a bit."
"Hmm hmm. You really do not know even the basic knowledge, fellow Daoist. If you have any questions, feel free to ask."
I buoyed his mood and gradually extracted information from him.
The man's name was Byeok Mun.
He said he was from the Byeok Clan of Byeokra, of one of the three great immortal clans: Cheongmun Clan (), Byeok Clan (), and Gongmyo Clan ().
"Well, I am a descendant of the Byeok Clan, but I'm more like a distant relative. That's why I hardly receive any support for cultivation, and I haven't had proper teachings. I've remained at only the early 4th Star of Qi Refining. I've understood the Bing () true formula, but to advance further..."
"Hahaha, but you're still better off than cultivators like me without a proper clan."
"I might be better off than loose cultivators without a clan like you. But I still have my troubles. Some elders treat me like a pest that only consumes training resources..."
I played along with Byeok Mun's conversation, and when he started talking about true formulas and detailed cultivation knowledge, I quickly changed the subject to extract various information.
Apparently, cultivators like me who train alone without being part of a clan are called loose cultivators.
Such loose cultivators hide behind noble clans or powerful families of mortals, receiving support from them and getting supplies of spiritual herbs and elixirs needed for their cultivation.
Or they would subcontract work from cultivator clans and help them in exchange for compensation.
'It seems that the Qi Refining 1st Star cultivators I saw operating in secret in Yanguo belong to this category.'
I also learned about the basic structure of cultivator clans.
The direct lineage of the clan, the main family.
Then the branches that extended from the main family.
And the external members who work together with these branches.
Up to here, they are basically treated as 'cultivator clans'.
Below this are subcontracted loose cultivators, who take subcontracting work from the branches or external members and lead mortals.
And then the imperial ancestors of a country, who operate the state along with these subcontracted loose cultivators.
They are treated almost like mortals.
Royalty receives a lot of cultivation resources and generally has superior skills, but they are treated as such because they are heavily involved with mortals.
Then there are the loose cultivators who have no relation to cultivator clans.
They are not greatly recognized by cultivator clans and are practically treated like mortals.
They don't receive systematic teachings and often don't go beyond Qi Refining 1st Star, so most cultivator clans typically ignore them.
"Of course, a Daoist like you, judging by the size of your consciousness, seems to be around Qi Refining 3rd or 4th Star. Loose cultivators like you are an exception. With your level, you could easily join any cultivator clan as a subcontractor."
"Haha, thank you for the compliment."
"Hmm, hmm. I should also talk about the cultivation sects. In fact, until a few decades ago, there was a concept called 'cultivation sects' in the world. Several cultivator clans came together to form cultivation sects, gathering disciples with good qualities from the entire continent and enjoying their prominence.
But for some reason, one day they stopped accepting disciples and disappeared like the wind. The elders of the clan seem to know the reason, but they don't tell distant relatives like me. Haha..."
"..."
It seems that the cultivation sects, a faction larger than cultivator clans, disappeared suddenly because more than 99% of them ascended through the Ascension Path (Dangseonhyang) to the Ascension Gate.
Byeok Mun just wouldn't stop talking, and my ears were almost hurting.
But since every piece of information he spouted was necessary for me, I just listened without saying a word.
Being unable to speak freely within the clan due to the atmosphere that one must cultivate, Byeok Mun, having found someone like me who listened well, chattered endlessly like a fish in water.
'I'll have to part ways once we get to the Spiritual Path Conference .'
As grateful as I was for Byeok Mun's incessant talking, it was also a bit headache-inducing.
"By the way, regarding the realm of cultivators. Is the realm of cultivators limited to the Qi Building stage? Most clan heads of cultivator clans are known to be at the Qi Building stage..."
Of course, I knew there were higher realms.
But pretending to be an ignorant loose cultivator, I probed, and Byeok Mun, seizing the chance to show off his knowledge, started talking with shining eyes.
"Oh dear, oh dear. It seems that there are too many things fellow Daoist is ignorant of. Cultivators essentially practice to ascend to the heavens and become immortals () and achieve eternal life. These cultivators are primarily divided into three major realms.
Known as the Three Boundaries of Cultivation (),
The Great Boundary () is where one reaches the state of an immortal. The Middle Boundary () is close to becoming an immortal. And the Minor Boundary () is the beginning of transcending the mortal path.
The six stages of the Minor Boundary.
Qi Gathering (), Qi Refining (), Qi Building (), Core Formation (), Nascent Soul (), and Heavenly Being ().
The five stages of the Middle Boundary.
Four-Axis (), Integration (), Star Shattering (), Sacred Vessel (), and Entering Nirvana ().
The Great Boundary is the stage of True Immortals (). I don't know much about it myself.
Anyway, these are the higher cultivation stages."
Qi Gathering?'
Isn't Qi Refining the lowest realm?
But asking about this could reveal my identity, so I just nodded along in agreement.
"Also, it is said that when a cultivator of the Minor Boundary reaches the Middle Boundary, they ascend to a higher world, different from the world we live in. Whether it's true or not, I don't know. It's just a legend.
To me, everything from the Middle Boundary seems like a legend or myth, and I believe the state of Heavenly Being in the Minor Boundary is the end of cultivation. It's just that myths get distorted over time, leading to exaggerated realms like the Middle Boundary and such."
"Hahaha..."
An exaggerated realm, indeed.
But, I had no choice but to believe that the boundaries beyond the Heavenly Being stage actually exist.
'The cultivators who took my colleagues must have been at the level of Heavenly Being or higher.'
Their desperation to ascend to the higher realm must be because there are stages beyond the Heavenly Being.
"Hmm, by the way, we're almost at Lingxu Mountain, where the Spirit Path Conference is held. What are you planning to buy at the conference?"
"Ah, to buy..."
"I've brought about a hundred and twenty spirit stones to purchase good elixirs at the conference. Hehe, for a Qi Refining cultivator like me, it's a huge expense."
"Spirit stones..."
I wanted to ask about spirit stones.
But I heard that spirit stones are treated as currency among cultivators, and not knowing this might make me suspicious, so I kept quiet.
The next day.
We arrived at the foot of Lingxu Mountain, located at the border between Yanguo and Byeokra.
'This is...'
I felt a strange aura enveloping the entire mountain.
Unlike the barriers I've seen around the cultivator clans' territories, the aura enveloping this mountain was invisible even to my enhanced vision.
When I asked about it, Byeok Mun laughed heartily.
"You really are a rustic mountain hermit. Usually, big exchanges like this, or the main house of cultivator clans, are covered with formations far more profound than those protecting the minor territories of branch families or outsiders.
