WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: Dionysus
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Cultivating Underground ◈
Chapter 99
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Yi Hyeon slowly opened his hand.
Blackened ash fell with a patter from the back of his aching hand, revealing skin without a single wound.
‘...So this is the power of the Unsullied Golden Body!’
But he had no time to celebrate.
Three more Nascent Soul-level monsters remained overhead, including the two who had helped him.
Outwardly, Yi Hyeon calmly shook the ash from his fist. Inwardly, he quickly examined his newly gained body from head to toe.
‘My whole body really has become a golden core.’
Having undergone a fundamental change, his true essence had already become pure, refined magical power that filled every part of his body.
Its quality was at the level of early Golden Core. Yet his lower dantian was not the only place that produced and stored it.
His flesh and bones, internal organs, and even his skin all absorbed the spiritual qi of heaven and earth, cultivating magical power within a single, connected golden core!
Deep joy rose in his chest at the thought that the body he had only read about in ancient records was finally his own.
Just then...
Booom!
A silver figure shot through the white spray.
It was Yeon Baek-su.
His armor rippled, the deep dent in its chest returning to its original shape.
Cough!
Fresh blood flowed between the fingers of the hand covering his mouth.
‘Damn...’
The instant the fist struck, tremendous force had passed through his armor and shaken his internal organs. Had he not instinctively drawn up magical power to protect his body, he could have been badly injured.
His gaze fell on the young man still standing in the crater.
‘What bloodline is he from? Can a fourth-tier demonic beast that’s only just completed its humanoid transformation really be this strong?’
Just then, Seop Hyeong-ae’s voice transmission reached him.
[Let’s retreat.]
Yeon Baek-su frowned. The light of the three jade tablets floating around Seop Hyeong-ae had grown dull.
[We don’t know his origins. If we keep fighting, we’ll truly have to stake our lives on it.]
The two of them now faced three greater demons, so there was reason in those words.
As Yeon Baek-su lowered his bloodstained hand, the silver liquid scattered over the sea and between the reefs formed thin threads and flowed into his sleeve.
Seeing this, Dam Ak bared his fangs and sent the seawater beneath him surging upward.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
But before he could launch himself forward, Master Ho stopped him with a glance toward the crater.
“Dam Ak. Let them go.”
Dam Ak looked between Yeon Baek-su and Seop Hyeong-ae, then dispersed the waves beneath him with a displeased expression. Driving off a Nascent Soul cultivator and taking their life were two different matters. Who knew what tricks those sinister old monsters of the human race might have hidden in the secret arts they would use in a fight to the death?
A short while later, the two cultivators of the human race turned into streaks of escape light and cut through the sky side by side.
Only long after the two lights had vanished beyond the horizon did Yi Hyeon inwardly release his breath.
...
Yi Hyeon lightly clenched his fist and reviewed what had happened at the end.
‘Was that leftover power bursting out?’
It had felt rather like opening the pill furnace’s lid just after completing a Gold-Condensing Pill. The instant the energy throughout his body condensed, the force that had yet to settle had burst out through his fist all at once. It was certainly different from what he felt when he clenched his fist now.
Even if he had fifty times the total magical power of an ordinary early Golden Core cultivator, along with the Unsullied Golden Body, he could not take Nascent Soul cultivators lightly based on that single result.
‘Stay humble. Don’t let your guard down.’
His opponent had wanted an intact corpse and approached him. Had the man instead rained spells down from afar or used a secret art targeting his primordial spirit, there was no telling whether the result would have been the same.
Just then, two people descended from the crater’s rim.
They were an elderly scholar with pointed white ears and a huge man standing nine chi tall.
Their presence was even more overwhelming up close.
Back when he had been at Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, he would have struggled even to meet their eyes.
Master Ho took a pair of green jade spectacles from a sleeve and put them on. Faint hexagonal armor plates remained on Dam Ak’s thick neck. Yi Hyeon immediately bowed to them both.
“Thank you both for coming to my aid.”
“How is your body?”
Master Ho’s gaze swept over Yi Hyeon’s shoulders and chest.
Admiration filled the scholar’s eyes at the golden demonic markings flowing beneath Yi Hyeon’s skin. The vitality he gave off was frighteningly powerful.
