WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
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◈ Cultivating Underground ◈
Chapter 63
──────
The cultivator in charge deducted the contribution points from his identity token, then pointed to a small stone chamber farther inside.
“Go to the third inheritance chamber.”
...
Clack.
Once the stone door closed, Yi Hyeon sent his spiritual sense into the jade slip on the stone platform and examined the pill formula.
The main ingredient of the Origin-Opening Pill was Spirit-Storing Ginseng.
One root with a medicinal age between 200 and 390 years. A list of supplementary ingredients followed.
Many of the names were familiar. Some were ingredients he had often prepared at the Inner Alchemy Court, while others were ones he had seen at Spirit Materials Hall in Danso Immortal City.
‘I already have Spirit-Storing Ginseng, and the rest shouldn’t be hard to find.’
Pleased, Yi Hyeon moved on to the next section. The method for refining Origin-Opening Pills didn’t look particularly complicated.
‘I think I could manage this...’
Next, he pressed the second jade slip to his forehead and examined the formula for Profound-Passage Pills.
Besides Spirit-Storing Ginseng, the Profound-Passage Pill required another main ingredient.
Midnight-Noon Grass (子午草).
It had to have a medicinal age between 220 and 450 years, with its roots, stem, and leaves all intact.
The image of the spirit plant recorded in the jade slip appeared in his mind.
Midnight-Noon Grass had dark green leaves, with faint vermilion lines running along their veins.
Fortunately, its growing conditions weren’t demanding. It grew in warm places without sunlight, though its leaves would easily soften and rot if exposed to cold winds.
‘I can grow this underground.’
The ground in this world was less hot than on Earth in his past life, but deep within the mundane earth layer, temperatures remained fairly warm and didn’t change with the seasons as they did on the surface.
After memorizing the growing conditions for Midnight-Noon Grass, Yi Hyeon examined the method for refining Profound-Passage Pills.
‘It looks harder than the Origin-Opening Pill, but... I should have chances to learn.’
Now that there was a record of him viewing both formulas, he would have opportunities to assist with refining those pills.
...
The next day, Danso Immortal City.
Yi Hyeon visited Spirit Materials Hall, where he had previously bought Jade-Condensing Grass seeds.
“Do you have Midnight-Noon Grass seeds?”
“Yes. How many do you need?”
“A hundred.”
The clerk went to the shelves farther inside and returned shortly with a wooden box. Yi Hyeon examined the seeds, paid with spirit stones, and put the box in his storage pouch.
He also bought small samples of several supplementary ingredients for Origin-Opening Pills and Profound-Passage Pills, not for planting, but to compare their actual medicinal potency with the descriptions in the formulas.
After finishing his business in Danso Immortal City, Yi Hyeon headed northwest. He had been given a month off and had already obtained permission to leave, so he planned to use this opportunity to inspect Underground Hideout No. 3.
...
As he crossed mountains and rivers, alternating between the Reclining Escape Art and the Airborne Flight Spell, Yi Hyeon slowly reviewed the Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper Sword Canon in his mind.
The canon contained methods for condensing and refining sword qi, thirty-six basic sword forms, and teachings on light splitting and sword formations.
Within this inheritance, the incantations covering sword-qi refinement and the use of sword forms were called the Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper Sword Art.
The next step, light splitting, was a technique for dividing sword light into several streams and controlling them. Each stream carried sword qi and could actually attack an opponent. The technique Seol Gyeong-haeng had used during their spar, dividing sword qi into several streams and controlling them, also belonged to light splitting.
Once someone mastered light splitting, they could use a single sword to control several streams of sword qi with precision, making them work together to form a sword formation.
...
Eight days later, Underground Hideout No. 3.
Yi Hyeon emerged through the rock wall and opened his spirit insect pouch.
Buzz, buzz, buzz...
Golden balls of fluff poured out, each trying to get ahead of the others.
Soon, Fuzzbees flew over from the inner passage as well. Some touched antennae with the new arrivals, while others circled Yi Hyeon’s sleeves and storage pouch.
“Have you all been well?”