They use the Dragon Vein itself as a power source, so it's completely integrated with the surrounding aura, making it hard to find even for cultivators with keen consciousness."
"Huh..."
'So that's why I've never seen the main houses of the Jin Clan and Makli Clan, despite my extensive search.'
Cultivators' magical techniques are indeed remarkable.
"Let's go to the Spirit Path Conference together. Oh, wait. Since you didn't know about the conference, I suppose you don't have an invitation?"
"An, an invitation?"
"Yes. The Spirit Path Conference only issues invitations to cultivators, to prevent mortals from mingling in the cultivators' exchange meetings. But it's not a closed event, so if you pay 10 spirit stones, you can get an entrance ticket. You do have the spirit stones you brought, don't you?"
"Spirit stones..."
I quickly thought about it, smiled slightly, and then spoke.
"Brother Byeok. Actually, I planned to meet a friend outside the Spirit Path Conference. He lives near Lingxu Mountain. I'll meet him first and then we can enter the conference together."
"Haha, is that so? See you later then."
Byeok Mun, looking forward to entering the conference, walked towards a direction at the mountain's base.
Shortly after, a voice echoed from the void.
[Show your invitation or buy a ticket.]
"Here it is!"
Byeok Mun took out a small charm with a pattern from his pocket. The charm floated into the air, burned away, and left only the pattern which settled on the back of Byeok Mun's hand.
[Welcome to the Spirit Path Conference.]
Flash!
A little while later, the scenery around seemed to distort, and then Byeok Mun's figure disappeared.
"Tch, I thought I could follow him in."
I clicked my tongue, giving up on the plan to follow him inside. The owner of the voice seemed to have a consciousness similar to that of a late-stage Qi Building cultivator, similar to Makli Wangshin.
Fortunately, traveling with Byeok Mun over the past month, I had built a decent foundation of knowledge about the cultivation world, so it wasn't a total loss.
'After all, the exchange meeting will end eventually. I can find a cultivator from the Cheongmun Clan coming out of the formation inside and show them the recommendation letter.'
If it was a famous exchange meeting, cultivators from the Cheongmun Clan would surely be there in numbers, so I decided to wait nearby.
That's when it happened.
Flash!
The void distorted, and a group of cultivators wearing blue robes emerged from a spot at the mountain's base.
About seven of them.
"Hahaha, Hyung. We acquired a lot of spirit stones at this Spirit Path Conference."
"Yes, yes. Surely, other clans' people also tried to disguise and buy our elixirs."
"They must acknowledge internally. Our Makli Clan's elixir-making technique is the best."
There was a smell of blood.
The familiar clan's insignia was engraved on their clothes.
Makli Clan.
The Imperial family of Yanguo and the worst devilish clan.
"Especially this time, we brought Blessing Pills. It's bound to be popular. Hahaha, it's the great elixir that extends the life of Qi Refining cultivators by 8 years..."
"Huhuhu, when we return to our domain, we need to produce more elixirs. We have to press those who capture live mortals to bring more ingredients."
"The capturers have become picky lately. A branch member of Makli Clan was killed by some freak, and the Jin Clan is aggressively trying to usurp the Imperial throne of Yanguo, making capturing difficult."
"Tch tch, I don't know who it is but..."
I erased my presence using Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts and inserted my consciousness stealthily to follow them using stealth techniques.
When the cultivators of Makli Clan had moved a certain distance from Lingxu Mountain, I released my stealth and approached one of the cultivators.
"Haha, you should have seen how much the ingredients assigned to me struggled last time. It's getting hard to procure fresh blood. So, I had to..."
Buzz-
"Wha..."
My sword cut off the head of the Makli Clan cultivator who had been spouting disgusting words.
"...What?"
The Makli Clan cultivators, unable to grasp the situation, looked at me in panic.
"I don't know what's around Lingxu Mountain so I've been holding back."
I gritted my teeth, glaring at these filthy devils.
"It's hard to listen to such disgusting nonsense anymore. Worse than beasts."
Thinking about it, even using a sword on these disgusting beings seemed like a waste.
I sheathed my sword and spoke.
"Die, all of you."
Boom!
The gathered Gang Qi in the air shattered the body of another Makli Clan cultivator who was hastily casting a spell.
Bones and blood splattered everywhere.
"What, what! How dare you do this to people of the great Makli Clan.."
Severing Vein Saber Method, Mountain Wind!
Swoosh!
Gang Qi flew towards the head of a cultivator who was quickly speaking, faster than the wind.
Boom!
The cultivator seemed to have cast a defensive spell, but my Gang Qi completely shattered it, crushing the cultivator's head like a watermelon.
In an instant, three out of seven were dead.
"Damn! A cultivator who looks no more than a 4th Star Qi Refining is attacking us alone! Let's show the power of the Makli Clan!"
A cultivator with a 5th Star Qi Refining level of consciousness formed a spell.
A strong yin energy emanated from the leader-like figure of this group of cultivators, forming a ring of yin energy that flew towards me.
"Hahaha, anyone hit by Makli Clan's yin ring spell will see their flesh rot and eventually turn into a puddle of blood..."
Severing Vein Saber Method, Mountain Presence.
As I swung my hand upwards in a slicing motion, the yin ring was split in half, flying to both sides.
Boom, boom!
The yin rings that flew behind me hit several trees, which immediately rotted.
"Oh, oh..."
Severing Mountain Swordsmanship, Landscape Painting!
I spread my hands, infusing Gang Qi into my fingertips.
Then, I danced wildly in all directions.
Boom, boom, boom!
Sword marks were engraved everywhere, and the three cultivators, including the one who had thrown the yin rings at me, were torn apart.
I slowly walked towards the last remaining cultivator of the Makli Clan.
"Pl-please, spare me! I'll give you everything I have."
"Do your companions' corpses have any elixirs left?"
"Yes! Yes! They do! You must know how famous our Makli Clan is for our elixirs. Here, take them, all of it."
His face pale and hands trembling, he took out a few elixirs from the corpses and his own pocket.
"Hmm, what are the ingredients of these elixirs?"
"This, this is the Qingahwan, a skin beauty elixir made with a woman's arm... and it also has Sanyo Grass and Dog Ginseng Extract. Also... and this is..."
After listening to the ingredients of the elixirs, I asked the last remaining person.
"Explain the stage of Qi Gathering."
"Qi Gathering, you say? A cultivator who doesn't know... oh, my mistake. I will explain."
The Makli Clan cultivator quickly explained the Qi Gathering stage.
"Those with spiritual nature must form a Law-Transforming Dantian () to receive the spiritual energy of heaven and earth before they can officially enter the Qi Refining stage. This period of forming the Law Transforming Dantian is called the Qi Gathering stage.
