WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: DereKimchi
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◈ Carefree Tale of Cultivation ◈
Chapter 17: Disciple Assembly (3)
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“Good work.”
With a respectful expression, Jin Hyeon cupped his fists toward his opponent, who was half-collapsed on the fighting platform and calming the thunder qi racing through his body.
The man had only barely reached the sixth level of Qi Refining. With a resigned expression, he laboriously returned the greeting.
Seeing that Jin Hyeon was only one level above him at the seventh level of Qi Refining, he had thought he might stand a chance.
But as soon as the match began, Jin Hyeon had brought out his mid-grade magical artifact, the blue sword, and linked it with a surprise thunderball. The man had barely managed to fire off a few spell arts before being defeated.
As he watched Jin Hyeon leave the platform, he could not help feeling envious.
He had entered Blue Willow Sect over ten years ago. He had spent every spirit stone he received on cultivation, leaving him with few useful magical artifacts, and his cultivation had not advanced much either.
Yet his opponent was clearly younger, had a higher cultivation level, and even possessed a mid-grade magical artifact. All he could do was sigh.
After stepping off the platform and greeting the elderly late-stage Qi Refining cultivator acting as referee, Jin Hyeon took out the Silver Swallow Board and flew toward the stands.
That battle had been very easy.
Objectively and subjectively alike.
It could not even compare to his battle with the black-clad cultivator.
Of course, it had not been a fight to the death, but his opponent's aptitude had also been far too poor.
He must have spent everything on cultivation and been unable to properly acquire magical artifacts or talismans.
Still, he was hardly a special case.
‘Even among disciples of a major sect, this must be how the overwhelming majority at the bottom of the cultivation world live...’
That had not been Jin Hyeon's first match in the Disciple Assembly.
Several days had already passed since he watched Myeong Seokho battle Yang Woo-hyeon.
During that time, encouraged by Nam Hyeok and his wife, he had fought his first match and won every match that followed.
Most of Jin Hyeon's opponents had been like the man he had just faced.
They had poor aptitudes but accumulated cultivation through long years of effort. They entered the assembly not because they were confident of winning, but in hopes of catching the attention of a Foundation Establishment martial uncle looking for disciples to handle odd jobs, perhaps gaining a little cultivation advice or support.
Whenever Jin Hyeon saw them, he felt the reality of the cultivation world.
If he had not received the black stone's help, his own inferior triple spirit root would likely have left him unable even to dream of entering the Disciple Assembly.
Riding the Silver Swallow Board, Jin Hyeon headed toward the outermost edge of the stadium's stands, a massive Colosseum-like structure resembling an enormous basin.
At that edge, which could almost be called a small peak, Jin Hyeon put away the Silver Swallow Board and quietly sat on the grass to absorb spiritual qi.
A deep blue-black curtain of night, clear moonlight, cool wind, and glittering stars greeted him.
The Disciple Assembly continued day and night.
Mortals accumulated fatigue merely by staying awake all day and required proper sleep. Cultivators did not.
The all-purpose spiritual qi circulating through soul and body eliminated the need for sleep, so most events in the cultivation world commonly continued without rest.
As Jin Hyeon recovered his spiritual qi, he thought the Disciple Assembly would end in a few days.
Many participants had already been eliminated. Since comparatively few late-stage Qi Refining disciples had entered, their finals would likely take place tomorrow.
“If I make it to the finals, there are probably three possible opponents...”
First was Son Yu-seol, Ha Seung's disciple and Myeong Seokho's Junior Sister. By observing her battles, Jin Hyeon confirmed his expectation that she possessed a high-grade magical artifact.
Fortunately, her spiritual qi did not seem sufficient to use it for long periods.
Second was an eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator from Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
The moment Jin Hyeon saw the cultivator, he knew the cultivator was the person Won Hyu had bet spirit stones on.
The cultivator possessed formidable spiritual power and was close to reaching the ninth level of Qi Refining. As someone employed by Hundred Treasures Pavilion, the cultivator seemed to have accumulated many spirit stones through various channels, and carried numerous talismans and magical artifacts.
The third was not especially remarkable, but he was likewise a middle-aged man at the eighth level of Qi Refining. Judging by when he had entered the sect, he had likely been a disciple the longest of the three.
That meant he would have many prepared methods, so Jin Hyeon needed to be careful.
They were formidable opponents.
Still, Jin Hyeon did not think his chances of winning were nonexistent.
