WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: WeTried Translations

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◈ Ophidian of the Immortal World ◈

Chapter 52: Burning at the Stake

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One hundred lowest-grade Spirit Stones equaled one lower-grade Spirit Stone.

And one thousand lower-grade Spirit Stones equaled one mid-grade Spirit Stone. Mid-grade Spirit Stones contained a distinctly greater quantity and concentration of Spiritual Energy than the first two grades.

There were even high-grade Spirit Stones above mid-grade ones, but those could not be obtained simply because one wanted them. Such items were treated less like currency and more like spiritual treasures, making them nearly impossible to acquire unless their owner put them up for sale.

Yet the prices of the spiritual treasures that surfaced in Jegyeong's mind were listed in high-grade Spirit Stones.

At that point, it was not a sale but an exchange. Those seeking high-grade Spirit Stones had clearly listed the spiritual treasures through the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association in hopes of trading them for high-grade Spirit Stones.

‘A pie in the sky.’

He had long heard that finding useful spiritual treasures in the Human Territories was as difficult as plucking stars from the sky, but seeing their prices for himself still startled him.

‘People are everywhere, while resources are scarce. That must be why the prices of cultivation resources like spiritual treasures keep climbing higher and higher.’

He could now understand why the Human Race was so desperate to expand its territory.

The Human Territories were vast, but the resources within them had already largely dried up. They might not have been exhausted to the point of complete depletion, but they would certainly be far too scarce to satisfy the countless human cultivators.

‘If the Human Race continues growing stronger like this, there may come a day when every cultivation resource in this world is exhausted.’

The Human Race had short lifespans and great numbers.

Those traits gave human cultivators urgency and desperation. They used every possible means to advance their cultivation before their lifespans ran out, and naturally, wherever they flourished, the spiritual treasures of heaven and earth were depleted.

‘If the day ever comes when the Human Race holds dominion over the entire Azure Basket Realm, that will be the day the Cultivation World enters its dark age.’

How high could human cultivators rise if they could no longer rely on external resources to aid their cultivation? Their attainments would surely never be what they were now.

‘The Human Race...’

Jegyeong held complicated feelings toward the Human Race of this world.

As someone who had been human in his previous life, he felt a faint sense of kinship. As a member of the Demon Race in this life, he also felt vigilance and fear.

‘I must always be careful when dealing with them.’

Jegyeong narrowed his eyes when he found Demon Cores among the spiritual treasures sold by the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association.

Every Demon Core listed for sale represented the death of a Golden Core Realm member of the Demon Race.

A Golden Core Realm Demon Race cultivator.

The Remnant Water Whale King, leader of the Demon Race of Yangseo Lake, was believed to be at the middle stage of the Golden Core Realm. That meant the slain cultivators' Demon Cores had been placed on the sales list, and those cultivators had been equal to, or perhaps even stronger than, the Remnant Water Whale King.

Jegyeong redoubled his vigilance.

Even a Demon King of the Golden Core Realm could lose their head at any moment in this world. A lowly creature such as himself had to test every stone before crossing the river.

* * *

Until Full-Wing Day arrived, Jegyeong devoted himself to treasure hunting.

Having tasted real profit once, the turtle guided him eagerly instead of reluctantly. With its help, Jegyeong easily explored the depths of the surrounding waters.

Even places too dangerous for Water Demons to approach were not much trouble for him.

No powerful current could harm his scales, and the creatures lurking nearby fled the moment Jegyeong revealed himself.

“Those fools are too stunned by the Dragon Lord's majesty to think straight!”

Perhaps the turtle had grown accustomed to borrowing his power. It lifted its not particularly long neck proudly and mocked the fleeing Water Demons.

At first, it had feared being swallowed by Jegyeong. Now that it trusted him not to eat it, it climbed onto his tongue without the slightest hesitation.

“Dragon Lord, this is the last place.”

Jegyeong headed toward where the turtle pointed and found aquatic plants growing as thickly as a jungle.