In fact, this stage is so insignificant that it was not even called a stage. A few decades ago, Qi Refining was not 14 stars but included up to 15th Star with the Qi Gathering stage. It's only recently that they've been separated."
'Hmm, it feels like the martial worlds Cheonji Heart Method.'
Just as martial arts also have a stage of activating the dantian with the Cheonji Heart Method before accumulating internal energy, it seems cultivators also have a stage of creating a cultivation dantian before learning official cultivation methods.
"It's so insignificant that it barely even qualifies as a stage..."
"Yes, yes. That's right. A person with a Heavenly Spiritual Roots can completely form the Law Transforminh Dantian in a day or two, those who have the True Spiritual Roots take a month, and those with Mixed Spiritual Roots who understand the cultivation methods well can do it in a year.
But those with extremely poor talent can take three to five years. And since such dullards make up more than 80% of the cultivator population, it's a stage distinguished for such people."
"I see. Then..."
I asked the Makli Clan cultivator several questions I couldn't ask Byeok Mun to supplement my foundational knowledge of the cultivation world.
After the interrogation, I pointed to the elixir boxes he had laid out on the ground.
"Do you have any elixirs that you concocted yourself?"
"Yes! I do! Despite my appearance, I am a skilled alchemist, and I know over 80% of the formulas and elixir-making methods. If you spare me..."
"Which types of these elixirs have you personally consumed?"
"I, I've tried them all. If you spare my life, I can tell you which elixir is suitable for you..."
I glared at the Makli Clan cultivator and asked one last question.
"Have you ever thought of anything while making elixirs?"
"Yes, of course. I felt proud every time my skills improved while making elixirs..."
I see.
I looked at the cultivator with a look of disgust and raised my hand.
"What, why...I answered all your question..."
Pop!
I couldn't stand to touch this brazen and filthy thing with my hand.
I shot out Gang Qi and burst the cultivator's head open.
"Not even aware of what they have done. Is their thinking completely distorted...?"
Even if one grows up as a member of a cultivator clan, living in a world different from that of mortals.
How can one act like this towards fellow humans when they themselves have human flesh?
After leaving the bodies of the Makli Clan on the road, I gathered up the elixirs they had collected.
Then, I found a sunny place, dug into the ground, and buried the elixirs one by one.
Shortly after, several small mounds appeared in the sunny place.
"...I buried you all like this because I couldn't find your bodies. May you find peace wherever you go."
I recited a brief rite for the repose of their souls, then returned to where the bodies of the Makli Clan cultivators lay.
"I'll take these spirit stones of yours. Speak up if you have any complaints."
As I rummaged through the cultivators' belongings, I found a pile of spirit stones.
Having heard a rough estimate of the value of spirit stones from the last Makli Clan cultivator, I neatly stored the spirit stones in my possession.
About 1600 spirit stones entered my possession at once.
'It seems they made some money with elixirs made from grinding people.'
It was a valuable resource that helped in the training of cultivation methods and in the recovery of spiritual power.
"Then, shall I go to the Spirit Path Conference?"
I headed back towards Lingxu Mountain.
Originally, I planned to wait for the cultivators of the Cheongmun Clan, but now I could just go inside and find them.
I followed the direction Byeok Mun had gone, feeling the space around me distort.
In the midst of losing my sense of direction, a voice echoed from all around.
[Show your invitation or buy a ticket.]
I handed over 10 spirit stones, and then a burst of light flew through the distorted scenery and landed on the back of my hand.
[A 10-day ticket. You must leave after ten days.]
"How many days does the Spirit Path Conference last?"
[It lasts for a total of 40 days, and it has been 20 days since it started.]
"Please give me one more 10-day ticket."
[10 spirit stones.]
I paid 10 more spirit stones and received a ticket allowing me to stay for a total of 20 days.
[Welcome to the Spirit Path Conference.]
Flash!
The scenery became even more distorted, and I found myself inside the formation.
"Is this... the Spirit Path Conference?"
I stepped inside.
Translator Notes: We finally get some information regarding the cultivation world. Judging by the Three Realms of Cultivation, it seems this story is gonna go on for quite the while, as expected of a Xianxia.
P.S I'm just gonna be translating some plant names as is unless they repeatedly show up like the yellow bamboo root or are important.
***
"Haah..."
I naturally let out a sigh of admiration as I looked around at the scenery.
It was overwhelming.
The exterior of the buildings and the people passing by felt similar to the bustling streets of Seokyung City, but the essence of this place was entirely different.
Through my awakened Five Energies Converging to the Origin vision, I could see the vast flows of heaven and earth energy rippling throughout the Spirit Path Conference.
The flow of heaven and earth energy enveloped the entire land, and countless tiny spell runes moved to form a barrier.
Moreover, buildings were also covered in layers of inscrutable spell runes and magic.
Not only people and animals, but even the weeds on the streets were imbued with spiritual energy, and the buildings themselves exuded a majestic aura.
'Those intents...'
Everywhere I looked, there were only cultivators with consciousness.
After being accustomed to the markets of mortals without consciousness, being at a cultivator's exchange meeting felt strangely novel.
In the markets of mortals, the place is chaotic due to countless humans unable to control their intent.
However, at the cultivators' exchange, everyone tightly controlled their consciousness, making it difficult to discern their intents without close inspection.
It felt spiritually much cleaner.
I was momentarily taken aback by the sight, but I decided to look around and get a sense of the place.
'What do they sell at the cultivators' exchange meeting?'
While it felt spiritually different, at first glance, it didnt seem much different from a luxurious downtown area.
There were street vendors selling talismans, herb sellers with unfamiliar herbs, and tamers sitting with cages of strange beasts.
Except for the value of the items and currency being incomparably higher than in the markets of mortals, it seemed quite similar.
"A pound of Jasawhong!"
"Selling Xian spiritual plant!"
"Special large storage artifacts, only seven left!"
As I passed by a stall selling fascinating spiritual herbs and restoratives, my eyes were drawn to a certain magic artifact.
When the vendor selling items put his hand into a small pouch, he reached in all the way up to his shoulder.
"Hmm... fascinating."
I unknowingly entered the store and looked at the storage magic artifacts.
"Excuse me, I'm just a country bumpkin, but how much can fit inside these storage artifacts?"
"Hmm? Hmm.."
The cultivator vendor looked at me drowsily and chuckled. A hint of disdain was evident in his consciousness.
"The lowest-performing storage artifact we sell here can hold about one stone (approximately 180 liters)."
He pointed to the small pouch as he spoke.
That small thing could contain all my current belongings.
