WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
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◈ Cultivating Underground ◈
Chapter 52
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“Thank you.”
Yi Hyeon gave a slight bow, then looked back at the Qi-Condensing Seclusion Chamber.
“Please check the chamber as well.”
The disciple in charge looked around inside and retrieved the jade token.
“Everything is in order. Please wait a moment.”
A little later, the disciple returned with a sealed letter bearing the Foundation Establishment Court’s seal.
“Take this to the Inner Affairs Court, and they’ll issue you an inner sect identity token. Your assignment and cave abode will also be decided there.”
“Where is the Inner Affairs Court?”
“On Cheongok Peak, about fifty li east of here.”
“I see.”
...
As Yi Hyeon left the Foundation Establishment Court, a gentle breeze slipped through his robe.
He stopped and looked around.
The mountains and forests were the same, yet they felt different.
He could sense the patterns of spiritual qi flowing along the slopes more clearly, and he could feel the wind passing between trees and rocks much farther away.
Just then, a shadow flashed overhead.
Yi Hyeon looked up.
A cultivator was flying through the air without standing on any magical implement. Faint spiritual light rippled beneath their feet, then faded.
‘A Foundation Establishment cultivator?’
It was said that after reaching Foundation Establishment, cultivators could fly using spiritual power alone, without relying on a flying magical implement.
Yi Hyeon cast the Wind-Riding Art beneath his feet.
Whoooosh.
The wind alone lifted him nearly three chi off the ground.
“Oh.”
But when he tried to move forward, his body suddenly tilted to the right. He hastily withdrew his spiritual power, landed, and straightened his robe.
‘I don’t think this is how it works... Come to think of it, Foundation Establishment cultivators who don’t know the Wind-Riding Art can still fly, can’t they? I’ll have to ask when I get the chance.’
Yi Hyeon took the Flowing Cloud Disk from his storage pouch.
Hummm.
The disk rose into the air.
...
The Inner Affairs Court on Cheongok Peak stood where several mountain ridges met.
From below, it looked like a six-story hall, but countless rooms and passages extended into the cliff behind it.
Foundation Establishment cultivators came and went constantly.
Off to one side, a cultivator demanding repairs to an old cave abode was arguing loudly with the steward responsible.
“I’m telling you, water is leaking through the walls.”
“As long as it’s properly connected to the spirit vein, does a little leaking water really matter? Just stop it with a spell.”
“I don’t know any earth spells. Can’t the Inner Affairs Court repair it?”
Yi Hyeon watched the two for a moment, then entered the hall.
He handed the letter to the Foundation Establishment cultivator seated at the reception desk, who broke the seal.
“Yi Dong-sam. Twelve years in the Outer Alchemy Court, thirty years on resident cultivator duties in the Anneung Kingdom...”
The official looked up from the letter.
“You spent a long time in the Anneung Kingdom.”
“It was a decent place to live.”
“Congratulations on reaching Foundation Establishment, fellow cultivator.”
“Thank you.”
The official stamped the letter with the Inner Affairs Court’s seal.
Then they took Yi Hyeon’s outer sect identity token and placed it on a formation disk as clear as crystal.
Hummm.
Light flowed from the disk and wrapped around the token.
The design marking him as an outer sect disciple vanished. In its place appeared a pattern of three layers of flame and clouds.
“You’ll be assigned to the Inner Alchemy Court and study under Elder Dam Un-saeng of Yeonha Peak.”
“Elder Dam...?”
“He’s a Tier 3 alchemist at the middle Golden Core stage. He excels at harmonizing and gently nurturing medicinal potency. Since you worked as an alchemist in the Outer Alchemy Court and have triple spiritual roots of wood, fire, and earth, we judged him a suitable master for you.”
The official handed Yi Hyeon the completed identity token.
“Your lineage determines whom you study under, while your assignment determines where you work. Elder Dam happens to be one of the Inner Alchemy Court’s elders, so in your case, the two naturally overlap.”