Other than their strange appearance, they did not give off any Spiritual Energy. In the past, he would have turned back without a second thought.

This time was different.

Jegyeong found a match for the cluster of plants in the spiritual treasure catalog engraved in his mind.

‘Swimming Grass. It's used as an ingredient in various tonic pills that replenish yang energy.’

It was called a spiritual treasure, but since it was only used as a supplementary ingredient for Medicinal Pills, it was not worth much.

Still, even a few Spirit Stones were still Spirit Stones.

There was also so much of it that selling every last stalk would bring in a decent profit.

“Pull it all out.”

“What?”

The turtle's eyes widened.

It looked at Jegyeong, then at the Swimming Grass, then blankly back at Jegyeong.

“Be careful not to damage the plants while harvesting them.”

It could not be helped.

Jegyeong was not deliberately trying to torment or exploit the turtle. His body simply was not suited to harvesting Swimming Grass.

He could easily rip it out by force, of course, but that would damage the grass. The turtle at least had webbed feet, which made it far more suitable for the task than Jegyeong.

Once it confirmed that it had not misheard him, the turtle had no choice but to begin digging up the Swimming Grass, swinging its small webbed feet like sickles.

It was small and weak, but it was still a Demon Beast, so the turtle harvested very quickly.

Watching it cut down the Swimming Grass like an experienced farmer, Jegyeong tossed it a Storage bag as well.

“Put all of it inside. Don't leave anything behind.”

“Yes!”

Without showing any displeasure, the turtle harvested the Swimming Grass and placed it in the Storage bag.

It was not pretending to be content. It truly had no complaints.

It was simply curious.

‘What does Dragon Lord want with grass like this? Is he going to eat it?’

The turtle ate meat, but it also enjoyed plants.

It had a decent eye for them, and from its perspective, these disgustingly long stalks did not look very tasty.

‘Still, perhaps...?’

With a lingering doubt, the turtle cut off a small piece of an immature stalk and tried it.

‘Blech!’

It immediately grimaced and regretted it.

* * *

Forget-Me Garden.

After the Full-Wing Gathering ended, Jegyeong remained behind with Uh Dobaek to discuss the transaction for the Transformation Secret Art.

“Senior, have you obtained it?”

“I have. Shall we trade right away? Let me tell you in advance, it is quite expensive. The item's owner is an acquaintance of mine, but they had no intention of lowering the price even a little. Perhaps they are trying to make a profit from this opportunity.”

“How much is it?”

“One mid-grade Spirit Stone and two hundred lower-grade Spirit Stones. Or one thousand two hundred and twenty lower-grade Spirit Stones.”

It was certainly expensive. If Jegyeong had heard that price before selling his Spiritual Soil and filling his pockets, he would have been horrified.

But things were different now. The price was no longer a serious problem for him.

So instead of gasping in shock, Jegyeong asked something else.

“Senior, I heard from someone at the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association that the effects of a Transformation Secret Art can differ depending on the cultivator.”

He had phrased it mildly, but his meaning was clear.

“Oh?”

Uh Dobaek looked slightly surprised to hear that Jegyeong had spoken with someone from the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association.

“What that person told you was correct. Most Transformation Secret Arts may work for one cultivator and fail for another.”

“Then...”

“But you need not worry about that. I said most Transformation Secret Arts were like that, did I not? That means a small number of secret arts have no such limitation.”

“No limitation?”

Jegyeong was half doubtful.

Had anyone other than Uh Dobaek said that, he would have dismissed it at once as the nonsense of a swindler. But since Uh Dobaek had said it, Jegyeong patiently waited for the rest.

“Of course, nothing in this world is perfect. This secret art allows anyone to cultivate it and attain human form, but its cultivation requirements are demanding. Each time you cultivate it, you must burn three sticks of Calming Soul Incense.”

Uh Dobaek also explained Calming Soul Incense.

