WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Cultivating Underground ◈
Chapter 47
──────
Three days after applying for a posting as a resident cultivator in the Anneung Kingdom, Yi Hyeon received confirmation of his selection from the External Affairs Office.
The posting would last twenty years.
He had one month before departure.
‘Is there anything I should prepare?’
After a moment’s thought, Yi Hyeon remembered one kind of magical implement he lacked.
“I’ll need a flying magical implement.”
Until now, Yi Hyeon had shown little interest in flying magical implements.
His Reclining Escape Art was faster than most low-grade or mid-grade flying magical implements. Flying through the sky also made him visible from far away, so the cautious Yi Hyeon had never bought one.
But things would be different once he became a resident cultivator.
He would hardly look dignified if he popped out of the ground or came running every time he visited the royal family or a cultivation family. He might also need to transport children with spiritual roots or injured people.
‘I might as well buy one.’
...
The Equipment Hall in the Danso Mountains.
This was where Danso Sect disciples bought various magical implements tested and approved by the sect.
When Yi Hyeon presented his outer sect disciple identity token, the disciple in charge asked him a question.
“What are you looking for?”
“I’d like to buy a flying magical implement.”
“Will you be riding it alone?”
“I’d prefer something that can carry five to ten people.”
The disciple led Yi Hyeon to the section for flying magical implements.
Small leaves, jade plates, and implements shaped like boats and birds rested on wooden shelves and stone stands.
The disciple picked up a blue leaf the size of a palm.
“The Windriding Leaf is a low-grade flying magical implement. It’s inexpensive and easy to control. However, it slows down with three or more people aboard, and its formation inscriptions heat up easily with extended use.”
“Please show me something a little better.”
“Then how about this?”
The disciple opened a wooden case beside them. Inside lay a round plate made of white jade. It was about the size of two palms together, with silver formation inscriptions resembling clouds and wind running around its edge.
“This is the Flowing Cloud Disk. It’s one of the better mid-grade magical implements.”
The disciple placed the Flowing Cloud Disk on a demonstration formation disk and fed spiritual power into it.
Hummm.
The white jade plate rapidly grew larger.
Soon, an oval flying magical implement about three jang long was floating in the air. Its surface had hollows where eight people could sit in addition to the operator, and a translucent curtain formed around the edge.
“It can comfortably carry nine adults, including the operator. It’s about twice as fast as the Windriding Leaf, and its wind-blocking formation keeps out almost all the wind, even at high altitudes.”
“Can it defend against attacks?”
“The curtain from the wind-blocking formation can easily stop crossbow bolts used in mortal kingdoms. But it has no defensive formation capable of blocking a cultivator’s spells.”
Yi Hyeon stepped onto the Flowing Cloud Disk.
The implement beneath his feet barely swayed. When he fed a little spiritual power into it, it moved smoothly forward, backward, and from side to side as he willed.
“How far can it travel in a day?”
“About five thousand li, provided the operator has enough spiritual power. But with a full load, even a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator would struggle to operate it all day.”
‘It’s a little slower than running myself... but it’ll do.’
“How much is it?”
“This costs quite a bit more than the low-grade flying magical implement I showed you earlier. One hundred and ninety low-grade spirit stones.”
“I’ll take it.”
Yi Hyeon paid and put the Flowing Cloud Disk into his storage pouch.
...
One month later.
A flying boat, a high-grade flying magical implement, rested on a broad stone platform on the outskirts of the Danso Mountains. Three late-stage Qi Refining outer sect disciples, including Yi Hyeon, were due to board it for the Immortal-Serving Court in the Anneung Kingdom.
The flying boat was communal property of the Danso Sect. Its formation inscriptions were far more complex than those on personal flying magical implements, allowing it to fly on spirit stones alone. It also had a defensive formation that could block basic spells.
Yi Hyeon exchanged brief farewells with the people he had spent time with at the Outer Alchemy Court.
Yeo Mun-deok spoke first.
“Fellow Cultivator Yi, sometimes I find your choices hard to understand. Volunteering to go somewhere dangerous...”
Mun So-ha also spoke.