“I see.”
“You can use Cheongu Gorge, northwest of Yeonha Peak, as your cave abode.”
The official reached toward a map hanging on the wall. As spiritual power entered it, the mountains and valleys rose from its surface in three dimensions.
Several slender branches of a spirit vein extended from Yeonha Peak in all directions. A red dot appeared in a small valley about thirty li northwest of the peak.
“It’s connected to a Tier 2 spirit vein. It’s been empty for about a year. There’s a cultivation room and a small storeroom inside the cave abode, and there should be a spirit field outside as well.”
“Is the whole of Cheongu Gorge being assigned to me?”
“Yes, though it isn’t a very large valley.”
The official took a long wooden case from beneath the desk.
Click.
Inside lay twelve formation flags, each one chi long, arranged in neat rows.
Formation inscriptions resembling white clouds and mountains were embroidered on the flags. A palm-sized bronze formation disk lay in the center, with a mid-grade spirit stone in a small recess beside it.
“This is the Cloud-Barrier Abode-Guarding Formation (雲障護府陣). It’s a low-grade Tier 2 defensive formation issued to inner sect disciples receiving a new cave abode. The mid-grade spirit stone is your annual allotment as an inner sect disciple.”
The official also took a thin book from beneath the case, titled 《Essentials of Setting Up the Cloud-Barrier Abode-Guarding Formation》.
“It explains how to position the formation flags, connect the formation disk to your abode’s Spirit-Gathering Formation, and power the formation with spirit stones if that connection is cut. The setup differs for valleys, peaks, and watersides, so arrange it to suit the terrain once you arrive.”
Yi Hyeon opened the book. Cross-sectional drawings of valleys and peaks showed where to place the formation flags. The later pages even gave fairly detailed instructions on the order in which to replace damaged flags.
“An alarm will sound if anyone with spiritual power approaches. It can also hold off attacks from an early Foundation Establishment cultivator for a while.”
The official handed him the wooden case and a map of Cheongu Gorge.
“You only receive a formation when you’re first assigned a cave abode. If you lose or damage it, you’ll have to obtain a replacement yourself, so take care of it. We’ve also sent word to Yeonha Peak. Someone should arrive if you wait a little.”
Yi Hyeon put the wooden case into his storage pouch.
Half a shichen later, a middle-aged cultivator entered the hall.
He was tall and broad-shouldered, but his face was long and lean. The scent of medicinal ingredients drifted from his sleeves.
“Is Junior Brother Yi Dong-sam here?”
“I’m Yi Dong-sam.”
The middle-aged cultivator looked at him.
“I’m Do Mun-gyeom, Master’s foremost disciple and your eldest senior brother.”
Yi Hyeon clasped both hands.
“Greetings, Eldest Senior Brother Do.”
Do Mun-gyeom nodded, then looked at the official.
“Is his registration complete?”
“We just finished. His cave abode has been assigned, and he’s received his Cloud-Barrier Abode-Guarding Formation.”
Do Mun-gyeom turned.
“Come with me.”
...
The two left Cheongok Peak.
Do Mun-gyeom stepped into the air, and faint red spiritual light appeared beneath his feet.
His body rose above the mountain slope.
When Yi Hyeon took out the Flowing Cloud Disk, Do Mun-gyeom slowed down.
“You haven’t learned the Airborne Flight Spell yet?”
“I only left the Qi-Condensing Seclusion Chamber today.”
“I see.”
They flew side by side toward Yeonha Peak.
Before long, two peaks of black rock blocked their path. There were no roads or halls between them, only a hazy white curtain stretching vertically through the air.
Do Mun-gyeom stopped before it.
“Take out your identity token. We need to register your aura with the formation.”
Yi Hyeon raised his new token.
The three layers of flame engraved on it lit up. Light flowed from the curtain and swept over the token once, then a round passage opened before them.