Yet the demonic power within him was surprisingly difficult to sense clearly. Perhaps because the golden boundary running through his skin and flesh enclosed the fluctuations inside, it was hard to tell where his demonic power arose and gathered.
‘What a strange bloodline.’
“I have no trouble moving.”
“Of course you don’t! You sent a Nascent Soul cultivator of the human race flying like that. Did you see his face?”
While Dam Ak laughed heartily, Yi Hyeon took a fresh robe from his storage pouch, brushed away the remains of his burned clothes, and put it on. He had to take care not to use too much strength in his fingers as he tied the sash.
Then he looked toward the crater floor and spotted jade cases scattered among the wreckage.
‘...! I need to hide those quickly.’
There was no telling how they would react if they discovered what the Gold-Condensing Pills had been made from. Yi Hyeon swept his sleeve, and the jade cases, half-burned Spirit-Sealing Talismans, and fragments of magical implements were sucked into his storage pouch in an instant.
Master Ho spoke.
“Do you have a name?”
“I’m called Yi Dong-o.”
He chose the name without much thought.
After abandoning his Yi Dong-sa identity at Jewel Light Temple, he had used entirely different surnames and given names. Having Yi Dong-o and then Yi Dong-yuk appear at the same Lotus Court would have looked suspicious, after all.
So this was his first time using the name Yi Dong-o.
“Yi Dong-o... Which clan are you descended from?”
Here it came!
Yi Hyeon took a moment to choose his words.
“I spent a long time alone in the lands of the human race. There was no one who could tell me about my roots.”
Hearing this, Master Ho exchanged a look with Dam Ak.
To think that a junior with such a fine body did not even know his own bloodline.
Still, such cases were not uncommon among the descendants of clans scattered outside the Forest Sea.
If their parents died early or vanished after leaving behind offspring whose intelligence had yet to awaken, those offspring might live in the wild for thousands of years without knowing who their ancestors were.
“Then you’ve cultivated alone all this time?”
“For the most part.”
“Can you read the writing of the human race, by any chance?”
“Yes. I can read and write without difficulty.”
“Oh! Then you must have read books of the human race on cultivation arts and spells?”
Master Ho asked eagerly, and Yi Hyeon nodded.
“Yes.”
“What welcome news!”
Dam Ak laughed beside them.
“You’ve found a junior you can actually talk to, Master Ho.”
Master Ho nodded with a satisfied expression.
Listening to their conversation, Yi Hyeon quietly cast the Spirit-Hiding Spell and Qi-Concealing Spell. His outward presence grew fainter, but fierce demonic aura still seeped from his chest, back, arms, and legs beneath his robe.
‘Damn... Can’t I hide my energy?’
He had thoroughly removed the demonic beasts’ impurities and toxins while refining the Gold-Condensing Pills. But he could not remove the structure in which the demonic power had gathered, since he had used it to condense his true essence.
For an ordinary cultivator, the demonic markings would have remained on the golden core in their dantian. For Yi Hyeon, they had settled throughout his flesh and blood and along the core shell in his skin, each giving off its own presence.
As Yi Hyeon tried to sink the demonic markings deeper beneath his skin, golden patterns spread across the back of his neck, then stopped.
Seeing this, Dam Ak stepped closer.
“Easy now. Don’t rush.”
“I’m not sure what you mean...”
“Your newly transformed body is overflowing with energy. If you try to force it down right away, you could damage your bloodline.”
Master Ho nodded as well.
“You must be careful until your energy has fully settled. Let’s head to the Forest Sea first.”
“Am I allowed to go there?”
“You can’t stay in a place like this. Those two from earlier might bring other old monsters of the human race.”
“I have somewhere else I’ve been staying...”
“If you have belongings to collect, you can go back for them later.”
Dam Ak joined in.
“What would become of my reputation if word got out that I’d left a newly transformed junior alone at sea in this state? Come on, let’s go. I’ll take you to the coast.”
Before Yi Hyeon could speak again, Dam Ak threw himself into the sea.
Splash!
A huge shadow swelled beneath the blue waves. Soon, the island-sized shell of his true Dark-Shelled Sea Turtle body pushed up through the surface.
“Climb aboard!”
Yi Hyeon considered it briefly.