He was at the seventh level of Qi Refining, but the thunder marks accumulated in his Soul Sea gave his spiritual power an advantage. Unlike most disciples, who remained at the level of basic five-element spell arts, he had also entered the difficult thunder-aspect cultivation method through the black stone's power.
On top of that, he had the two mid-grade magical artifacts gifted by the black-clad cultivator, a high-grade Azure Sword Wind Talisman, and the black snake he could drive berserk as a hidden trump card.
Besides, the bracket meant he would likely face only one of them, not all three. There was no reason to be so nervous.
Even if he failed to win, it would not be a major problem.
He certainly wanted the custom-made high-grade magical artifact, but considering the power of his cheat code and his young age, there would be plenty more opportunities in the future.
Feeling his recovered spiritual power, Jin Hyeon flopped back onto the grass.
The soft ground supported him and gave off a fresh scent.
He turned his head to watch the matches far below, resting to the accompaniment of crickets and owls.
* * *
As the Disciple Assembly continued, Jin Hyeon occasionally visited Won Hyu to see how his business was going. He also met Nam Hyeok and his wife, who were still watching other matches, and spent time with the other Senior Brothers he had come to know.
Even so, he continued fighting other disciples.
Among increasingly powerful opponents, Jin Hyeon faced one disciple who used a strange doglike spirit beast and another who attempted an extremely short battle by scattering low-grade talismans like rain.
He won every battle, but the almost disposable yellow shield broke in the process, and the blue sword, which he had frequently used for its automatic attack function, had also suffered heavy damage to its spiritual qi.
Not to mention that he had used up the large number of talismans he had stocked from Hundred Treasures Pavilion.
Fortunately, his losses in spirit stones were not yet severe, but Jin Hyeon felt troubled.
He wanted a high-grade magical artifact badly, but it pained him to pour out his current wealth for an uncertain prize.
Seeing this, Jin Hyeon resolved to learn artifact refinement more thoroughly and build a system in which he could provide for himself.
Someday, he too would produce spirit artifacts as if mass-producing them and pile up great quantities of spirit stones.
However, not everything was disappointing for Jin Hyeon.
Very fortunately for him, two of the people he had considered likely champions were eliminated.
The middle-aged disciple and the eighth-level Qi Refining disciple from Hundred Treasures Pavilion fought each other until both were incapable of continuing. Since neither could participate in further matches, they were absurdly eliminated together.
There had been many cases of voluntary forfeits or mutual defeats before, but nobody had expected it to happen between championship contenders.
Even after the goddess of luck smiled upon Jin Hyeon, time continued to pass, and soon the Disciple Assembly neared its end.
At least, it did for Jin Hyeon.
The late-stage Qi Refining disciples had finished all their matches the previous day.
The finalists were Myeong Seokho and another disciple at the twelfth level of Qi Refining. The moment the match began, Myeong Seokho brought out his spirit artifact, the Divided Flame Sword.
Without even properly controlling it, he simply unleashed its special Myriad Blossoms in Rain upon his opponent in an indiscriminate barrage. His opponent could not even mount a proper defense and was defeated in one blow.
Jin Hyeon offered his condolences to the opponent.
The Divided Flame Sword's power was no different from the bombardment of modern firearms he had seen in his previous life. It was difficult for a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator to withstand.
Myeong Seokho seemed to have incurred the referee's anger by sending swords flying even at the Foundation Establishment cultivator officiating the match, but he still claimed victory in the Disciple Assembly.
However, the matches for mid-stage and early-stage Qi Refining disciples remained.
And now, Jin Hyeon stood on a fighting platform covered in earth and stone dust, facing Son Yu-seol on the other side.
“The mid-stage finals! Disciple Jin Hyeon versus Disciple Son Yu-seol!”
Hearing the referee's shout beside them, Son Yu-seol smiled, her eyes curving.
“I never expected to face Junior Brother. It seems you're even more skilled than I thought.”
“Haha, I was lucky.”
Jin Hyeon meant it sincerely.
Even if his actual combat ability did not fall behind that of an eighth-level Qi Refining cultivator, avoiding the other formidable candidates had been purely luck.
“If Master weren't clearing his mind in preparation for Core Formation, I think I really would have called you a true Junior Brother. It's a shame. Well, perhaps that will become possible soon.”
Jin Hyeon blinked at one part of her words.
“Is Martial Uncle Ha about to attempt Core Formation?”
It was not impossible to understand.
Even before Jin Hyeon first met Ha Seung, he had been regarded as someone who could reach Core Formation at any time.