As they passed through, much denser spiritual qi of heaven and earth wrapped around Yi Hyeon.
The landscape of the Danso Sect’s inner sect spread out before him.
Peaks that had been hidden behind clouds when viewed from the outer mountain range stretched on without end.
In the distance, an enormous red formation covered a valley.
“That’s the Inner Alchemy Court’s communal alchemy hall.”
Do Mun-gyeom pointed toward the valley.
“Flames drawn from an earthfire vein are distributed among dozens of alchemy chambers. It saves the spiritual power needed to heat a furnace yourself, and the heat is relatively steady, which makes it convenient. Not just our fellow disciples from Yeonha Peak, but most of the Inner Alchemy Court’s Tier 2 alchemists use it.”
Whoooosh.
Round stone chambers stood at regular intervals beneath the red formation. Each had a pill furnace and a formation for controlling earthfire, with a large opening in its roof.
Purple smoke suddenly billowed from one chamber.
A nearby Foundation Establishment cultivator hurriedly spread out a large cloth and sucked all the purple smoke into it.
A moment later, something shot out of the chamber.
Bang!
It was a blackened pill furnace lid.
Do Mun-gyeom glanced over.
“Don’t be alarmed. That happens from time to time.”
Yi Hyeon watched the cultivators flying between the peaks.
Some used flying magical implements, but more than half traveled through the air unaided.
“Eldest Senior Brother, how do you fly without a flying magical implement?”
“A Foundation Establishment cultivator’s spiritual power doesn’t scatter easily even after leaving the body. You have to use it to support yourself from beneath your feet and around your body at the same time, keeping yourself balanced in the air.”
The red spiritual light beneath Do Mun-gyeom’s feet spread outward.
“At first, it’s slower than using a flying magical implement and consumes more spiritual power, but it becomes very convenient once you’re used to it.”
“Do I need to obtain a separate spell?”
“Don’t worry. Master will teach you the Airborne Flight Spell.”
Do Mun-gyeom looked ahead.
“Including you, Master has twenty-four disciples. We all belong to the Inner Alchemy Court, and everyone except you is a qualified Tier 2 alchemist.”
“Are they all on Yeonha Peak?”
“As for those currently within the sect grounds... probably fifteen. The others are away on assignments.”
Do Mun-gyeom pointed ahead.
“That’s Yeonha Peak.”
A green peak appeared, with clouds and mist wrapped around its middle.
Spirit fields of various sizes spread in terraces along its slopes.
Above them, halls with blue-tiled roofs and small pavilions stood scattered among old pine trees.
Do Mun-gyeom descended toward a broad stone platform halfway up the mountain.
Yi Hyeon followed on the Flowing Cloud Disk.
An old pine grew behind the platform.
Beneath it, a middle-aged man in a pale blue robe sat on a flat rock. He looked a little over forty, with a gentle expression and slightly downturned eyes. Below his rolled-up sleeves, his fingers were stained purple and blue.
He looked more like an easygoing spirit plant grower who had spent years tending fields than a Golden Core elder.
At a stone table beside him, Jin So-yeong and a short-bearded man were discussing an alchemical pill split in half.
“The heat was too strong.”
The man shook his head.
“It was just before pill condensation. If the heat was the cause, shouldn’t there be scorch marks on the surface?”
The middle-aged man picked up the alchemical pill and examined its exposed interior.
“You’re both wrong. Bring me another answer by tomorrow.”
“Yes, Master.”
Only then did he turn toward Yi Hyeon.
Do Mun-gyeom stepped forward.
“Master, I’ve brought Junior Brother Yi Dong-sam.”
Jin So-yeong’s eyes widened.
“Yi Dong-sam? You reached Foundation Establishment! Have you become a disciple of Yeonha Peak? I suppose I should call you Junior Brother Yi now.”
“It’s good to see you, Senior Sister Jin.”
Dam Un-saeng set down the alchemical pill and smiled warmly.