On one side, a Nascent Soul-level sea turtle was offering him its back. On the other, a Nascent Soul-level fox was waiting for him.
Anyone could see that they meant well and wanted to look after a junior.
Without their protection, he might have died before completing his core formation. Besides, returning to the lands of the human race while giving off his current demonic aura was hardly a good choice.
He had put Underground Hideout No. 3 in order before leaving. Nothing disastrous should happen even if he could not return for three years or so.
Yi Hyeon slowly bowed his head.
“Then I’ll accept your hospitality for a while.”
“A wise choice.”
...
The enormous shell cut through the sea.
Master Ho set a small table on it, brought out a tea set, and spoke while measuring out tea leaves with practiced movements.
“This is something called spirit tea, which I obtained from the storage pouch of a Golden Core cultivator of the human race. All civilized beings ought to drink tea! It’s important to calm the body and mind after humanoid transformation, so try some.”
“Thank you.”
The moment Yi Hyeon accepted the cup, a crack sounded, and a fine fracture appeared where his fingers touched it. Master Ho looked at it briefly, then brought out a fresh cup.
“It’s all right. When I first transformed, I broke things every time I picked them up too.”
With care, Yi Hyeon managed to hold the second cup without breaking it.
As he drank, a delicate fragrance passed down his throat.
Master Ho looked pleased to see Yi Hyeon drinking tea quite like a member of the human race.
“If you’ve lived in the lands of the human race, you probably don’t know much about the Forest Sea.”
“That’s right.”
“Most of the Forest Sea known to the human race is merely its eastern fringe. The Vast Verdant Forest Sea is larger than you can imagine. Its territory stretches over a million li to the west and north.”
‘A million li!?’
“Is all of it forest?”
“There are forests, but also lakes like seas and wetlands where poisonous mist never clears all year round. There are volcanoes, plateaus, and mountain ranges covered in ice too.”
Master Ho took a sip of tea and continued.
“Various clans and greater demons divide those mountains and waters among themselves and govern them. It’s what we call the Vast Verdant Demon Realm. We’re heading to its southeastern corner.”
“Does each clan have its own territory?”
“Yes. Even within the same Forest Sea, you can’t simply settle wherever you please. Think of it as being similar to how the human race recognizes the owners of sect bases and spirit veins.”
“Then will it be all right for an outsider like me to enter?”
“You’re a guest I’m bringing. Who would stop you? If you decide to settle down, we can formally inform the neighbors then.”
Master Ho smiled and added, “There are a dozen or so fourth-tier fellow cultivators who regularly visit the area around Green Forest Pavilion. Count those I exchange letters with throughout the Forest Sea, and the number exceeds a hundred. You’ll have plenty of people to meet.”
‘Over a hundred?’
Yi Hyeon struggled to keep his expression steady.
More than a hundred Nascent Soul-level beings? As far as he knew, even all the Nascent Soul cultivators in the Nine Kingdoms of Unju put together amounted to only about half that number.
Master Ho was not finished.
“Deeper inside, there are also Demon Lords who have reached the fifth tier.”
“...The fifth tier? Surely you don’t mean...”
“It corresponds to what the human race calls Spirit Transformation.”
Master Ho nodded as though it were nothing remarkable.
“They rarely leave their own dwellings, but they’ve lived a long time and know a great deal. They might even be able to tell you something about your bloodline.”
Yi Hyeon felt a chill at the back of his neck.
What sort of being was a Spirit Transformation cultivator?
He had heard that such powerful figures existed in the distant Geonwon Empire. But at least in the Nine Kingdoms of Unju, no one even knew whether anyone at that realm existed.
Simply deceiving Nascent Soul demons was enough to make cold sweat run down his back. And now he was supposed to stand before a Spirit Transformation being and ask them to examine his body?
“Perhaps someday, if the opportunity arises...”
As Yi Hyeon trailed off, Master Ho noticed the golden patterns appearing on the back of his hand and grew alarmed.
‘Could it be...?’
The moment fifth-tier Demon Lords were mentioned, his gaze had hardened, veins had risen on the back of his hand, and the power of his bloodline had stirred...
‘Is he already itching for a fight just because he’s heard there are stronger opponents?’