“I still haven’t found any unusual seeds. Sorry. The Anneung Kingdom should have some old merchant companies and small cultivator markets too, so don’t forget to look around.”
Dang Yeon-bi handed him a map of the Anneung Kingdom used by the family’s merchant company.
“The routes merchants use should be marked in a little more detail than on an ordinary map. It’s an old map, though, so you shouldn’t trust the information near the borders.”
“Thank you.”
Hummm.
The flying boat rose from the stone platform.
It climbed through the clouds and headed northwest, leaving the peaks of the Danso Mountains behind.
...
Ten days later.
The royal capital of the Anneung Kingdom.
Straight avenues and tightly packed tiled roofs stretched within its high walls.
A low hill inside the royal palace grounds was surrounded by thin mist.
When the flying boat appeared in the sky and stopped before the mist, cultivators emerged from within.
“The reinforcement disciples from the Danso Sect have arrived.”
A passage opened through the mist.
The flying boat landed halfway up the hill.
A large hall stood before it, with the name “Immortal-Serving Court” written on its signboard.
Beneath it waited cultivators wearing the robes of the Danso Sect and Byeokra Sect, along with people dressed in the official robes of the Anneung royal court.
Yi Hyeon’s gaze shifted slightly when he recognized the Danso Sect disciple standing at the front.
A middle-aged cultivator with slightly downturned eyes.
A steady aura at Great Perfection of the Qi Refining stage.
‘White Owl.’
He had seen that face once, thirteen years ago, outside the External Affairs Office.
At the time, the man had returned from the Immortal-Serving Court in the Anneung Kingdom and was handing over tribute and the records of his resident duties.
Yet here he was in the Anneung Kingdom again.
‘Is being a resident cultivator that good?’
The middle-aged cultivator checked the arriving disciples’ identity tokens.
“I am Jang Gyeong-ik. I oversee our sect’s resident duties in the Anneung Kingdom.”
The new resident cultivators, including Yi Hyeon, cupped their hands.
“Greetings, Senior Brother Jang.”
Jang Gyeong-ik’s gaze lingered on Yi Hyeon.
“Fellow Cultivator Yi Dong-sam, you’re at Great Perfection of the Qi Refining stage...”
“That’s right.”
“There’s no need to be so formal when we’re at the same realm. Honestly, how much does the order in which we joined matter? We don’t even have masters, and the Danso Sect’s countless outer sect disciples are practically strangers to one another...”
“It’s fine. I’m more comfortable this way.”
Jang Gyeong-ik nodded, looking pleased.
“Then let me show you to your quarters first.”
...
Eighteen disciples from the Danso Sect and Byeokra Sect were staying at the Immortal-Serving Court in the Anneung Kingdom.
Most were at the middle or late Qi Refining stage. Four, including Jang Gyeong-ik and Yi Hyeon, had reached Great Perfection.
Near the Immortal-Serving Court stood a separate hall where independent cultivators and martial artists hired by the royal family stayed. A second-rank grand defensive formation surrounding the entire hill was connected to a weak spirit vein. The vein alone could not supply enough power to activate it, so they also had to use the mid-grade spirit stones stored at the court.
Yi Hyeon received quarters in the area used by the Danso Sect disciples.
Jang Gyeong-ik showed him the living quarters, pill storehouse, and alchemy rooms in turn.
“You’re an alchemist, so you can use this place whenever you need it... The Immortal-Serving Court doesn’t have many rules. When dealing with the royal family and cultivation families, keep the Danso Sect’s interests in mind.”
“Understood.”
“Make sure unauthorized independent cultivators don’t interfere in royal affairs. If a dispute arises, establish the facts first. It’s easy to crush people with force, but you must consider what will happen afterward.”
“By the way, Senior Brother Jang, have you been in the Anneung Kingdom long?”
“I’ve spent some time back at the main sect in between, but it adds up to more than fifty years...”
“Why have you served here for so long?”
“For a Foundation Establishment Pill, of course. In fact, I returned to the main sect and received one some time ago.”
He added calmly, “But I failed to reach Foundation Establishment. So I’ve continued working as a resident cultivator to move back up the waiting list for another pill.”
“...I see.”