“So you’re Yi Dong-sam. Come here.”
Do Mun-gyeom lifted the teapot from the stone table and poured spirit tea into an empty cup. He handed it to Yi Hyeon and gave a slight nod toward Dam Un-saeng.
Yi Hyeon held out the teacup with both hands.
“This disciple, Yi Dong-sam, greets Elder Dam.”
Dam Un-saeng accepted the tea and took a sip.
“I hear you spent thirty years on an assignment away from the sect, then returned and reached Foundation Establishment. You have a firm will. You’ve worked hard.”
“Thank you.”
“From now on, call me Master, not Elder.”
“Yes, Master.”
Dam Un-saeng looked at Do Mun-gyeom.
“Mun-gyeom, introduce him to his fellow disciples.”
“Yes.”
Do Mun-gyeom pointed to Jin So-yeong first.
“This is Junior Sister Jin So-yeong. It seems you already know each other.”
“We do. We took the entrance examination together during the Special Skills Selection long ago.”
Do Mun-gyeom pointed to the short-bearded man.
“This is Junior Brother Bang Je-un. He’s your senior brother.”
“Greetings, Senior Brother Bang.”
Bang Je-un gave a brief nod.
“Good to meet you.”
Dam Un-saeng pointed to the opposite side of the stone table.
“Sit.”
“Yes.”
Dam Un-saeng spoke again.
“You’ve only just broken through to Foundation Establishment, correct? Does your current cultivation art include a Foundation Establishment Section?”
“Yes.”
“What spiritual roots do you have?”
“Triple spiritual roots of wood, fire, and earth.”
“I see. That works out well. To mark your becoming my disciple, I’ll teach you a spell.”
Dam Un-saeng took a red jade slip from his storage pouch.
“This is the 《Fire-Dividing Thread Spell (分火遊絲術)》. Take a look.”
Yi Hyeon accepted the jade slip, pressed it to his forehead, and sent his spiritual sense inside.
The spell’s spoken incantation and several diagrams showing how to circulate spiritual power flowed into his mind.
The Fire-Dividing Thread Spell divided a single flame into dozens of thin fire threads (火絲).
During alchemy, it could apply different levels of heat to each medicinal ingredient in the furnace. In combat, its dozens of fire threads could hinder an opponent’s movements or persistently burn away their Protective Spiritlight.
Dam Un-saeng said, “Simply splitting a flame into several strands isn’t enough. Only when you can control the heat of each strand separately will it be useful in alchemy and combat.”
“I’ll practice diligently.”
Dam Un-saeng took out another jade slip.
“This is the 《Airborne Flight Spell》. Now that you’re a Foundation Establishment cultivator, you should learn how to fly.”
“Thank you.”
“Return both jade slips to me once you’ve learned the spells.”
“Yes.”
Dam Un-saeng looked at Yi Hyeon again.
“Until you qualify as a Tier 2 alchemist, you’ll assist your senior brothers and sisters with their alchemy in the communal alchemy hall and begin by learning how to prepare Tier 2 spirit plants.”
“Yes.”
“For now, put your cave abode in order and stabilize your realm. Come back in fifteen days.”
...
Before Yi Hyeon left Yeonha Peak, Jin So-yeong approached him.
“Junior Brother, where’s your cave abode?”
“Cheongu Gorge.”
As he passed beside them, Bang Je-un said, “Cheongu Gorge... Not a bad place. The spirit vein is stable, and there should be a small spirit spring there too.”
Do Mun-gyeom pointed northwest.
“Go about thirty li northwest, and you’ll see a waterfall. If you run into any difficulties while setting up your abode, come find me.”
“I will.”
Yi Hyeon paid his respects to the three, then boarded the Flowing Cloud Disk.
It left Yeonha Peak and headed northwest.
...
Cheongu Gorge was a narrow valley enclosed on both sides by steep cliffs. Blue-green moss and vines covered the rock faces, and water flowing down from above formed a small waterfall within the valley.