Master Ho recalled the sight of Yi Hyeon sending Yeon Baek-su flying. It was said that some powerful ancient bloodlines were especially fond of battle.
They might understand courtesy in their minds, yet the demonic nature ingrained in their bodies refused to follow it. If this junior belonged to that sort... Taking him there would surely cause trouble!
Master Ho hurriedly sent a mental message, and Dam Ak’s laughter rose from beneath the shell.
“Hoho! Surely paying our respects to a Demon Lord can wait? Junior, how about a little exercise with me once we reach shore?”
“Pardon?”
“We’re almost at the coast anyway. There’s a fine rock to sit on over there.”
‘...?’
A short while later, the three stepped onto land.
“The rules are simple.”
Having returned to human form, Dam Ak sat down heavily on a flat rock.
“We put our feet together, clasp hands, and pull. Whoever’s backside leaves the ground loses. No other divine abilities. Let’s compete using only our bodies’ strength.”
Master Ho added, “Fellow Cultivator Dam has a sturdy body, so there’s no need to worry.”
Yi Hyeon looked between them.
‘Just physical strength?’
If they were competing with pure physical strength, without spells or magical power, it would be a good chance to see how much his body had changed. He slowly sat opposite Dam Ak, pressed the soles of their feet together, and clasped his right hand. Dam Ak’s grip felt like a huge iron clamp.
“Then let’s begin.”
Yi Hyeon gradually put strength into their clasped hands.
Crack!
Dam Ak’s shoulder was pulled forward, and the smile vanished from his face.
‘Huh?’
Dam Ak hurriedly braced his waist.
Vmmmm!
This time, Yi Hyeon’s upper body leaned slightly forward.
‘Damn!’
Yi Hyeon gritted his teeth.
He truly was a Nascent Soul-level demonic beast!
Dam Ak tightened his grip further.
‘Does that mean it’s all right to use this much strength?’
Yi Hyeon firmly braced his feet and drew on a little more strength. Golden light spread from his wrist to his elbow, and intricate demonic markings appeared through the opening of his robe’s collar.
Dam Ak’s eyes widened.
‘What kind of brute is this?’
The junior was pulling as though he meant to tear his hand off. Had Dam Ak been an ordinary demon, his body would already have been ripped apart!
If he was dragged forward now, he would lose all face as the senior who had offered to give his junior a little exercise.
Dam Ak’s neck thickened, armor-plate patterns appeared on both shoulders, and a crunch came from the rock beneath his backside.
Yi Hyeon swallowed a curse.
The man had said they would just loosen up a little. Yet now the giant before him was baring his fangs as though he might devour him at any moment.
Vmmmmmm.
The spiritual qi along the shore slowly gathered toward them.
Golden skin and dark blue armor plates faced each other with different gleams. Their clasped hands remained motionless at a single point in the air. Instead, the rock beneath them began to split.
Crack!
Watching through jade spectacles, Master Ho’s expression grew serious. At first, it had been a pleasant sight, as though they were building friendship. But the atmosphere was becoming increasingly alarming. A newly transformed junior was refusing to give an inch against Dam Ak, who was renowned for his strength!
Meanwhile, the cracks in the rock deepened.
Crrrack!
Dam Ak inwardly ground his teeth.
‘Why won’t this crazy junior stop?’
Yi Hyeon was thinking the same thing.
‘How long is this damned turtle planning to keep going!?’
Their arms and shoulders were rigid with the strain of holding against each other’s strength. If either side suddenly relaxed, the other would go tumbling.
At that moment, Master Ho reached a hand between them.
“Enough! He’s only just survived a heavenly tribulation! Fellow Cultivator Dam, you said you would look after our junior. What are you doing?”
Relieved, Dam Ak spoke.
“R-right. I got a little carried away.”
“Both of you, ease off slowly.”
Yi Hyeon nodded as though he had been waiting for those very words.
“Yes, Senior.”
Their clasped hands parted, and a brief silence followed. Then Dam Ak was the first to burst into hearty laughter.
“Fine strength! Very fine strength indeed!”
He quietly hid his aching right hand behind his back.
...
Dam Ak decided to part with them at the coast.
“I need to make another circuit of the southern islands. I still have to finish examining the waters where the demonic beasts disappeared.”