Calming Soul Incense was a type of Spirit Incense. It helped keep a cultivator's divine soul stable, making it useful for cultivation that required intense concentration.

However, the effect of Spirit Incense did not last long, and each stick was spent after a single use. Cultivators without deep pockets did not burn Spirit Incense just to cultivate.

“How much does Calming Soul Incense cost?”

“One lower-grade Spirit Stone per stick. That is the standard price.”

One lower-grade Spirit Stone for a single stick of incense? Then every cultivation session would cost three lower-grade Spirit Stones?

“There is a famous saying that has been passed down through the Human Territories since ancient times. What cultivation requires is not talent, but wealth.”

Uh Dobaek's words carried a trace of amusement. Jegyeong wanted to snap back and ask if that was something to boast about, but he held it in and began calculating.

‘It's definitely expensive. This is nothing but throwing money away. But... it isn't beyond what I can afford.’

It was not confidence in his own comprehension, but confidence in the full pockets he had gained by selling his Spiritual Soil.

Three lower-grade Spirit Stones for every cultivation session? He had six mid-grade Spirit Stones in his possession, along with more than fifty lower-grade Spirit Stones. Even after paying for the secret art, that should be enough to complete the cultivation.

“If I meet the cultivation requirements, will the effect be guaranteed?”

“Of course. Every member of the Other Races who cultivated that secret art to the end successfully attained human form. If you wish, you can ask the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association to appraise it.”

“Good. I will trade with Spirit Stones.”

“With Spirit Stones?”

Uh Dobaek's Spirit Body swayed slightly.

When Jegyeong had said he met someone from the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association earlier, Uh Dobaek had only seemed mildly surprised. This time, Uh Dobaek seemed genuinely shocked.

“It seems you had a fortuitous opportunity. Congratulations.”

“Thank you.”

Jegyeong did not deny it, and Uh Dobaek did not press further.

They then agreed to conduct the transaction through the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association.

It was a satisfactory trade for everyone involved.

Jegyeong had no interest in whether Uh Dobaek's acquaintance had truly set the price of the secret art, or whether the secret art had even belonged to that acquaintance in the first place.

The only thing that mattered to him was whether the secret art truly worked as Uh Dobaek claimed. The Spirit Talisman Merchant Association would verify that, so there was nothing to worry about.

‘Now I just have to wait.’

After returning from the Forget-Me Garden, Jegyeong closed his eyes peacefully in his nest.

* * *

“...”

An antique-looking Jade Slip and a bundle of Calming Soul Incense lay before Jegyeong.

The Jade Slip containing the Transformation Secret Art had been verified by the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association, and the Calming Soul Incense was supposedly a superior product personally selected by Gwak Jeongsin.

‘All right, then.’

Once he had prepared himself, the information contained in the Transformation Secret Art within the Jade Slip was engraved into Jegyeong's mind.

‘So that's why it's called a secret art.’

Jegyeong immediately understood the core of the Transformation Secret Art.

He also understood why three sticks of Calming Soul Incense had to be burned during every cultivation session.

Pulse-Striking Transformation Art.

A secret art that stimulated the veins of Spiritual Essence and engraved a human form upon the soul and mind.

Cultivating this secret art placed a great burden on both the soul and mind, which was why Calming Soul Incense was essential to lessen that burden.

‘Shall I begin?’

He lit the three sticks of Calming Soul Incense.

Without delay, Jegyeong stimulated the veins of his Spiritual Essence as recorded on the Jade Slip. Then he engraved a human form upon his mind.

The entire process went smoothly.

It was so easy that he wondered whether it was supposed to be this simple.

‘Did I do it correctly?’

The entire cultivation process had ended before half the incense burned away.

A sense of unease suddenly rose in Jegyeong, and he slowly reviewed the process, but he found nothing wrong.

‘What's going on?’

Jegyeong sank into thought again.

This time, he reviewed not the cultivation process, but the fundamental principles of the Pulse-Striking Transformation Art.

