WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Cultivating Underground ◈
Chapter 11
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“I see. But even if it’s a spade, it was custom-made for plowing fields with the Azure Steel Sword Art. Wouldn’t that make it useful as a weapon too? Did it fail to sell because it was too expensive?”
At Yi Hyeon’s question, Jo Beom shook his head.
“Well... the Earthspade Sword is an awkward item. To make room for the Soil-Softening Art restriction inside it, the restrictions that assist with sword control were left out entirely.”
“Then you can’t use the Sword Control Art with it?”
“Correct. Even low-grade spiritual artifacts usually have supporting restrictions if they’re shaped like swords. Those make them easy to control with spiritual power and spiritual sense. But pouring spiritual power into this only activates the Soil-Softening Art. So if you want to use this Earthspade Sword for sword control in actual combat, you’ll have to lift and steer this heavy lump of metal using nothing but your own spiritual sense and power, without any supporting restrictions.”
Jo Beom tapped the Earthspade Sword’s thick blade with a finger.
“In short, it’s very difficult for a Qi Refining cultivator to lift and control this sword with spiritual sense. You’d need spiritual power and sense at least as strong as a Foundation Establishment senior’s before you could control it in the air. But why would a Foundation Establishment cultivator bother buying such a broad, low-grade artifact? They’d just use a high-grade one. In the end, it’s no use to anyone.”
“Could I hold it in my hands and fight with it?”
“That you could do. It’s made with black iron mixed with earthbone stone, so if you fill it with spiritual power, it won’t chip even against most mid-grade artifacts.”
After speaking, Jo Beom looked Yi Hyeon up and down.
“Don’t tell me you’re thinking of buying it.”
“Yes.”
“Didn’t you hear what I just said? A Qi Refining cultivator can’t use the Sword Control Art with this. Why not buy a different low-grade artifact?”
“I can’t dig with other swords, can I?”
“Why would you want to dig?”
“Because I’m a spirit-plant grower.”
Jo Beom studied Yi Hyeon’s face for a while. A complexion so pale it looked ashen, shadows beneath the eyes, and a beard that looked out of place on a face that did not yet seem twenty.
‘Tsk... The toxins in Withered Yin Field must have already clouded this youngster’s judgment. Still, the materials and durability are decent.’
Perhaps out of pity, Jo Beom softened his expression.
“...The price is sixty low-grade spirit stones. I should be charging a hundred, but it’s been gathering dust in a corner of the shelf for nine years, so I’ll give you a special discount. This is the lowest price the Equipment Hall’s rules allow.”
Yi Hyeon counted the spirit stones in the storage pouch.
‘Low-grade spirit stones... I saved thirty-one while working with Senior Brother No, and I received fifty-four at Withered Yin Field. Eighty-five altogether...’
“I’ll take it.”
“You won’t regret it?”
“No. It’s quite close to what I’ve been looking for.”
“All right.”
“I’d like to use my contribution points toward the payment too.”
Jo Beom took Yi Hyeon’s identity token and held it against the Equipment Hall’s spirit token. The writing engraved on the identity token blurred, then the contribution point balance changed to zero.
Yi Hyeon had spent most of the points at the Scripture Repository, so there had not been many left. He still had to pay fifty-five low-grade spirit stones.
After counting and putting away the stones, Jo Beom took a leather scabbard and a strap from beneath the shelf and pushed them across as well.
“Take this for free. No other sword would fit it anyway. You’ll need to carry it on your back or at your waist, so take the strap too.”
“Thank you.”
“One more thing.”
Jo Beom pointed at the Earthspade Sword.
“You can’t use a spiritual artifact straight after buying it. You have to ritually refine it first.”
“Ritually refine it?”
“Yes. First, bite your finger and let a drop of blood fall onto the blade. Then feed in your spiritual sense to leave your own imprint on the restrictions. After that, carefully wrap your spiritual power around the core restriction at the center of the artifact. Once it accepts your spiritual power and the patterns respond, it has recognized you as its owner. Your spiritual power will then flow smoothly in and out of the Earthspade Sword, and you’ll be able to activate the Soil-Softening Art restriction inside it. This artifact’s restrictions are simple, so even a beginner should finish in two days. Have you ever read the Introduction to Object Manipulation and Sword Control?”