'Incredible.'
Just having that small pouch would vastly increase the types of poisons and hidden weapons I could carry.
For someone who often used hidden weapons, it was a very tempting item.
The shopkeeper, seemingly unimpressed by my appearance, gestured and said,
"This one is 50 spirit stones. If you don't have money, don't block the shop, please move aside..."
"How much is the most expensive one?"
I looked past the small storage artifacts to a more luxurious-looking one.
'To quickly draw out hidden weapons, that would be better.'
I pointed to a rosary-shaped bracelet and asked,
"I like that one. I'll take it."
"That's 300 spirit stones."
Thud!
I put down the bag containing spirit stones and selected 300 stones to give to the shop owner.
He looked momentarily flustered, but soon changed his expression and handed over the storage artifact with a smooth smile.
"Haha, sir, you indeed have a good eye. This storage bracelet is the best for storing items. Each of the 27 beads on this bracelet can hold three stones' volume, secured with space manipulation..."
I roughly listened to the explanation and purchased the storage bracelet.
As I infused energy into the storage bracelet on my wrist, it shone brightly and absorbed the items I designated.
Touching the bracelet, the desired item immediately appeared.
"Sir, our store has other fine magic artifacts as well..."
He showed me other artifacts, but except for the storage artifacts, most required a considerable amount of spiritual power.
'With my current lack of spiritual power, most are practically useless.'
Moreover, even if I bought mid to low-tier magic artifacts at the Qi Refining level, most would be weaker than my Sword Gang.
In short, they were just expensive luxuries to me.
"Hmm, sorry, but I don't see anything else I need."
As I coughed and was about to leave, the shop owner inquired,
"Well, if that's the case. Are you looking for something specific? Not just magic artifacts, but talismans, elixirs... I have good connections with merchants in the Spirit Path Conference and can introduce you to some good shops."
"Ah, do you perhaps sell books here?"
"Oh, are you looking to purchase books on cultivation methods?"
"Well, that and just general knowledge about the world of cultivation... Is there a bookstore that sells such books?"
Upon hearing my question, the owner thought for a moment, then stepped out of the store and pointed down one of the streets in the Spirit Path Conference.
"If you go down that street and turn right at the third crossroad, you'll find 'Cheong-nan Bookstore.' They sell a variety of books, and the owner, an old man, is well-known for recommending the right books to his customers."
"Oh, I see. Thank you."
"You're welcome. If you need anything else, please visit our store again!"
I left the magic tool store and headed for the bookstore the owner had mentioned.
'Cheong-nan Bookstore...'
The bookstore looked quite ordinary from the outside, almost unnoticeable. It felt strangely out of place in the atmosphere of the Spirit Path Conference.
"Is the owner here?"
"Cough, cough, cough..."
As I opened the door, dust scattered around, and I heard coughing from inside.
"Ah, a customer? It's been a long time since I've had a visitor, welcome. My name is Cheong-nan, the surname Eom."
The person introducing himself as the owner, Mr. Eom, was an elderly man with a long beard that reached his waist.
Mr. Eom's consciousness seemed to be around the level of Qi Refining, but for some reason, the boundaries of his consciousness were blurry and hard to discern.
I could feel the multiple writing brushes he wore on his chest blurring my vision.
Sensing my gaze, Mr. Eom pointed to the brushes and said,
"Ah, these? They're low-tier magic artifacts that obscure one's cultivation level. If you buy more than five books from this bookstore, you get one as a free gift. Somehow, I have a feeling you'll be taking one with you. Heh heh.."
"Not bad. Anyway, I'd like to buy books on basic knowledge of the cultivation world, Qi Gathering, and the cultivation methods for Qi Refining cultivators."
"Hmm, good. I'll give you a gift in advance. Heh heh..."
Mr. Eom took off one of the brushes hanging on his chest and handed it to me, then went into the storeroom and came back with several books.
"Let's see, here are 'Basic Knowledge of the Cultivation World,' 'Etiquette for Cultivators,' '100 Essential Facts Cultivators Should Know,' 'On the Realms of Cultivators.' Four basic knowledge books. Then, 'Analysis of Qi Gathering' which interprets Qi Gathering, and 'Myriad Qi Gathering Methods' outlining optimal Qi Gathering techniques for different types of spiritual roots. Two books on Qi Gathering.
And finally, a total of 13 books on basic methods for Qi Refining."
He stacked 19 books in front of me, handed me six books on Qi Gathering and basic knowledge, and then spread out the 13 books on Qi Refining methods.
"Choose whichever you like from these 13... If we start with this 'Great Five Elements World Changing Technique'..."
Mr. Eom laid out the basic cultivation books for me and gave a brief explanation.
"These are the types of books we have in Cheong-nan Bookstore. But you should know, these basic cultivation books are all based on foundational principles. They explain the concepts of each level well, and the spiritual power is quite pure at the Qi Refining stage, but they don't specialize in any particular field.
For example, the basic cultivation methods of the Jin Clan for Qi Refining are specialized in fire and wind elements, and the basic cultivation methods of the Makli Clan are specialized in yin, water, and wind elements. These 13 books are common basic methods that can be found in many other stores, not just mine.
Of course, the reason they're so widespread is that they're straightforward and have pure spiritual power."
"Hmm, Mr. Eom, do you have any methods you'd recommend?"
"What type of spiritual root do you have?"
"I possess Five Elements Spiritual Roots."
Upon hearing this, Mr. Eom rummaged through his books and presented a cultivation book titled 'Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation.'
"It contains five methods: Earth Surpassing Path, Water Surpassing Path, Fire Surpassing Path, Wood Surpassing Path, and Metal Surpassing Path, each suited to the corresponding spiritual root. Each one helps in gathering pure spiritual power.
While they don't specialize, allowing you to use only the basic spells of Qi Refining... If you master two or more of these methods, you'll benefit from a faster recovery of spiritual power.
In the latter part of the cultivation book, apart from special abilities of Qi Refining itself, there are some basic spells recorded, like defensive spells, telekinesis, concealment, consciousness spells, and telepathy."
"Hmm, then I'll take this."
Since I had no knowledge of cultivation methods, I bought all the books without much thought.
"The total comes to forty-nine spirit stones."
'The price of these books is about the same as some common low-grade magic artifacts. Well, it makes sense since they contain cultivation methods up to the 14th Star of Qi Refining.'
I received the books from Mr. Eom, put them in my storage bracelt, and asked him a question.
"By the way, Mr. Eom. Do you know where the cultivators of the Cheongmun Clan are staying during the Spirit Path Conference?"