Master Ho nodded.
“I’ll leave that to you.”
Dam Ak turned to Yi Hyeon.
“Master Ho knows more about the Forest Sea, so follow the master's advice. Let’s have another contest next time we meet.”
“I won’t forget what you’ve done for me today.”
“Hoho! What a polite junior.”
Once the Dark-Shelled Sea Turtle vanished beneath the water, Master Ho spread a sleeve and wrapped the two of them in gentle escape light.
“Let’s go.”
...
Huge trees with thick roots sunk into the seawater stretched endlessly along the coast.
Dark blue stone pillars stood between them. The characters carved into their surfaces glowed faintly.
They were prohibition markers announcing the territory of the Vast Verdant demon race.
Demons carrying crude spears stood guard at the entrance to a waterway between the roots.
As Master Ho’s escape light descended, they immediately paid their respects.
“Greetings, Master Ho!”
“This is my guest. He’ll be coming with me to Green Forest Pavilion, so take note.”
The guards turned their eyes toward Yi Hyeon.
At first, they wondered whether Master Ho had brought a member of the human race. But when they sensed the violent demonic aura flowing from him, they immediately bowed their heads.
“Greetings, Senior!”
Yi Hyeon nodded.
Once they passed inside the prohibition markers, the sea breeze weakened, and the smell of damp earth and grass grew stronger.
After following the waterway for a while, they saw lights among enormous trees ranging from dozens to hundreds of jang in height.
Houses stood on branches too thick for several people holding hands to encircle, and vine bridges linked one tree to another.
High above, large birds set down bundles tied to their legs. Below, a broad-backed demonic beast passed through the waterway carrying packages.
On the ground, a small weasel stood on two legs beside a huge beast loaded with goods, studying a wooden tablet and arguing about something.
The sounds of knocking wood, animal cries, and conversation mingled somewhere nearby.
Master Ho spoke beside him.
“This is a place where those traveling to and from the coast stop for a while. Green Forest Pavilion is a little farther inland.”
...
“A little farther inland” meant something quite different from what Yi Hyeon had imagined.
They had crossed several mountain ranges since leaving the coastal settlement, yet Master Ho still did not stop the escape light.
Whenever the forest seemed about to end, a lake stretching to the horizon appeared. Once they crossed its waters, dark blue-green trees again spread as far as the eye could see.
In one place, rows of enormous caves opened into cliffs along a lake. Rather than fly directly over them, Master Ho took a wide detour.
“That mountain belongs to another fellow cultivator.”
After that, they saw no houses for a long time. Occasionally, a huge presence moved among the trees, but it quietly withdrew upon sensing Master Ho’s escape light.
Only after resting for a night and setting out again did an unusually tall tree emerge above the endless Forest Sea. Something rested among its branches, but it was still too far away to make out clearly.
“That is Green Forest Pavilion. Let’s look at where you’ll be staying first.”
Master Ho changed direction, and a low mountain range appeared amid the thick forest.
Within it lay a basin formed by a hollow in one of the peaks. A small lake rested at the bottom of the forest-ringed basin, with a gentle slope and rocky cliffs behind it.
Master Ho pointed.
“How would you like to stay on that mountain?”
Yi Hyeon sensed the dense spiritual qi flowing from its slopes. Spiritual qi far richer than that of the surrounding area gathered inside the basin, then slowly seeped into the trees, water, and soil.
“Could this be... a Tier 3 spirit vein?”
Master Ho looked slightly apologetic.
“It isn’t quite enough for a fellow cultivator who’s reached the fourth tier. But all the other Tier 4 spirit veins nearby already have owners.”
Yi Hyeon stared blankly at Master Ho.
What was the scholar talking about? This was a Tier 3 spirit vein!
“You mean I can stay on that mountain?”
“If it suits you.”
“Which part of the mountain...?”
“It isn’t a large mountain. Why would you need to share it?”
Master Ho asked with a puzzled expression.
“Green Forest Pavilion keeps a few guest mountains vacant for fellow cultivators who come from far away. This is one I oversee, so there’s no need to ask anyone else’s permission.”
“Is there no clan already living there?”
“No. It’s also some distance from the other fellow cultivators’ dwellings, so it should be a quiet place to let your energy settle.”