“I... haven’t.”
For a moment, Yi Hyeon almost answered yes. Then he remembered that Wang So had borrowed the 《Introduction to Object Manipulation and Sword Control》, while he had copied it out and memorized it, and changed his answer.
It was unlikely, but there could be trouble if Senior Brother Jo somehow learned that 《Introduction to Object Manipulation and Sword Control》 was not in Yi Hyeon’s Scripture Repository reading records.
“You can read it at the Scripture Repository. Ordinary spiritual artifacts don’t require a special formula for ritual refinement. What I explained is the standard method, so the Introduction to Object Manipulation and Sword Control there should describe it in detail too.”
Jo Beom lifted the Earthspade Sword once, then handed it to Yi Hyeon. Its weight settled heavily into both arms.
The Earthspade Sword weighed a full ten jin, more than three times the weight of an ordinary longsword in the mortal world.
Fortunately, having reached the second layer of Qi Refining, Yi Hyeon had superhuman physical abilities and could lift it easily. Using it in battle, however, would likely require separate practice and training.
...
Back at the lodgings in Withered Yin Field, Yi Hyeon immediately took the Earthspade Sword out of the storage pouch.
First, he reviewed the ritual refinement method memorized from the 《Introduction to Object Manipulation and Sword Control》.
Even a Qi Refining cultivator’s memory was far better than an ordinary person’s. This was because a primordial spirit was born when someone successfully drew qi into their body.
Cultivators were generally understood to consist of three elements: essence, qi, and spirit (精氣神). These were the physical body, spiritual power, and primordial spirit.
When an ordinary person drew qi into their body and broke through to Qi Refining, the nerves throughout their body, including the brain and spinal cord, underwent a baptism of spiritual power. This gave birth to the primordial spirit, a concept encompassing what people commonly called the soul, mind, and spiritual soul.
Once someone possessed a primordial spirit, their mental abilities became far stronger than an ordinary person’s, and they rarely forgot something they had seen.
Yi Hyeon laid the Earthspade Sword across his knees and began its ritual refinement, following Senior Brother Jo’s advice and the instructions in the 《Introduction to Object Manipulation and Sword Control》.
...
Two nights later.
While continuing the work in the spirit field, Yi Hyeon finally succeeded in ritually refining the Earthspade Sword!
Hummm.
The tiny formation patterns engraved on the blade gave off a faint yellow glow, then connected fully with Yi Hyeon’s spiritual sense.
“At last...!”
Now that the refinement was complete, Yi Hyeon was too eager to sit still. He left the hut in Withered Yin Field and headed into the nearby woods.
After checking that no one was around, Yi Hyeon swung the Earthspade Sword at a dead tree.
Shhk!
The thigh-thick trunk was cut through at an angle.
Yi Hyeon had not yet properly learned the Azure Steel Sword Art. Even so, simply filling the sword with spiritual power and swinging it with both hands had left an extremely smooth cut.
“Oh...”
Next, Yi Hyeon brought it down on a rock.
Crack!
Perhaps because of the clumsy stance, the rock only split halfway through, but there was not a mark on the Earthspade Sword.
Yi Hyeon activated the Soil-Softening Art restriction.
As yellow light spread along the sword, the hard surface of the rock softened like wet mud.
Thunk!
The Earthspade Sword’s broad tip sank deep into the rock.
Yi Hyeon twisted the handle and pushed, breaking off a piece of stone the size of a person’s head. It fell to the ground.
‘Amazing...!’
* * *
Two months later, a natural opportunity to leave the sect came to Yi Hyeon.
Withered Yin Field was nearly out of yin sand soil.
Yin sand soil was black earth gathered from deep caves where yin energy was extremely dense. Sprinkled regularly around the roots of Bone-Rotting Flowers and purple poison orchids, it stabilized their medicinal properties and kept their toxins from dispersing.
There was nowhere within Cheongha Valley to gather this soil. It had to be collected directly from an abandoned mine on Black Crow Ridge, a little over a hundred li from the sect gates.
Traditionally, Withered Yin Field’s caretaker went to collect it once every few years. Having read the ledgers, Yi Hyeon knew this and had been considering it as a chance to escape the sect.