But until recently, he had not shut himself in his cave dwelling to meditate or prepare. Jin Hyeon could not understand why he was trying to reach Core Formation so quickly.
Of course, Jin Hyeon knew almost nothing about the actual process of Core Formation. Still, he knew that even Foundation Establishment required a considerable preparation period that could take years, so Ha Seung's news surprised him.
“This Disciple Assembly itself is part of Master's preparations. As far as I know, he made a wager with one of the sect elders over the tournament winner to obtain a Foundation Establishment medicinal pill for Senior Brother Myeong. He wants to secure Senior Brother's future and lighten the burden on his heart. Also, before attempting Core Formation, he wagered three high-grade magical artifacts as prizes so that he could hone the artifact refinement he is most confident in and regain his confidence.”
Jin Hyeon understood Son Yu-seol's explanation.
No wonder the assembly's arrangement had seemed so hurried and strange. Martial Uncle Ha had done this to temper his mind and body before reaching Core Formation. In that case, it made sense that the sect itself had changed the assembly.
‘Then the process of Core Formation has a trial related to mental stability? In that case...’
Boom!
Jin Hyeon cleared away his stray thoughts and swiftly dodged the incoming fireball.
Slightly startled, he looked at Son Yu-seol as she extended her hand and prepared another Fireball Art.
“What is it, Junior Brother? You aren't planning to talk all day, are you?”
Still smiling, she fired Fireball Art projectiles at Jin Hyeon one after another.
With a bitter smile, Jin Hyeon shook three talismans from his sleeve.
The talismans raised two water shields and an earthen wall, successfully blocking the fireball bombardment.
Standing behind the temporary barrier, Jin Hyeon immediately drew out his magical artifacts.
First, he poured spiritual power into the blue sword and sent it floating into the air. With his right hand, he began condensing the thunderball he knew best.
‘The amount of spiritual power between her and me isn't that different anyway... She can't handle a high-grade magical artifact for long, so I'll drag this into a prolonged battle...’
Jin Hyeon planned to fire the thunderball to disrupt Son Yu-seol's preparations, immediately widen the distance, and continue the battle while harassing her with spell arts from afar.
However, upon seeing his thunderball, Son Yu-seol brought out two magical artifacts.
One was a mid-grade magical artifact resembling a bright-red pearl as large as a person's head.
From watching her other battles, Jin Hyeon knew it was a defensive magical artifact.
The other was a gigantic cannon that looked like an entire thick tree trunk had been moved there.
More precisely, only the barrel floated in the air. It had a nearly cylindrical structure and a spherical rear portion.
The cannon had a pitch-black body, with a phoenix carved in red metal across it.
Seeing light gather at its muzzle, Jin Hyeon immediately fired his unfinished thunderball. He recalled the sword flying toward Son Yu-seol, stepped onto it, and dodged to the side.
An explosion erupted beside him at once.
With a tremor through the ground, scorching heat and thick dust swept in all directions.
Cold sweat ran down Jin Hyeon's back as he saw the reinforced floor of the fighting platform, made from special metal and strengthened with spiritual power, shatter in a single blow.
That was Son Yu-seol's high-grade magical artifact, the Red Phoenix Cannon.
Having seen its destructive power, Jin Hyeon had discarded all thought of defending and dodged immediately. It had been the right choice.
The water shields and earthen wall he left behind vanished along with part of the fighting platform.
Jin Hyeon had not expected his opponent to use such a strenuous method from the very beginning, and he was flustered.
The spiritual power consumption must be immense. She was using that from the start?
“Actually, I hadn't planned to use the Red Phoenix Cannon right away either. But...”
Son Yu-seol's face reddened slightly, as if embarrassed.
“I want to win the same way Senior Brother Myeong did, so I can receive an artifact as a winner alongside him. Besides, Junior Brother Jin's thunder arts are so powerful that I'm afraid to take them head-on. Junior Brother Jin would suffer greatly if struck by the Red Phoenix Cannon too, so how about surrendering now?”
Jin Hyeon gave a hollow laugh at her words.
The battle flow he had expected had been ruined because of Senior Brother Myeong. It was absurd.
“Your romantic story is none of my business, but I want a high-grade magical artifact too.”
Jin Hyeon held out his right hand, gathering spiritual power and thunder qi flowing from the thunder marks at his fingertips.
His fingertips turned red as a dangerous current began to crackle.
“I don't think surrendering will be possible.”
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