“Fortunately, my body wasn’t badly damaged, though it did take a few years to recover. In any case, I’ll have to contribute even more to receive a second Foundation Establishment Pill.”
* * *
One month later.
Having grown somewhat used to his resident duties, Yi Hyeon left the royal capital of the Anneung Kingdom. As he passed through a quiet valley, he sank into the ground.
Shhh.
Three li underground.
Ten li underground.
Eighteen li underground.
He moved swiftly northwest.
...
「Underground Hideout No. 3」
“It’s close.”
It had taken nine days to reach this place from the Danso Sect, but he could get here within two days from the Immortal-Serving Court in the Anneung Kingdom’s royal capital.
Yi Hyeon first inspected the water tank, water supply facilities, and spirit fields. The Spirit-Storing Ginseng, Bone-Rotting Flowers, and Yin Soul Grass were growing without any problems.
The oldest batch of Spirit-Storing Ginseng currently had a medicinal age of 279 years. The Bone-Rotting Flowers, Purple Poison Orchids, Yin Soul Grass, and Earth Vein Flowers in Spirit Field No. 1-1 had reached an average medicinal age of 448 years.
‘Aren’t spirit plants classified as third-rank once their medicinal age reaches five hundred years? What would third-rank spirit plants sell for? I have no idea how much my wealth would amount to.’
There was still nothing to be seen in Spirit Field No. 3-1. The spot where he had buried the Ringless Divine Tree seed remained quiet.
Yi Hyeon examined the soil below with his spiritual sense. The seed still held vitality.
Chirp! Chirp, chirp!
Golden Fuzzbees flew over and circled his head and shoulders.
“I can visit often now.”
Buzzz.
They flew around even more busily, as though they had understood him.
...
Half a month later.
Hundred Wares Hall, Gray Rock Market.
Black Crow, Gray Mountain Goat, Mole, Blue Snake, and White Owl sat apart from one another in the underground stone chamber.
Eighteen years had passed since the last central meeting.
Tap.
The stone floor rippled like water, and a cultivator in purple robes slowly emerged.
A Badger mask covered the cultivator’s face.
The five rose from their seats.
“Greetings, Society Leader.”
At the Immortal-Serving Court, Jang Gyeong-ik had calmly led the Danso Sect’s resident cultivators. Now he wore a White Owl mask and bowed his head respectfully.
Yi Hyeon betrayed nothing.
“Sit.”
The members took their seats.
Black Crow first reported on the Two Heavens Society’s finances and contact bases.
“They’re used less often than before, but the bases are operating without any problems. While the central meetings were suspended, we accepted no new members and only allowed existing members to use the vein seats.”
Gray Mountain Goat reported on the vein seats in the Gon Kingdom.
“There have been no major changes. However, over the past few years, the Danso Sect and Byeokra Sect have gradually expanded their patrol areas.”
Mole also gave a brief report that there was nothing unusual at the vein seats under their care.
Blue Snake explained the situation around the Geonyang Kingdom.
“We’ve found no further signs of the Black Sun Bureau specifically pursuing the Two Heavens Society.”
White Owl spoke last.
“The Danso Sect and Byeokra Sect recently sent more disciples to the Immortal-Serving Court in the Anneung Kingdom. It would be safer to visit the royal capital and nearby cultivator markets less often for the time being.”
It had been a long time since their last meeting, but Yi Hyeon had given them no particular tasks during that period, so the reports ended quickly.
“What about Yellow Field Mouse?”
“They died of old age. None of the Two Heavens Society’s secrets were leaked in the process.”
“I see...”
He had run the Two Heavens Society for a very long time. Members who failed to break through to Foundation Establishment always met the same fate. Yi Hyeon was used to it.
“We’ll resume the central meetings from now on. However, they won’t be frequent. Until you receive further word, simply continue with your assigned duties.”
The five bowed their heads.
“We’ll keep that in mind.”
* * *
Three months later.
A spacious training hall south of the Anneung Kingdom’s royal palace.
Clang! Claaang!
The clear sounds of metal striking metal rang out one after another.
Two martial artists carrying long spears moved swiftly across the center of the training hall.
One was a large, imposing man who looked around sixty. His long beard was half white, and the spear in his hands was two chi longer than a person’s height.