When Yi Hyeon took out Bonefuzz No. 1, the swarm grew even more excited.
“Go on, take it for a ride. Just don’t go into the spirit fields.”
He opened the chest plate, and a Fuzzbee slipped inside.
Click.
The six arms made of bone moved one after another.
The remaining Fuzzbees landed on Bonefuzz No. 1’s head and shoulders.
Yi Hyeon watched them for a while.
Whenever possible, he took the Fuzzbees to the Danso Sect in turns.
He didn’t want the experiences of those who stayed underground and those who traveled outside to become too different. It was easier to take them around if they understood the same instructions to a similar degree.
The same went for controlling Bonefuzz No. 1.
Some always tried to be the first to climb into its chest, but Yi Hyeon never let one keep it for too long.
“Take turns riding it.”
...
Yi Hyeon first inspected the water tanks, bamboo pipes, formation inscriptions, and drainage channels, then began checking the spirit fields.
「Spirit Field No. 1-1」
He walked slowly around the field, comparing his ledger with what was growing there.
“Eighty-one Bone-Rotting Flowers, 281 Yin Soul Grass plants, seventy-three Purple Poison Orchids, fifty-one Earth Vein Flowers... Their average medicinal age is 466 years... These will soon be third-rank spirit plants.”
He examined the lower parts of several mother plants. There were no spirit insect eggs or signs of disease.
A few Fuzzbees were rolling around on the nearby dirt.
“You’ve taken good care of them.”
Squeak.
...
He also inspected Spirit Fields No. 1-2 through No. 1-5.
“Across the four fields, that makes 431 Bone-Rotting Flowers, 1,103 Yin Soul Grass plants, 291 Purple Poison Orchids, and 202 Earth Vein Flowers... Their medicinal age is around 432 years... I can harvest the Yin Soul Grass for Spirit-Calming Pills here.”
...
「Spirit Field No. 1-6」
Round Yinwater Lotus leaves overlapped across the broad pond. Flowers and seed heads rose here and there between them, while young stems stretched toward the open water.
There was no point in counting the lotus leaves. What the ledger counted were mother plants with independent root systems beneath the soil.
The older mother plants had medicinal ages of around 412 years, while the later generations were around 122 years old.
Yi Hyeon gathered the ripe seed heads, shelling and eating a few seeds as he put the rest into his storage pouch.
...
「Spirit Field No. 1-7」
Six Stone-Honey Peach trees spread their branches wide.
The thick branches of the three older trees reached almost to the rock walls. The three propagated from cuttings had also grown to look like proper trees.
Their medicinal ages were similar to those of the Yinwater Lotuses. The older trees were around 412 years old, while those planted later were a little over 122.
Yi Hyeon trimmed several branches that had begun touching one another and cut back a few that pressed close to the cavern ceiling.
When he held out his hand, a Stone-Honey Peach came off its branch and flew into his palm.
He peeled it and took a bite. Cool, sweet juice spread through his mouth.
He picked the fully ripe Stone-Honey Peaches and put them in his storage pouch.
...
The fields from Spirit Field No. 2-1 through Spirit Field No. 2-5 were all planted with Spirit-Storing Ginseng.
“Five hundred and fifty-two roots with a medicinal age of 297 years, and 914 roots with a medicinal age of 155 years... There’s plenty for Origin-Opening Pills and Profound-Passage Pills...”
...
「Spirit Field No. 3-1」
The Ringless Divine Tree was still small.
“About sixty-three years since sowing, twenty-two years since it sprouted... It’s grown one more leaf...”
Yi Hyeon looked back and forth between the tree and his previous drawing in the ledger, then added a new drawing.
He next checked Spirit Fields No. 3-2 through No. 3-4, where 300 Jade-Condensing Grass plants were growing. The first thirty had medicinal ages of a little over seven years, while the 270 planted later were around five years old.
...
The air grew warm when he descended to around twenty-five li underground.
Three hundred Fireheart Orchids brought from the Hwacheon Secret Realm had been divided among Spirit Fields No. 3-5 through No. 3-7.
“Most have medicinal ages between nine and eleven years...”