Yi Hyeon circled the valley twice on the Flowing Cloud Disk.
“Where is this cave abode?”
He landed in front of the waterfall and cast the Qi-Observing Spell.
Faint spiritual qi was being drawn behind the falling water.
He reached out, and his spiritual power parted the waterfall to either side.
Roaaaar.
A stone door covered in vines and moss appeared behind it.
Yi Hyeon exerted his strength, slowly pushing the door inward.
Damp air drifted out, carrying the stale smell of earth.
He flicked a finger, and a small ball of light floated up, illuminating the cave abode.
Inside were a spacious stone chamber and two smaller rooms. A Spirit-Gathering Formation connected to the Tier 2 spirit vein was engraved in the floor of the right-hand room. Rows of stone shelves for storage lined the room on the left.
A narrow passage at the back of the main chamber led to a spirit field outside the mountain.
Instead of spirit herbs, thick weeds filled the field. To one side, clear water from a small spirit spring flowed through gaps in the rocks.
“Better than I expected.”
Yi Hyeon inspected every corner of the abode.
There were no traces of hidden formation inscriptions. The only thing the previous owner had left behind was an old stone mortar.
He used the Cleansing Spell to remove the dust and moss, then placed the wooden case in the center of the main chamber and opened 《Essentials of Setting Up the Cloud-Barrier Abode-Guarding Formation》.
‘The instructions are quite helpful.’
Over the course of half a day, he ritually refined the formation disk and twelve flags and installed them in turn around the valley entrance, cliffs, waterfall, and spirit spring.
Finally, when he connected the formation disk to the Spirit-Gathering Formation, the twelve cloud patterns on its surface lit up at once.
Yi Hyeon sent spiritual power into the disk.
Whoooosh.
The mist scattered throughout the valley slowly covered the waterfall, cliffs, and the stone door of his abode. The door’s outline blurred, and soon only an ordinary moss-covered cliff remained in its place.
“I should furnish the place when I have time. No, I should learn the Airborne Flight Spell first.”
Yi Hyeon took out its jade slip and pressed it to his forehead.
The Airborne Flight Spell had no attribute, whether of the five elements or wind, lightning, light, or darkness. Any cultivator could use it regardless of their spiritual roots, as long as they had Foundation Establishment-level spiritual power.
...
A few days later.
A figure slowly rose above the cliffs of Cheongu Gorge.
Faint spiritual light spread beneath Yi Hyeon’s feet. His cautious movements gradually grew faster, and he swept across the waterfall before soaring into the blue sky.
Whooooosh.
The wind caught the hem of his robe, making it flap fiercely.
There was nothing beneath his feet. Though he was still clumsy, he could move freely in whatever direction he wished.
Yi Hyeon flew in a wide circle above the valley.
“Haha.”
A laugh escaped him without his realizing it.
He picked up a little more speed and cut through the clouds, then landed on the cliffs of Cheongu Gorge again.
“Now I finally feel like a Foundation Establishment cultivator.”
Yi Hyeon spent some time flying between the valley and the peaks. Only as the sun began to sink did he return to Cheongu Gorge.
* * *
Two years later.
The Inner Alchemy Court’s communal alchemy hall.
Earthfire burned quietly beneath a pill furnace.
Seated before it, Yi Hyeon formed the final hand seal. The flames rising through the fire vent quickly died down.
Hummm.
The furnace gave a low hum.
Yi Hyeon waited for the medicinal vapors inside to settle, then reached out.
Clank.
The heavy lid opened, releasing a faint medicinal fragrance.
Three blue alchemical pills, each about the size of a thumbnail, lay at the bottom of the furnace.
Bang Je-un, who had been watching from behind, picked one up.
He checked its surface and fragrance, then split it in half.
“About seventy percent of the medicinal strength remains, and the impurities are within acceptable limits.”
He examined the other two pills in turn.