"Hmm? I believe they often stay across the street for lodging. Actually, this is my first time setting up a shop at the Spirit Path Conference, so I'm not too sure. I used to wander around with my books."
"Oh, I see. I hope you find a good spot then."
"That's alright. To be honest, I opened this bookstore just for fun, not really to settle down. I find wandering around more enjoyable. Besides, I have another main occupation."
"That's good to hear. Thank you for the gift. Farewell."
I bid farewell to Mr. Eom and left Cheong-nan Bookstore, heading across the street as he had mentioned.
On the way, I felt an odd sensation and looked back at Cheong-nan Bookstore.
'Did that store owner really recommend me to a good bookstore? Mr. Eom's reaction didn't seem to match the story about being popular with many customers before... Huh, perhaps they have some personal connections.'
While pondering this, I walked through the street where I could find lodging.
'Even though I know where to stay, the place is quite large. How am I going to find the people from the Cheongmun Clan...'
However, my concern was short-lived.
"Ah! The rascals from the Cheongmun Clan!"
"Damn it, why are those foul-tempered people here!"
"Look, just stay away from here so you don't get caught up in their trouble!"
"..."
Silently, I watched people avoiding the area and noticed a pair of man and woman walking towards my location from a distance.
Both were dressed in dark black robes, exuding a strong fighting spirit as they walked.
The man, especially, was a burly giant, wearing a storage artifact similar to mine on his wrist.
'Hmm, it seems like something very unpleasant has happened. Their intent is predominantly red with anger.'
The man and woman from the Cheongmun Clan seem furious as their intent colored red with rage near their upper dantian.
It was then.
Thunk-
"Haha, this is a good purchase..."
A man in a red robe, stepping out from between the lodgings, bumped into the giant from the Cheongmun Clan.
'That attire, that seal... is he from the Jin Clan?'
The man from the Jin Clan, seeing the giant, nodded as if to apologize, then tried to continue on his way.
At that moment, the giant from the Cheongmun Clan grabbed the shoulder of the cultivator from the Jin Clan.
"If you bump into someone, shouldn't you apologize?"
"Huh? I did apologize, what is the problem?"
"You... Are you making fun of me?"
"What? Gah! Ack!"
Suddenly, the giant exerted force on his grip and the cultivator from the Jin Clan screamed and fell to his knees.
"You, you son of a..!"
Click, click!
Around the Jin Clan cultivator, spiritual power of the fire element started to spread, and sparks began to fly off him.
"Will you not let go?"
"Hmph. You bump into me and instead of apologizing, you act all high and mighty. Even if you get beaten to death, you'll have no one to blame."
"You, you son of a bitch! If you do not let go of me and kneel down right now, I'll make sure you can never use that hand again..!"
'Theres trouble. I don't know about the giant's character, but the cultivators from the Jin Clan are known for their fiery temper and strong pride...'
The woman beside the giant spoke.
"Aren't you aware of the Spirit Path Conference's rules? Inside this area, the use of spells above Qi Refining 2nd Star for attacks is prohibited. Also, causing injury to others is forbidden."
"Ha, so what? You're going to use the rules of the Spirit Path Conference to stop me.."
"Im saying, as long as you abide by 'attacks using spells above the limit' and 'inflicting injuries' rules, you can do whatever you want. One of our clan members used this to his advantage in a scuffle recently,"
The woman from the Cheongmun Clan spoke.
At this, the giant grinned and, in an instant, a bright light burst from his fist, striking the cultivator from the Jin Clan squarely in the face.
Boom!
The fire spell the Jin Clan cultivator was about to use shattered, and he was sent flying over a distance of more than a meter.
"Aaagh! You, you bastard! How dare you injure me! Do you think you can leave the Spirit Path Conference unscathed after this?"
"Hmm, noisy."
The giant grumbled.
Thump! Thump!
Approaching the Jin Clan cultivator, the giant grabbed his collar and began to beat him with his luminous fist.
"Stop, stop! This guy is breaking the rules of the Spirit Path Conference!"
However, no cultivator dared to intervene, as the Jin Clan cultivator wasn't actually injured.
I sensed a familiar energy emanating from the giant's fist.
'It's the same healing technique Sir Chang-ho used to fix my arm.'
Indeed, the giant was beating the Jin Clan cultivator with a healing technique.
"Why, why isn't the Spirit Path Conference's protective barrier activating against a Qi Refining 2nd Star level attack...!"
Despite being the one getting hit, the Jin Clan cultivator seemed too preoccupied to understand why the conference's rules weren't being enforced.
"You. Damn. LittleIf you bump into someone..."
"Ahh, ahhh!"
Thump! Thump! Thump! Thump!
The Jin Clan cultivator, trying to escape the giant's grip, kept casting spells, but the blue light emanating from the giant's hand held him firmly in place.
"Tsk tsk, seems like the Jin Clan cultivator met his match."
"It seems they were only paying attention to cultivators from certain regions and not from others."
"He didn't know that the Cheongmun Clan is infamous for their foul temper..."
The other cultivators didn't interfere in this bizarre fight where one was beating the other while healing them; they just watched from a distance.
Most onlookers appeared to be around the Qi Refining 3rd or 4th Star..
The giant from the Cheongmun Clan, and even the woman observing beside him, seemed to be at least Qi Refining 5th Star.
'...Sir Chang-ho, the founder, is a generous and kind person. Seems like his clan's branch family members are a bit less so.'
I clicked my tongue watching the Cheongmun Clan giant mercilessly beat the Jin Clan cultivator.
'...Tsk. I don't particularly like the Jin Clan, but seeing someone who was once on my side in a past life being beaten like this doesn't sit well with me.'
I approached the giant who was still beating the nearly unconscious Jin Clan cultivator.
"Excuse me, sir. It seems the Jin Clan member has learned his lesson. Perhaps it's time to forgive him."
"Huh? Who are you to meddle in our affair?"
"It does not matter who I am. Your behavior does not seem very honorable. Please, let him go now."
"Ha, if you don't like it, try to take this arrogant fool away from me. Let's see how strong a Qi Refining 3rd Star like you is..."
I didn't need to use my hands.
I used the essence of Record of Transcending Cultivation and Exhausting Martial Arts' ultimate technique, adjusting its power before shooting it at the giant.
"Aaaaah!"
The giant clutched his head and let go of the Jin Clan cultivator. I quickly went over to the latter, pressing on a point to alleviate his pain.
"Are you alright?"
"Hu, huff...! Heuughk... Thank you, really, thank you..."
The Jin Clan cultivator, appearing to be around Qi Refining 4th to 5th Star, tearfully thanked me.
"I do not know who you are, but if you ever come to Yanguo's Cheombuk City, I will repay this favor. Use this token to contact me when you are there. I must go now. Thank you for today!"