Strictly speaking, leaving the sect was not completely impossible without such an opportunity. But using a regular assignment as an excuse was the most natural way to avoid suspicion. The longer it took for anyone to discover the escape, the less likely Yi Hyeon was to be caught.
Yi Hyeon went to the Outer Sect Affairs Hall and applied for the yin sand soil collection assignment.
Permission to leave and reenter was inscribed on the identity token, and Yi Hyeon was instructed to return within seven days.
...
The day before leaving, Yi Hyeon visited Spirit Field No. 73.
No Baek-san was at the edge of the field, examining the leaves of the Azure Dew Grass.
“What brings you here?”
“I’m going to Black Crow Ridge to collect yin sand soil. I wanted to stop by and pay my respects before leaving.”
“Why bother saying goodbye when you’ll only be gone seven days?”
No Baek-san studied Yi Hyeon’s face.
“You look fairly well for someone who’s been living at Withered Yin Field.”
“That’s because I’ve carefully followed the spells and rules you taught me.”
“I didn’t teach you much. Don’t get greedy and go too deep for the yin sand soil. Soil from the outer areas will do.”
“Yes.”
Yi Hyeon bowed.
“Senior Brother No, thank you for everything you’ve done for me.”
No Baek-san narrowed his eyes.
“You’re acting strange today.”
“Living at Withered Yin Field has made me realize that you never know when you might die.”
“Enough nonsense. Just be careful out there.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
Although No Baek-san was a senior brother, Yi Hyeon thought of him as something of a teacher.
New outer disciples had no opportunity to formally take a master, so in practice, Senior Brother No had partly filled that role. His advanced age only strengthened that impression.
Yi Hyeon wanted to repay Senior Brother No, just as he had given Wang So the Essence-Nourishing Pills. But if he discovered that Yi Hyeon had kept the pills untouched instead of taking them, he might grow suspicious about how he had endured life at Withered Yin Field.
Giving him something else was difficult too. Yi Hyeon did not have spirit stones to spare, and there was no chance of owning anything that would impress Senior Brother No.
‘If I ever meet Senior Brother No’s successors, even far in the future, I should do something small to repay him. Though I don’t know when I’ll ever be able to come near Cheongha Valley again...’
...
At dawn the next day.
Yi Hyeon pulled out the cart that had been left in a corner of Withered Yin Field.
He aimed the storage pouch’s opening toward it and fed in spiritual power. Light poured out of the opening and wrapped around the entire cart.
The cart’s shape wavered like a reflection in water, then rapidly shrank and was sucked into the pouch.
With that single cart inside, Yi Hyeon could sense that much of the available space was now full.
‘This storage pouch is a little cramped. Once I can afford it, I should buy a better one.’
...
After passing through Cheongha Valley’s gates, Yi Hyeon glanced back without thinking. The sect’s peaks rose through clouds and mist.
‘Goodbye! I hope you all stay well.’
...
Even after leaving the sect gates, Yi Hyeon did not hurry.
He headed toward Black Crow Ridge like an ordinary traveler, greeting woodcutters and herb gatherers along the road. On the way, he even spent a night at a small inn and left his name.
This was to ensure that, even if someone investigated his movements, there would be no reason to doubt that he had headed for Black Crow Ridge.
...
On the second day after leaving the sect gates, Yi Hyeon reached the abandoned mine.
Cool, damp air flowed out of the tunnel.
Yi Hyeon used the Glimmer Art to create a faint light above one palm, then entered.
The mine had been abandoned for a long time. Rotten support beams leaned here and there, while stones fallen from the ceiling and black mud covered the floor.
Several hundred paces inside, the walls and floor turned completely black. When Yi Hyeon picked up a handful of soil, yin energy crept up through his palm.
Yi Hyeon took the cart and Earthspade Sword out of the storage pouch.
With the Soil-Softening Art restriction active, the sword easily scooped the damp clumps of yin sand soil from the floor.
Yi Hyeon filled the cart.
Without any sign of having carried out the assignment, it would be far too obvious that he had intended to run away from the start.
After piling the black soil high on the cart, Yi Hyeon took a large wooden box out of the storage pouch.
He filled that with yin sand soil too.
Unlike the cart, which would be left behind as evidence of the assignment, the soil in the wooden box was for growing spirit plants in the underground tunnels.
Yin sand soil was not strictly necessary, but Yi Hyeon decided to take some while the opportunity was there.