Yi Hyeon inspected the water tanks, bamboo pipes, formation inscriptions, drainage channels, heat-insulating stone slabs, and Lesser Yang Stones in turn.
...
His last stop was the unnumbered Experimental Spirit Field.
Spirit plants of different medicinal ages had been planted in separate small plots so he could study signs of bone age. Recently, he had also been using part of it to test the germination of newly acquired seeds.
“That’s the inspection finished! Now I just need to make one last field.”
...
He made the new field a short distance below the cavern where he grew Jade-Condensing Grass. At eighteen li underground, it was warm enough for Midnight-Noon Grass, so there was no need to go all the way down to twenty-five li.
After connecting the bamboo pipes and water-supply formation inscriptions, he took out the hundred Midnight-Noon Grass seeds, buried them at regular intervals, and cast the Germination Spell.
He moistened the soil evenly with the Spirit Rain Spell, then put up a wooden sign.
「Spirit Field No. 3-8」
...
After finishing his inspection, Yi Hyeon dug up three Yin Soul Grass mother plants with medicinal ages of around 432 years from Spirit Field No. 1-2. He brought them to the alchemy chamber twenty-five li underground.
Then he took out the supplementary ingredients he had bought in Danso Immortal City and began preparing them one by one.
...
The next day.
When he opened the lid, two round pills lay at the bottom of the pill furnace.
“It worked!”
After burning the first two batches, Yi Hyeon had succeeded in refining low-grade Tier 2 Spirit-Calming Pills for the first time on his third attempt!
Once he had rested enough, he swallowed a Spirit-Calming Pill in the cultivation chamber. He immediately closed his eyes and began refining its medicinal strength according to the instructions for taking it.
The Yin Soul Grass he had used was quite old for a Tier 2 spirit plant and had strong medicinal potency, so the pill’s effects were considerable. He felt pressure throughout the process of absorbing its medicinal strength.
Still, he had already trained his primordial spirit and spiritual sense with Spirit-Nurturing Pills and the Essentials of Spirit Refining. Thanks to that, he could bear the medicinal strength without much difficulty.
...
How much time had passed?
Having thoroughly refined the medicinal strength, Yi Hyeon opened his eyes.
“Oh...”
The improvement in his spiritual sense was far clearer than when he had first taken a Spirit-Nurturing Pill.
Yi Hyeon examined the one remaining pill in the jade bottle.
‘I should make about ten, then take them a little at a time while cultivating back at the sect.’
* * *
Two days later.
After harvesting six more Yin Soul Grass plants and refining several more batches, Yi Hyeon had ten low-grade Tier 2 Spirit-Calming Pills ready to take with him.
With his business underground finished, he stopped at a mortal city on his way back to the Danso Mountains.
As he passed through the city gate, he heard cart wheels mixed with the cries of peddlers. Hot steam rose from the roadside taverns, and every alley bustled with people.
But Yi Hyeon had a particular destination in mind.
A bookstore.
The smell of paper and ink greeted him when he opened the door.
The shelves held separate sections for classics, poetry and prose collections, geography books, and popular novels. Newly printed books were piled high on a table near the entrance.
Yi Hyeon stood in front of it, turning the pages of a book. After he had read a few pages, he heard a young voice beside him.
“Mother, can you buy me this?”
“Dear, stop reading those disreputable popular novels.”
“But all my friends have read it...”
“You need to read classic literature to learn anything. Now, choose one of these.”
Yi Hyeon turned his head without thinking.
The words “Literary Classics” were written above the shelf the woman was pointing to.
The titles beneath it caught his eye.
《I Took It Home Thinking It Was a Demonic Beast, but It Was a Prince of Geonyang》
《I Became a Prisoner of Geonyang, but I'm Popular》
‘Huh?’
Yi Hyeon pulled out a book and examined its cover.
‘This is classic literature?’
He let out a disbelieving chuckle.
These were books he had read 909 years ago, back when they had still been classified as popular novels.
The one in his hand was a newly printed edition. Unlike long ago, its lettering now had an antique style. Beneath the title, it even said that a certain scholar had added annotations.