After thanking me, he handed me a token and hurriedly left, fearing that the giant might rise again to strike him.
"How dare you harm us?"
The woman from the Cheongmun Clan glared at me, blocking the giant.
I smiled and spoke.
"My technique is not like Qi Refining spells, so I do not believe I have violated any Spirit Path Conference rules. And where exactly is the injury on that man?"
"Hmph! You seem to have cunningly skirted the rules using some consciousness technique. You will regret picking a fight with the Cheongmun Clan's descendants..!"
Blue light also emanated from the woman's hand.
It was the same healing technique used to beat the Jin Clan cultivator.
However, I swiftly cut through her technique with a hand-chop.
Her hand remained intact, but the blue light was severed in mid-air.
"What, what..."
Swiish
I quickly approached her, extending two fingers and slowly thrusted towards her.
"Defense!"
The Cheongmun Clan's woman, startled, hastily summoned a transparent barrier with a spell, but it shattered instantly as I released Gang Qi from my fingertips.
I quickly dispersed the Gang Qi and pressed on a vital point on her body.
"Cough!"
The Cheongmun Clan's woman clutched the pressed point, groaning in pain and collapsing to the ground.
"You use a healing technique to beat people. I am also well-versed in the human body, knowing where to strike to heal and cause pain at the same time... Shall we try it?"
"Eek, you..."
"Hold on."
Her face flushed with anger as she was about to cast a spell on me.
The Cheongmun Clan's giant, stopping her, clutched his head and stood up.
"Ahem. My apologies. I did not realize you were a senior with concealed cultivation."
"Huh?"
As I wondered, he pointed to the brush at my waist and said.
"I did not recognize it before, but that tool blurs your cultivation level, making it hard for me to perceive. Please forgive our rudeness."
He bowed deeply, asking for forgiveness.
I nodded, accepting his apology.
"O-Orabeoni (formal way of referring to an older brother for a woman). That man, no, that person..."
"Didn't you see his strike just now? He dissipated our spells with a wave of his hand and nearly knocked me unconscious with his consciousness technique. He must be at least Qi Refining 7th Star."
"That, that's... I apologize for my rudeness as well."
"..."
I felt awkward and scratched my head.
What would they do if they knew I wasn't a Qi Refining 7th Star, but a martial artist without any spiritual power?
It seems they mistook me for a high-level cultivator disguising my cultivation with a tool.
'The reality is the opposite, though.'
"...By the way, do you recognize this pattern?"
I showed them the pattern of recommendation from Sir Chang-ho on the back of my hand.
The giant's eyes widened.
"This is an external family recommendation token. It's at least from a main family elder or a public official level. We failed to recognize a distinguished person like yourself. Please forgive us for this as well."
"Luckily you know of it. Actually, I was looking for people from the Cheongmun Clan because of this... So, how do I join as an external member using this?"
"Oh, it is simple. Come to our clan's territory, and receiving confirmation from just one elder-level senior will make you an external member immediately. Haha, since it has come to this, we will escort you to our territory as soon as the Spirit Path Conference is over."
"Ah, thank you."
I nodded to the now humble Cheongmun Clan siblings and decided to find lodging nearby, waiting until the end of the Spirit Path Conference.
Twenty days passed, and the Spirit Path Conference ended.
Guided by the Cheongmun Clan siblings,
I arrived at the Cheongmun Clan's territory in Byeokra.
***
Upon arriving at the Cheongmun Clan's territory, I received an entry plaque that allowed me to access the area and went to meet a Qi Building elder.
Cheongmun Mok, the Qi Building elder, checked my recommendation in his room and said,
"Hmm, this is a recommendation from an elder or someone higher from the main clan. It seems you were recommended by one of the seniors who recently ascended."
"An ascended senior?"
"Never mind that. It's not something you need to worry about. Anyway, the authenticity of your recommendation is confirmed, so we will accept you as an external member of the clan..."
He then asked for my name, age, nationality, and current cultivation level.
"My name is Seo Eun-hyun, 30 years old. I was born in Lianshan City of Yanguo, and my current level... I have not yet learned any cultivation methods."
"Hmm? You haven't learned any cultivation methods?"
Cheongmun Mok's eyes flickered.
His consciousness swept over mine.
I had compressed my consciousness using the Hidden Consciousness Technique, making it appear much smaller, roughly at the level of Qi Refining 1st Star.
"To have Qi Refining 1st Star level consciousness without learning any cultivation methods is remarkable. Is that why you were recommended? Do you know what type of spiritual root you possess?"
"I am told it's Five Elements Spiritual Roots."
"Five Element..?"
His eyes flickered again.
"...Hmm. Your slightly exceptional consciousness seems to be the only reason you were recommended...? Never mind. It's not my place to question the decisions of the main clan elders. I'll give you an identity token that symbolizes your status as an external member. I'll also arrange your residence."
Following the elder, we headed to a location within the territory.
Unlike the Makli Clan or Jin Clan, the Cheongmun Clan's territory was not established on flat land but in a rugged mountainous area.
Thus, the residences of the clan members are more like caves carved into the sides of mountain ravines than actual houses.
Cheongmun Mok led me to one such cave and, pointing to it, said,
"This will be your residence from now on. You will live here, elevate your cultivation, perform assigned duties, and accumulate contributions for the clan. Once you've amassed enough contributions, you can use them to receive support from the clan.
Additionally, external members and branch families receive basic cultivation resources from the clan once a month. The more missions you complete and the higher your cultivation stage, the more resources you'll receive. Since you only have potential and lack not only spiritual energy but also a Law-Transforming Dantian, the basic support you'll receive will be..."
He rummaged in his robes and handed me a small box.
Inside the box, there were tiny yellow bamboo ginseng roots, significantly smaller than the arm-sized ginseng I had dug up in Dangseunhyang.
'Judging by the size and appearance, these are cultivated ginseng, around five years old.'
"Be content with this for now. Once you reach the Qi Gathering stage and ascend to Qi Refining, you can receive at least one spirit stone per month. Also, take these."
I received two books from Cheongmun Mok.
One was a Qi Gathering cultivation manual, and the other contained the clan's rules and regulations.
"Make sure to read the rulebook and use the Qi Gathering manual to reach the Qi Gathering stage. Since you're now a member of the clan, you must complete at least four mandatory missions a month. When you want to take on a mission, come to me, and I'll assign you tasks suitable for your level."
"Understood."
After receiving the books and bidding farewell to the elder, I entered the cave.
The cave was empty, but having been homeless in several past lives, I was more than satisfied with just having a roof and walls.