“Is there anything I must do in return for using this place?”
“Of course, as neighbors, we may have reasons to help each other. But how could I put someone who’s only just survived a tribulation to work? Stabilize your realm first.”
Yi Hyeon looked at the mountain again and thought of the Heaven-Origin Divine Tree back in his tunnel.
What if he transplanted it here?
A light examination with the Earth-Sensing Spell revealed that the water vein beneath the basin was not deep, and a thick layer of bedrock lay below it. If he built a house above ground, then dug beneath it to construct Underground Hideout No. 4...
“Does it not suit you?”
Master Ho asked. Yi Hyeon immediately raised his head.
“No, this place is more than enough.”
“Really?”
“Yes.”
“Then I chose well. If you find the spiritual qi lacking later, you can look for somewhere else.”
Master Ho felt relieved. If a junior with such a powerful body was satisfied with a Tier 3 spirit vein, he did not seem difficult to accommodate. The scholar took a small jade token from inside their robe and handed it to Yi Hyeon.
“Keep this with you for now. It’s my identification token, so you should have no trouble traveling around here. Green Forest Pavilion will prepare one of your own separately.”
“Thank you for your kindness.”
“I’ll stop by Green Forest Pavilion and report what happened. You should rest and examine your body first. I’ll return tomorrow morning.”
After Master Ho vanished to the north, Yi Hyeon stood there for a while, taking in the beautiful scenery.
‘Should I live here...?’
The powerful demonic aura pouring from his body was a problem if he wanted to return to the lands of the human race. Living in the cultivation world of the human race would not be easy for the time being.
There were dangers here too, but at least the demons he had met so far were far friendlier than the old monsters of the human race who had tried to capture him. Above all, there was a Tier 3 spirit vein right before his eyes.
Looking up at the mountain once more, Yi Hyeon decided to stay for now.
That night, he dug a small temporary cave beneath the rock face and set up a warning formation. As he slowly examined his newly gained body, daylight crept over the world outside.
...
The next morning, Yi Hyeon followed the returning Master Ho to Green Forest Pavilion.
Green Forest Pavilion was a complex built both inside and around an enormous tree. Wooden corridors spiraled up its trunk, which rose hundreds of jang into the air.
A pavilion rested at every fork in the branches. From a distance, it looked as though a single tree were supporting a small sect base.
Yi Hyeon gazed up from below.
‘Is that tree a spirit tree too? How much would it be worth in spirit stones?’
Unaware of the junior’s wicked thoughts, kindly Master Ho led the way up the stairs.
Inside the pavilion, where the scent of old wood lingered, books, jade slips, stone tablets, and animal-hide scrolls filled shelves carved into the trunk. They varied so much in size and shape that some areas looked more like storehouses piled with spirit materials than libraries.
A small monkey crossed between the branches carrying two stone tablets. Below it, a long-bodied white weasel sorted wooden tablets.
Click-clack.
A small demon working an abacus at a table farther inside looked up. It was a squirrel with round ears and a long tail, perched on a high stool.
“You’re back?”
“I’ve brought a new fellow cultivator. I intend to give him the vacant place on Cheongseok Mountain, so update the records.”
Cheongseok Mountain was apparently the name of the mountain where he would be staying.
“What name and realm should I record?”
“Yi Dong-o. Early fourth-tier.”
The paws moving the abacus beads stopped. The squirrel climbed down from the stool, brought its forepaws together, and bowed.
“Greetings, Senior.”
“Ah, yes.”
Yi Hyeon replied calmly.
“Which clan should I list?”
“He’s cultivated alone. He’ll be staying under my guarantee for the time being.”
“Understood.”
The squirrel pulled a wooden board closer and carved characters unlike the writing of the human race, their thin strokes intertwining like bird tracks.
Master Ho explained.
“It’s Bird-Track Script (鳥跡文). Each clan once used slightly different symbols, but records that various clans need to read are usually written in this script.”
Then the scholar pointed toward the shelves farther inside.
“Those records are written in Bird-Track Script too. Most concern territorial boundaries, waterways, and the locations of medicinal herbs and minerals. There are records of ancient bloodlines and humanoid transformation as well. The various clans brought a little at a time, and it all added up to that much.”