「These literary classics, popular long ago in the now-fallen Untaek Kingdom, reflect the feelings of its people as they suffered invasions by the Geonyang Kingdom. Literature is a mirror of its age...」
Beside him, the woman was placing a book in her child’s hands.
“You must learn from the spirit of the ancients.”
“Yes, Mother...”
Yi Hyeon returned to the shelves holding the latest popular novels.
“I’ll take everything from here to here.”
“Pardon? Are you sure? The ones on this side aren’t finished yet.”
“That’s fine.”
...
By the time he returned to Cheongu Gorge, only a few days of his break remained.
Yi Hyeon piled the books he had bought in a corner of his abode, then lay down to read popular novels.
...
His break ended, and life returned to its usual routine.
A few months later, he began assisting with the refinement of Origin-Opening Pills and Profound-Passage Pills as well as Foundation Establishment Pills.
After finishing his alchemy duties for the sect, he returned to Cheongu Gorge to practice the Primordial Unity Single-Qi Art, Essentials of Spirit Refining, and Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper Sword Art.
Sometimes he visited Seol Gyeong-haeng to ask about parts he was struggling with, or to have a light spar.
He continued obtaining permission to leave about once every six months to visit Underground Hideout No. 3. From time to time, he also held central meetings of the Two Heavens Society to keep the organization alive.
* * *
Fifteen years later.
Yi Hyeon bought an Origin-Opening Pill in Danso Immortal City for eight mid-grade spirit stones. It was much cheaper than a Foundation Establishment Pill, and he could obtain it without spending contribution points. Those were better saved for viewing inheritances.
After returning to Cheongu Gorge and giving his body and spiritual sense plenty of rest, Yi Hyeon swallowed the Origin-Opening Pill and began circulating the Primordial Unity Single-Qi Art.
Hummmmm...
Calmly holding the rest of the spiritual power throughout his body in place, Yi Hyeon focused on the movement within his lower dantian.
The Spirit-Gathering Formation shone ever brighter as the surrounding spiritual qi rushed into his body. The densely swirling spiritual power inside his lower dantian surged along a new course.
Then, at a certain moment...
Thump!
Yi Hyeon’s long robe billowed slightly.
He continued circulating his cultivation art until the flow of spiritual power in his lower dantian stabilized, then slowly opened his eyes.
“I did it!”
Foundation Establishment, Layer 4.
His lower dantian had finally reached the middle Foundation Establishment stage.
After spending some time stabilizing his realm, Yi Hyeon examined his body inwardly. Then he took a wooden board from his storage pouch and began carving words in Hangul.
【Age: 1,479】
【Realm: Foundation Establishment stage, Layer 4 (lower dantian)】
【Spiritual Power: 1,420 → 1,452】
【Cultivation Art: Primordial Unity Single-Qi Art (Foundation Establishment Section)】
【Spells (Minor Mastery): Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper Sword Art, Essentials of Spirit Refining, Essence-Condensing Grasping Hand, Fire-Dividing Thread Spell, Spirit-Guarding and Origin-Protecting Art, ...】
【Spells (Major Mastery): Airborne Flight Spell, ...】
When he finished, he floated the wooden board in front of him and admired it with satisfaction.
For a moment, he looked at the words beside the Supreme Unity Heavenly Dipper Sword Art.
‘Can I really call it Minor Mastery? Maybe I’m still at Beginner... Well, it doesn’t matter. It’s not as if anyone’s going to inspect my wooden board...’
...
A few days later, in the communal alchemy hall.
When Yi Hyeon entered, Yu Jeong-won looked up from preparing medicinal ingredients.
“Senior Brother Yi.”
Yu Jeong-won paused midway through the greeting.
“Have you perhaps...”
“I’ve reached the fourth layer.”
“Congratulations!”
Farther inside, Bang Je-un also turned to examine Yi Hyeon’s aura, then smiled.
“Finally at the middle stage. Did you use an Origin-Opening Pill?”
“Yes. I bought one.”