I first opened the Qi Gathering manual given by Cheongmun Mok titled, 'Cheongmun Method of Qi Gathering,' and the 'Myriad Qi Gathering Methods' I bought from Mr. Eom at the Spirit Path Conference.
Soon after, I closed the Cheongmun manual and set it aside.
'The manual seems too rudimentary for someone with Five Elements Spiritual Roots...'
Compared to the Myriad Qi manual, the Cheongmun method was less user-friendly and contained too many incomprehensible terms.
In contrast, the Myriad Qi manual included methods suitable for each spiritual root, and detailed explanations about the Qi Gathering stage.
The process of creating a Law-Transforming Dantian is as follows:
First, one must activate their inherent spiritual quality, transforming their dantian to be optimized for that quality.
Afterward, by gathering Yin and Yang energies and circulating them within the dantian, it becomes imbued with primordial chaos energy, making it suitable to absorb the heaven and earth energy. Thereby, achieving the transformation into a Law-Transforming Dantian.
However, there was a problem.
'Those with Heavenly Spiritual Roots take a day, True Spiritual Roots take a month, Mixed Spiritual Roots the fast ones take a year, the slow ones take three to five years.'
The more elements one possesses, the exponentially longer it takes to create a Law-Transforming Dantian.
For those with a single spiritual quality, such as Heavenly Spiritual Roots, it was enough to activate this one quality and optimize the dantian, then gather Yin and Yang energies to purify it with primordial chaos energy. This could be achieved in just one day.
However, cultivators with more than one spiritual quality had to activate and optimize their dantian with the energies of these qualities, ensuring that the energies of the different qualities were perfectly and evenly distributed within the dantian.
For those with dual qualities, it was a matter of precisely balancing the two energies 50-50. But starting from triple qualities, it became exceedingly difficult to balance the energies.
Thus, for those with the same True Spiritual Roots but three qualities, it would take one to three months just to balance these energies.
And from the fourth and fifth qualities, it was said to be the beginning of hell.
Yes, one must perfectly balance the concentrations of five different energies, and during the evolution of the dantian with primordial chaos energy, these concentrations must not change at all.
'Hmm...'
I understood the Myriad Gathering Method and Analysis of Qi Gathering as I read, comprehending the stages of Qi Gathering..
After organizing my thoughts, I came to a conclusion.
'No problem at all.'
Uniformity of energies?
That issue was completely resolved when I ascended to Five Energies Converging to the Origin, undergoing a complete transformation.
The five qualities within me are now perfectly balanced.
I just need to activate all the qualities and infuse them into the dantian.
The notion that I must never lose focus or allow any fluctuation in the uniformity of qualities during the evolution of the dantian with primordial energy is meaningless to me.
'Compared to maintaining sword energy all day long, this isn't even difficult.'
Moreover, using the Hidden Consciousness Technique gifted to me by the hunchback old man, my training speed should increase significantly, so time is not a concern for me.
The last remaining issue was the spiritual energy needed for training.
Rumble-
The thousand or so spirit stones brought by the Mahkli Clan cultivators were still there.
I spread the spirit stones I had poured out from my storage bracelet all around the cave, savoring their aura.
'Hmm, this should be enough...'
It seems I wouldn't have to worry about training.
After estimating the energy of the spirit stones, I put them back into my storage bracelet and went to see the Cheongmun Clan elder to receive my mission.
Since I had to complete at least four missions a month, I thought it would be better to get it over with all at once and train in peace.
When I arrived, the Cheongmun Clan elder gave me a simple and somewhat trivial task.
He said to go to a small village in the Jurungsung province of Byeokra to verify if someone with spiritual qualities had appeared.
I teamed up with a member of the Cheongmun Clan and headed to Jurungsung.
'I had wondered where cultivators kept finding new members, and now I know.'
I learned something I had been curious about while carrying out the mission with a member of the Cheongmun Clan.
How do the cultivator clans continue to replenish their numbers over hundreds of years?
Inbreeding among family members with spiritual roots would eventually lead to intensified genetic diseases, and it seemed unlikely that they would marry members of other clans they were competing with.
However, it seemed that the cultivator clans tasked their branch families with missions like this one, sourcing people with spiritual qualities from all over the country.
It was surprisingly easy to find people born with spiritual qualities.
'Almost annoyingly so.'
In the village, children who claimed to see ghosts, or those who continuously saw illusions, or whose minds were not entirely sound, turned out to be individuals with spiritual qualities in over 80% of the cases.
It appeared that going to villages with rumors of children seeing ghosts or peculiar children was a way to find individuals with spiritual qualities.
'Although determining the specific type of spiritual quality requires detailed verification, at least knowing whether someone possesses spiritual qualities or not is easy to discern...'
Those with spiritual qualities or open spiritual channels have their consciousness protruding outwards from the upper dantian, forming a circle around their brows.
Although these individuals had not learned any cultivation methods, making their consciousness only about twice the size of their heads, it is still easy to recognize, especially when compared to ordinary mortals who let out their intent in the form of threads, not consciousness.
"That child must be the one said to see ghosts."
A member of the Cheongmun Clan, who had teamed up with me and at the 1st Star Qi Refining stage, pointed out a child lying under a bridge in Maeyeol Village, Jurungsung Province.
The child was bruised all over and seemed to be staring blankly at the flow of heaven and earth energy.
"He has an open spiritual channel."
I observed the shape of the child's consciousness around his upper dantian, centered on his brow, and commented.
The Cheongmun cultivator nodded and descended under the bridge.
The beggar family under the bridge seemed flustered by the sudden approach of someone in fine clothes, murmuring and getting up from their spot.
"What's the name of that child?"
"Oh, my lord. This child's name is Gusan. If he looked rudely at you, I apologize. That child, he claims to see ghosts..."
Just then, the child named Gusan suddenly screamed and pointed at us.
"Waaah! Monsters! Monsters! Waaaah!"
It seems like it is his first time seeing someone with our kind of consciousness, and his reaction was quite extreme.
The face of the beggar family head contorted in anger.
"This damned child, speaking nonsense to important people, bring a stick! We must teach him a lesson..."
"It's fine. Instead, are you willing to sell this child to us? We'll pay a good price."
Clink!
The Cheongmun member pulled out a purse full of money and handed it over.
The head of the beggars looked at the purse, seemingly confused.
"Uh, what? Why would you want such a child..."
"Enough. Are you selling or not?"
Prompted by the Cheongmun member, the head of the beggars quickly grabbed the child and brought him over.
"Ah, yes. We'll sell. Haha, lucky you! You're going to wear fine clothes and eat better food. Go follow them!"