“All three are usable.”
Yi Hyeon let out a soft breath.
According to the Inner Alchemy Court’s rules, an alchemist had to successfully refine basic Tier 2 alchemical pills three times in a row to qualify as a Tier 2 alchemist.
This was his third success.
“Did I pass?”
“Yes. I suppose we can call you a Tier 2 alchemist now.”
“It’s all thanks to your teaching, Senior Brother Bang.”
Two years had already passed since Yi Hyeon became Dam Un-saeng’s disciple.
For the first six months, he had followed Bang Je-un, preparing Tier 2 spirit plants and assisting other alchemists. After that, he had learned to handle the pill furnace and earthfire himself. Three months ago, he began refining Tier 2 Qi-Restoring Pills.
The Qi-Restoring Pill was still the only Tier 2 alchemical pill he could refine. His success rate and the quality of his pills were nowhere near those of Bang Je-un or Jin So-yeong.
Even so, he was now a Tier 2 alchemist officially recognized by the Danso Sect.
Yi Hyeon asked, “Now that I’m recognized as a Tier 2 alchemist, will I be able to read more pill formulas?”
“Of course. You can spend contribution points to study the Inner Alchemy Court’s Tier 2 pill formulas. The Foundation Establishment Pill formula is among them.”
Yi Hyeon was startled.
“I can even study the Foundation Establishment Pill formula?”
Bang Je-un chuckled.
“People are often surprised when they first hear that.”
He closed the furnace lid and continued.
“Here in the Danso Sect, the Foundation Establishment Pill formula itself isn’t as great a secret as you might think. Of course, copying it for outsiders or passing it on outside the sect is forbidden...”
“Then why are there so few Foundation Establishment Pills?”
“The ingredients are the problem. We can grow most of the supporting ingredients in the Danso Sect’s spirit fields, but not several of the main ingredients. Some of those only grow in special secret realms.”
Bang Je-un continued.
“And some spirit plants have to be bought from outside. Even when we gather all the ingredients, they’re so expensive that we generally entrust the refining only to experienced alchemists. Knowing the formula doesn’t mean you can make Foundation Establishment Pills.”
...
That evening.
In his home at Cheongu Gorge, Yi Hyeon opened his right hand.
Fwoosh.
A red flame rose from his palm and split into dozens of thin fire threads.
The threads wove together, forming a palm-sized butterfly.
The red butterfly flapped its wings.
It circled Yi Hyeon once, then landed on a dry blade of grass at the edge of the spirit field.
Despite touching the flames, the grass did not blacken.
Yi Hyeon moved his fingers. The butterfly unraveled into dozens of fire threads again and was drawn back into his palm.
“I think I can say I’ve reached the Beginner level in the Fire-Dividing Thread Spell.”
Unlike the Airborne Flight Spell, the Fire-Dividing Thread Spell had taken him nearly two years to learn.
Yi Hyeon flopped onto his back on the ground.
He had grown used to life as an inner sect disciple. Every month, he attended Dam Un-saeng’s lessons on Yeonha Peak. On the other days, he traveled between the communal alchemy hall and Cheongu Gorge.
Now that he had qualified as a Tier 2 alchemist, far more possibilities were open to him.
‘I can keep practicing pill refining as I have been.’
He was a Tier 2 alchemist now, but he could hardly claim to have a proper grasp of Tier 2 pill refining. He was only just starting out.
‘I can explore the Scripture Repository’s Inner Pavilion too. I should pick out spells available to Foundation Establishment cultivators that might be useful to me.’
‘I should also replace my magical implements with better ones. I’m a Foundation Establishment cultivator now, and I had plenty of spirit stones to begin with.’
There was much to do, but he knew exactly what he would look into first.
‘First, the Foundation Establishment Pill formula. I should also look for formulas that use Bone-Rotting Flowers, Purple Poison Orchids, Yin Soul Grass, and Spirit-Storing Ginseng.’
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