“Good. Tell Master at this month’s lecture, too. Now that you’ve reached the middle Foundation Establishment stage, you’re a proper pillar of Yeonha Peak yourself.”
“You’re too kind.”
...
A few months later.
After a lecture on Yeonha Peak ended, a few people remained.
They were Yi Hyeon, Bang Je-un, and their eldest senior brother, Song Gye-myeong.
Song Gye-myeong was a ninth-layer Foundation Establishment cultivator. After Do Mun-gyeom passed away, he had taken on various duties around Yeonha Peak and naturally come to serve as their eldest senior brother.
He spoke little and rarely showed much expression, but he was good-natured.
Dam Un-saeng looked toward the door through which the other disciples had left, then placed a jade slip on the table.
“Dong-sam. I need you to take an outside assignment.”
Yi Hyeon brought his hands together.
“What kind of assignment?”
“We’ve agreed to send alchemists to Haemun Port on the southwestern coast of the Daeyeon Kingdom. You’ll go and take charge of one of the alchemy workshops.”
Yi Hyeon recalled the name Haemun Port.
It was a coastal port southwest of Cheongha Valley’s former sect grounds. Located on the border between the Anneung Kingdom and the Daeyeon Kingdom, it was a major trading hub frequented by cultivators as well as mortals.
Song Gye-myeong spread a map beside the jade slip.
“The nearby cultivation factions have established a joint base. Our sect and the Byeokra Sect have agreed to contribute supplies and personnel.”
Several points were marked along the coastline on the map. A few had red lines drawn across them.
Yi Hyeon asked, “Is this related to the demonic beast sightings?”
“That’s right.”
Dam Un-saeng nodded.
“The affected area has grown since Cheongha Valley first reported it. For the past few years, attacks haven’t been limited to shipping routes. Small coastal islands and harbors have also suffered.”
Song Gye-myeong pointed to the southern part of the map.
“As the Nammyeong Twelve-Sect Alliance expands its influence over the sea routes toward the Ram and Chang Kingdoms, merchant groups and cultivators pushed out of those waters have been looking for other routes. More people are sailing farther out than before and encountering demonic beasts.”
“Has the cause of the increase in demonic beasts been discovered?”
Dam Un-saeng shook his head.
“We still don’t know. Our sect’s Wind-Hearing Hall is investigating, but so far, there’s no evidence linking the demonic beast sightings to the Nammyeong Twelve-Sect Alliance.”
Wind-Hearing Hall (聞風堂) gathered reports from disciples stationed in various regions, along with news brought by merchant groups. When necessary, it also sent people to verify rumors in person.
Dam Un-saeng pointed to several red marks on the map.
“If the smaller sects can’t cope and withdraw, there will be fewer shipping routes. People and goods will crowd onto the remaining routes, and any incident there will cause greater losses.”
“That must affect the transport of medicinal ingredients used by our sect, too.”
“For some ingredients, yes. But there’s a bigger problem than a slight rise in ingredient prices. If the coastal bases fall, the sea routes and harbors leading to the Gon Kingdom won’t be safe either. If mortal kingdoms are devastated and their populations shrink, we lose children we could recruit as disciples. What good is a child born with spiritual roots if that child dies before we can find them?”
Dam Un-saeng continued.
“But we can’t send our Golden Core elders to every stretch of coastline... They need alchemists on-site who can adjust medicinal potency to suit the properties of demonic beast toxins. I would feel a little more at ease if you went, Dong-sam, since you’re skilled in combat. The others on our peak are far less reliable in a fight than at alchemy. I worry they might panic and get hurt even against a demonic beast at their own cultivation level.”
Song Gye-myeong added calmly, “That’s why I’ve also requested personnel from the Dharma Protection Court. We can’t take our junior brothers along and expect them to handle both alchemy and escort duties.”
Yi Hyeon picked up the jade slip and examined its contents.
The initial assignment would last two years. After that, they would be rotated out depending on local conditions and whether their replacements were ready.
Song Gye-myeong would lead the party, and Yi Hyeon would handle the alchemy work. It seemed a Foundation Establishment cultivator from the Dharma Protection Court would also accompany them.
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