The other was a thin man in his forties. Gripping his spear close to its head, he pressed inside his opponent’s reach.
Both were martial arts grandmasters who had reached the Profound realm.
The hard stone slabs gave a low rumble beneath each step they took.
Boom!
The two spears collided.
Energy shot from the large man’s spear tip and sliced through the hem of his opponent’s clothing. The thin man twisted aside to let the shaft pass, then spun low over the floor and aimed for his legs.
Whoosh!
The large man held his spear upright and blocked the attack.
They stepped back almost at the same time.
“Let’s stop here.”
“Very well.”
Around a dozen Transformation realm martial artists watching from the edge of the training hall called out.
“Thank you for the lesson!”
Several resident cultivators from the Immortal-Serving Court were also seated to one side, watching the spar.
They were Jang Gyeong-ik and Yi Hyeon from the Danso Sect, along with So Bul-ui, a ninth-layer Qi Refining cultivator from the Byeokra Sect, and Im Yak-ran, a female cultivator at the eighth layer.
Yi Hyeon watched the two men in the center with interest.
The large man was Yuk Gyeong-cheon, commander of the Anneung Kingdom’s Royal Guard. The thin man was Wan Cheong-jo, the royal family’s martial arts instructor.
Since coming to share a border with the Geonyang Kingdom, the Anneung royal family had put considerable effort into improving its martial artists’ skills. Methods for fighting gu adepts and cultivators were gradually being added to the royal martial arts.
After taking a sip of water, Yuk Gyeong-cheon approached Yi Hyeon.
“Immortal Yi, are you familiar with the spear?”
“A little.”
“I asked because there was something unusual about the way you watched our spar.”
Yuk Gyeong-cheon glanced at Yi Hyeon’s storage pouch.
“If you don’t mind, would you exchange martial techniques with us without using magical implements?”
Jang Gyeong-ik spoke.
“Commander Yuk, Junior Brother Yi is an alchemist.”
“I know. I’m not suggesting a fight at full strength.”
Yuk Gyeong-cheon politely cupped his hands.
“I’d simply like to exchange martial forms.”
Jang Gyeong-ik looked at Yi Hyeon.
“You can refuse if you don’t feel like it, Junior Brother Yi.”
“It’s fine.”
Yi Hyeon rose from his seat.
“I was curious about your martial arts too.”
Joy spread across Yuk Gyeong-cheon’s face.
“Thank you.”
A royal martial artist brought an iron spear a little over one jang long from a weapon rack at one side of the training hall.
“This is a practice spear.”
Yi Hyeon took it and gave it a few light swings.
Whoosh. Whoosh.
The spear’s center of gravity was slightly forward. It seemed designed to put more force into thrusts and downward strikes, taking into account that the royal martial artists fought in armor.
Yi Hyeon held the spear upright in one hand, then adjusted his grip to hold it with both.
Yuk Gyeong-cheon also took up his spear and stood in the center of the training hall.
“Then please allow me to learn from you.”
His presence changed.
Whoooo.
The air around him settled with his breathing.
His spear tip pointed at Yi Hyeon’s chest.
Yi Hyeon’s stance, on the other hand, looked rather clumsy.
His forward hand was far too loose, and the rear end of his spear shaft hung so low it almost touched the floor. His weight also leaned slightly to one side.
Several young Transformation realm martial artists standing around the training hall exchanged glances.
“That doesn’t look like the stance of someone who’s trained with a spear for long...”
“The immortal must have studied only spells.”
But Wan Cheong-jo, whose martial skill was second only to Yuk Gyeong-cheon’s in the Anneung Kingdom, grew very serious as he studied Yi Hyeon’s hands and feet.
Yuk Gyeong-cheon moved first.
Thud!
The moment he pushed off the floor with his toes, a silver-white flash tore through the air.
Yi Hyeon raised his spear half a beat late.
Claaang!
Sparks flew with an ear-piercing clash of metal.
Yi Hyeon’s forward hand was forced back, and his spear tip swung far to one side.
Yuk Gyeong-cheon’s eyes flashed.
He twisted at the waist, sending his spear in a round arc toward Yi Hyeon’s side.