“Do the clans share all their records?”
“We only copy things they’re willing to share. Few fellow cultivators are generous enough to bring their precious secret inheritances here.”
The squirrel placed the finished wooden board on a shelf behind it, then took a green jade token from a drawer and copied the same characters onto it.
A short while later, the squirrel held it out.
The front bore characters Yi Hyeon could not read. On the back was a simple emblem of a mountain and trees.
“This token identifies you as a guest of Green Forest Pavilion. It also records that you’re staying on Cheongseok Mountain.”
Taking back the borrowed identification token, Master Ho added, “When you visit territory governed by another mountain lord, show this token and state your business. Be careful. Gathering spiritual materials without permission or harming the clan members or demonic beasts under their protection can lead to disputes.”
“Understood.”
...
Master Ho’s study was near the top of Green Forest Pavilion.
Outside the window, a thick branch stretched out at an angle, with small birds sitting in a row to bask in the sun.
The room was tidy.
Books of the human race filled one wall. Scrolls depicting the shapes and markings of various beasts hung along the other.
Yi Hyeon spoke.
“Is there a way to bring this energy under control?”
“Every bloodline is different, so I’m not sure what would suit you.”
Master Ho took out a small jade slip.
“This is a basic Qi-Regulating Method used by demons. Read it first, and don’t force yourself to follow anything that doesn’t suit you.”
“I can’t read Bird-Track Script yet...”
“I’ve added explanations in the writing of the human race. I made it so I could compare it with the cultivation arts of the human race.”
Yi Hyeon accepted the jade slip.
As he lightly sent his spiritual sense into it, methods of gathering and releasing vitality around a demonic core appeared in his mind.
‘Damn... Demons circulate their energy around a demonic core in their dantian too?’
He had no separate golden core or demonic core to serve as a center.
“Would you happen to have any older methods? Something that controls energy throughout the flesh and blood, rather than gathering it in one place...”
“It seems that Qi-Regulating Method doesn’t suit you.”
“That’s right.”
Rather than answer immediately, Master Ho went to another shelf. A short while later, the scholar returned with a thin booklet.
When its pages were opened, faint lines could be seen running over a drawing of a huge beast curled up.
“This is an illustration included in an ancient record of humanoid transformation.”
Yi Hyeon’s gaze sharpened.
“Does the complete cultivation method still exist?”
“Some clans that preserve ancient inheritances possess related methods or martial arts. But Green Forest Pavilion only has records and annotations like these. To see the main text, you would need its owner’s permission.”
Master Ho pushed the booklet toward Yi Hyeon.
“Look through this first. If it contains clues suited to your body, I’ll help find out which clans’ records you should seek.”
Yi Hyeon accepted the booklet.
“Thank you. But... is it really all right for you to help someone you’ve only just met this much?”
Master Ho looked at him for a moment.
“You seem to think I’m making a very poor bargain. There are many strong fellow cultivators in the Forest Sea. But only a few can be reasoned with.”
Master Ho pointed at the mountain peaks visible beyond the branches outside the window.
“Those who help maintain Green Forest Pavilion each have their own clans and territories. Usually, we exchange records and help obtain things we need. But once they start arguing over the boundaries of spirit veins or the ownership of spiritual materials, they stop listening even to me.”
“Do you mediate between them?”
“If we can settle things through a friendly discussion, we should. But sometimes I need a powerful fellow cultivator to support my words. Someone who doesn’t side with any clan would be even better.”
Master Ho rested a hand on the booklet.
“You reached humanoid transformation on your own, and you can read books of the human race. Is giving a vacant guest mountain and a few copied books to a junior who can come out of a contest of strength with Dam Ak unharmed really such a great loss?”
Only then did Yi Hyeon begin to understand Master Ho’s kindness.
“Of course, I’m not asking you to do anything right away. Recover first, and live here for a while to see whether you like it. If you could lend me a hand sometime when I’m in trouble, I would be grateful.”
“If it’s something I can do, I’ll help.”
Master Ho nodded.
Footnotes:
Yi Dong-sa, Yi Dong-o, and the hypothetical Yi Dong-yuk end in syllables meaning four, five, and six, which is why using them in sequence at the same institution would look suspicious.
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