After firmly closing the lid and putting the box into the storage pouch, Yi Hyeon explored the inside and outside of the mine, studying the terrain.
...
Rain began to fall around sunset.
At first it was a light drizzle, but by nightfall it was so heavy that the mountain path could no longer be seen.
‘Perfect timing.’
Yi Hyeon pulled the cart into a branching passage deeper inside the abandoned mine.
At a dead end, he tipped it onto its side and spilled the yin sand soil across the ground.
He struck one of the cart’s wheels with the Earthspade Sword, breaking it, then smashed the side of the cart to make it look as though it had crashed against the wall.
Nearby were some old claw marks that seemed to have been left by a wild animal. After studying their shape, Yi Hyeon used the sword’s broad blade to make several similar marks on the surrounding rocks.
They were not exactly the same, but once the storm drove rainwater inside, it would be hard to examine them closely.
Next, Yi Hyeon tore a robe he had brought and snagged it on a rock. Finally, he half buried his outer disciple identity token in the mud.
The scene was meant to look as though a demonic beast or wild animal had attacked Yi Hyeon in the mine and dragged him into a deep crevice.
Several vertical shafts of unknown depth lay beneath the abandoned mine. Searching them would be difficult in the rain.
Yi Hyeon did not take the spare sect robe out of the storage pouch. If both robes were found discarded while the pouch remained missing, that would seem unnatural instead.
He took out a set of ordinary brown clothes and put them on. He tied his hair firmly with a cloth and smeared yellow earth over his face and neck.
Then Yi Hyeon went deep into the abandoned mine and stopped before a wall where he had already checked the direction of escape. With both hands, he formed the hand seals for the Earth Escape Art.
As primordial unity true qi took on the earth attribute and wrapped around his entire body, the solid earth wall ahead softened like water.
Yi Hyeon took a step forward, and his body slowly sank into the wall.
Earth closed in on every side. Even with open eyes, he could see nothing, and he could not breathe through either nose or mouth.
Yi Hyeon used the Breath-Sealing Art and extended his spiritual sense.
He could faintly sense the density of the earth and stone. Choosing a direction with fewer rocks, Yi Hyeon slowly advanced.
The Earth Escape Art consumed far more spiritual power than expected. His lack of practice was partly to blame, but it was not a spell that a second-layer Qi Refining cultivator could use freely in the first place.
After traveling a little over a hundred zhang, Yi Hyeon felt the primordial unity true qi in his dantian drop sharply. The earth qi surrounding his body wavered, and pressure from all sides began to press against his skin.
‘If I keep going like this, won’t I get trapped in the earth and end up in real danger...?’
The pressure gradually increased. Despite using the Breath-Sealing Art, the instinctive urge to breathe clouded his mind. The fear brought on by the darkness and the crushing earth was far worse than expected.
Rather than relying only on the Earth Escape Art, Yi Hyeon decided to try using the Soil-Turning Art and the Earthspade Sword as well.
He located a soft layer of earth with spiritual sense and turned it over with the Soil-Turning Art. Then he pushed it aside with the Earthspade Sword, opening a gap and advancing.
When a long stretch of soft earth lay ahead, Yi Hyeon passed through it with the Earth Escape Art. When there were more rocks, he gradually opened a path with the Soil-Softening Art. Alternating between the three methods greatly reduced the drain on spiritual power.
As Yi Hyeon grew used to the process, he gradually gained confidence. Recalling the map and the nearby terrain he had studied, he kept to his intended direction as closely as possible.
...
An hour later, his spiritual sense finally detected empty space above.
Thump!
The wet earth split, and Yi Hyeon burst out among bushes on the mountainside.
“Pah!”
Yi Hyeon fell forward onto the muddy ground, gasping for breath.
Cold air and cool rain rushed over his entire body. Simply being able to breathe gave Yi Hyeon an incredible sense of freedom!
“Whew...”
A look around suggested that, fortunately, he had emerged on the opposite side of the mountain ridge as planned.
Shhhhh.
The heavy rain steadily washed the soil from his body and clothes. Any footprints left now would likely vanish quickly.
After taking a moment to catch his breath, Yi Hyeon used the Lightness Art to lighten his body and began heading south, toward the Untaek Kingdom.
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