Yi Hyeon awkwardly stepped back and blocked with his spear shaft.
Clang!
He was pushed back again.
Disappointment appeared on the young martial artists’ faces.
But Yuk Gyeong-cheon frowned, and Wan Cheong-jo’s gaze grew sharper.
‘That’s strange.’
Immortal Yi Dong-sam was clearly half a beat late every time. Yet Yuk Gyeong-cheon’s spear tip had not even brushed his clothes.
The third attack.
The fourth attack.
The fifth attack.
Clang, clang, clang, clang!
Thrusts, slashes, and sweeping blows followed one another within a single breath. The silver-white spearhead left afterimages as it relentlessly attacked Yi Hyeon’s entire body.
Shraaak!
The spear tip split into several streaks, aiming for Yi Hyeon’s neck, chest, and dantian at once.
As a deafening whistle split the air, Yi Hyeon’s spear shaft moved at an angle.
Clang, clang, claaang!
Three impacts merged into one explosive crash.
Yi Hyeon was pushed back a step yet again.
But Yuk Gyeong-cheon’s brow furrowed even more.
‘Why does he keep ending up in the same places?’
He was clearly driving his opponent back.
Yet whenever Immortal Yi Dong-sam retreated, he returned to a spot he had stepped on before. Before Yuk Gyeong-cheon knew it, he alone was moving in a small circle around him.
Yuk Gyeong-cheon changed his spear technique.
The spear tip thrusting straight ahead suddenly dropped.
Booom!
The iron spear struck the stone slab at Yi Hyeon’s feet at an angle. As stone fragments flew up, Yuk Gyeong-cheon used the rebound and twisted his waist and shoulders.
Whoooosh!
The rebounding iron spear traced a great arc and came crashing down over Yi Hyeon’s head. It looked powerful enough to split a boulder in one blow.
Yi Hyeon’s forward hand loosened again.
The shaft seemed to slide through his grip.
“...!”
Yuk Gyeong-cheon’s eyes flashed.
He twisted his descending spear tip, intending to knock aside the shaft sliding through Yi Hyeon’s hand and immediately thrust at his shoulder.
It happened at that moment.
Tap.
Crrrk.
The two spear shafts locked together as though entangling each other.
The moment Yuk Gyeong-cheon put his strength into his spear, the entire force twisted away. That tremendous strength slid along Yi Hyeon’s shaft and changed direction, as if being sucked into empty air.
‘What in the...?’
As Yuk Gyeong-cheon lost his balance and pitched forward, Yi Hyeon stepped forward off the beat.
Yuk Gyeong-cheon instinctively tried to retreat.
But Yi Hyeon’s spear shaft lightly tapped the back of his neck.
Tap.
The fierce wind pressure sweeping through the training hall stopped in an instant.
Yuk Gyeong-cheon froze.
Yi Hyeon withdrew his spear.
“That was excellent spearwork.”
Yuk Gyeong-cheon touched his neck.
“What technique was that? I didn’t understand it.”
“Haha, I suppose I got lucky.”
Yuk Gyeong-cheon looked down at the traces left by their movements.
The stone slabs in the center of the training hall were cracked and gouged all over. More than a hundred of his powerful footprints overlapped along a small circle.
And in the middle of that chaos, the undisturbed footprints left by Yi Dong-sam numbered...
Only four.
‘...!’
Yuk Gyeong-cheon trembled as though struck by lightning.
‘He fought me, the greatest martial arts grandmaster in the Anneung Kingdom, while stepping on only four spots?’
Just then, Wan Cheong-jo stepped forward from the side of the training hall with a grave expression.
“Immortal Yi.”
He cupped his hands.
“May I also ask you for a lesson?”
Yi Hyeon looked at the spear Wan Cheong-jo was holding.
It was shorter than Yuk Gyeong-cheon’s.
“Very well.”
Not to be outdone, Yuk Gyeong-cheon stepped in.
“Wait! Immortal, our spar isn’t over yet, is it?”
He hurriedly adjusted his grip on his spear.
“Please give me one more chance. May I use my full strength this time?”
Join our discord at https://dsc.gg/wetried