"No, daddy, no. They're not human. People let out thoughts like threads, but theirs are round! They must be monsters!"
"This damned child, still babbling about ghosts and monsters! Just follow them already!"
The beggar boy screamed in fear upon seeing our consciousness.
The Cheongmun member sighed and told me.
"You take the boy. I don't want to deal with this dirty kid."
"Alright."
Eventually, after being beaten a few times by his father, the boy was sold to us, and his father brandished the purse full of money with shining intent.
"Waaaah! Waaaaah!"
The boy cried out loud as I led him away.
The Cheongmun member, bothered by the noise, was about to use a spell to silence him, but I stopped him to let the boy cry his heart out.
'Cry. It's only fair given your situation.'
Unable to bear the boy's crying, the Cheongmun member walked ahead quickly, increasing the distance between us, while I continued to hold the boy's hand, letting him cry.
After the boy's voice became hoarse, I spoke to him in a calm voice.
"Don't worry. We are not monsters. Just think of us as people like you."
"Sniffle, sniffle..."
However, the boy's consciousness was clouded with a dark blue color, the color of sadness.
"...Will I never see my mother and father again?"
"Well, perhaps when you grow up, you can come back to visit. Once you learn cultivation methods and grow strong enough to take on missions, you might be able to return."
"What do you mean?"
"You'll understand later. Don't worry, you'll see them again."
Hearing my words, the sadness in Gusan's consciousness seemed to lift slightly.
I asked the Cheongmun member walking ahead.
"What will happen to this child?"
"First, he'll be taken to the clan for a talent assessment. If his talent is above true spiritual roots, he will be entrusted to external members of the clan for education. After learning the Qi Gathering Method, basic techniques, and rising to the level of Qi Refining, he will be treated as an external member.
However, if he has mixed spiritual roots, he will be given to the lower echelons of the clan. He'll study under them for a few years, go through Qi Gathering, and once he reaches Qi Refining, he will become part of the lower echelons. If he accumulates enough merit, he might even be promoted to an external member."
"What if we find someone with heavenly spiritual roots?"
"If that happens, the main house will come personally to educate them. They will learn the main cultivation methods and then be married into the direct line of the main house, becoming a son-in-law. They will grow with the support of the main house's direct line. However, I've never encountered such a case in my life."
"I see..."
I gained a deeper understanding of how the cultivator clans replenish their ranks as he explained.
I soothed the child as we returned to the Cheongmun Clan's territory.
After a thorough examination, the child was identified as having mixed spiritual roots and was to be adopted by a lower echelon member of the clan supported by a powerful family in Byeokra.
His life was bound to change significantly from before.
I received another mission from the Cheongmun Clan elder and went off to find new candidates with spiritual roots, successfully completing three months' worth of missions.
Although it took time to travel around Byeokra, this mission involved tracking down rumors to their source and verifying whether individuals had open spiritual channels.
Bringing spiritual root holders back to the clan was treated as a separate mission, so I was not pressed for time.
With about three months gained, I returned to my cave.
"Now, it's time to learn the Qi Gathering Method."
After sealing the entrance of the cave with a wooden plank, I spread out a thousand spirit stones and sat cross-legged in the center.
The Myriad Qi Gathering Method specific to those with five spiritual qualities, the Five Elements Secret.
I began to absorb the heaven and earth spiritual energy flowing around me, using the Five Elements Secret, and activated the spiritual roots in my body according to the Secret's instructions.
Woong-
Remembering how the Five Elements spiritual energy harmoniously entered my body when I reached the Five Energies Converging to the Origin, I operated the Five Elements Secrets and the Five Elements spiritual energy began to be drawn into my dantian from the surrounding spiritual energy.
Other cultivators would have focused all their effort at this stage to harmonize the spiritual energy, spending years just on this. My body's spiritual energy was already perfectly balanced, so simply pouring the existing energy into the dantian resulted in a perfectly harmonious concentration.
In an instant, the dantian achieved perfect harmony of five elements.
From there, I began to optimize the dantian for the Five Elements spiritual energy according to the Secret's instructions.
Time passed.
One day, two days, three days.
And on the fifth day,
I finally succeeded in optimizing the dantian for all five elements.
"Now I'm halfway there."
The next step was to absorb Yin and Yang energies, circulate it, and transform it into primordial chaos energy, evolving the dantian to receive spiritual power.
Typical cultivators with five spiritual qualities would take months or even years to absorb heaven and earth energy at this stage, but I was different.
Woong-
I drew spiritual energy directly from the thousand spirit stones around me.
Kugugugugu!
Clutching handfuls of spirit stones, I absorbed spiritual energy furiously.
Due to being a five-spiritual-quality cultivator, the efficiency of energy absorption wasn't great, but I compensated with the sheer quantity of spirit stones.
After absorbing a vast amount of spiritual energy, I divided it into Yin and Yang energies according to the Five Elements Secret.
Then, I circulated it in the dantian, mixing Yin and Yang energies to create primordial chaos energy.
With this primordial chaos energy, I filled the dantian and began its evolution.
Kugugugu-
Changes started occurring in the dantian.
Despite the drastic changes trying to disturb the balance of the harmonized Five Elements spiritual energy, I maintained perfect balance with firm consciousness and allowed the primordial chaos energy to work.
How long did I continue to push primordial chaos energy into the dantian using the Five Elements Secret?
Finally.
Flash!
Light seemed to emanate from the dantian, and the primordial chaos energy no longer caused any further transformation.
Instead, the dantian began to operate the primordial chaos energy on its own, refining and collecting it into pure spiritual power.
"Haah..."
I exhaled and operated the Five Elements spiritual power inside me.
The Five Elements spiritual power moved at my will.
Huuuh-
As I inhaled, the heaven and earth energy naturally absorbed into me following my intent.
I realized that I had achieved great success with the Five Elements Secret.
The implication was clear.
"Now, I can ascend to the Qi Refining stage."
I opened my eyes, left the cave, and asked the mortals working in the Cheongmun Clan's territory about the current date.
I learned that a month had passed since I started my closed-door cultivation.
"Since I've already completed three months' worth of missions, I have about two months left."
I quickly decided.
Returning to the cave, I took out the Five Surpassing Paths to Cultivation.
"With the remaining time, shall I try advancing to the first star of Qi Refining?"
Translator notes: From my understanding spiritual energy is the basic form of energy that exists in the world, it's the heaven and earth spiritual energy. Spiritual power is when the spiritual energy is transformed by the Law-Transforming Dantian into 'power' that can be used and manipulated by a cultivator. Spiritual power can also be translated as law power which explains the term 'Law-Transforming Dantian.
***