How much time passed?

How many times did he go over it?

At last, Jegyeong was able to guess why his cultivation had gone abnormally smoothly.

‘I cultivated my Spiritual Essence myself. That means I understand it perfectly, so stimulating its veins was effortless.’

One of the two core principles of the Pulse-Striking Transformation Art was as easy as breathing for Jegyeong.

The other, engraving a human form upon the soul, was even easier than striking the veins. After all, he had been human in his previous life, and he clearly remembered what he had looked like then.

That memory was retained by both his mind and soul, so engraving a human form upon his divine soul was, in truth, an unnecessary process for him.

‘I’ve already completed the secret art.’

Even after reaching that conclusion, he could not quite believe it. On an impulse, Jegyeong decided to try assuming human form as well.

If his conclusion was correct, he should be able to finish before the remaining incense burned out.

“...”

Within the hazy smoke of the Calming Soul Incense, Jegyeong calmed his mind.

‘Strike the veins.’

One breath.

The demon power within his Spiritual Essence split into eight masses.

‘Engrave the form.’

No cumbersome process was necessary.

It was enough to recall who he had been in his previous life.

Thump!

Something resounded within him.

Jegyeong could not tell whether it was his heartbeat or the pulse of his Spiritual Essence.

‘Transform.’

The memories and identity of his previous life, left untouched beneath a thick layer of dust, seemed to become clear in an instant.

Boom!

His mind shook, and his body shook.

The moment the massive snake and small human approached each other and merged, Jegyeong's eyes flew open.

‘It worked.’

He had been certain before opening his eyes, and he confirmed it once he did.

A small, pale hand with five fingers, something a snake could never possess.

It was the hand that had existed only in his old memories.

It was paler and seemed longer than he remembered, but overall, it was similar.

‘How strange.’

Jegyeong curled and straightened his fingers several times, becoming accustomed to the sensation of using his hands.

Next, he slowly took one step after another, trying to grow used to standing and walking on two legs. Perhaps because he retained the memories of being human, adapting was easier than he had expected.

Soon, once he could move naturally, Jegyeong headed toward the pool behind him.

He had always wished his sleeping place was a little larger, but now it looked so huge that he could not tell whether it was a pool or a small lake.

“...”

Jegyeong carefully examined the reflection of his face in the water.

A man who looked somewhat like his past self, yet was subtly different and colder overall, met his gaze from the water.

The instant he met his own eyes in the water, though, an inexplicable suffocating feeling seized him.

It felt as though he had forced his body into a full-body suit that did not fit, leaving every part of him unbearably constricted.

‘No.’

On closer inspection, it was not his body that felt constrained, but his mind.

His mind, which had settled perfectly into his Demon Race body, was screaming for him to tear off these suffocating, cumbersome clothes at once.

‘Calm down. Calm down.’

Jegyeong tried to rein in the mind that had become like boiling water.

If it was a problem with his mind, then through the cultivation he had practiced so diligently, somehow... somehow...

“Ugh!”

Had even ten seconds passed since he closed his eyes and began meditating?

Jegyeong could no longer endure it and returned to his original form.

“Raaah!”

The great snake, black as if drenched in ink, let out a savage roar and charged at the cave wall.

As though venting his anger, he repeatedly smashed his head against the cave wall and lashed his tail about. Only then did the light of reason return to the snake's eyes, which had been filled with nothing but ferocity.

“...Is it over?”

Cheongo's cautious voice reached Jegyeong's ears after he barely calmed down.

When Jegyeong turned his head, he saw Cheongo frozen in an awkward stance near the cave entrance.

There was also a plump fruit near their feet, though he had no idea when it had rolled all the way there.

“...Yes.”

Jegyeong's cold eyes turned toward the grotesquely shattered cave wall.

‘What happened?’

This was the first time he had been so overwhelmed by emotion since gaining his new life.

Confusion and fear surged through him at once.

But Jegyeong soon pulled himself together.

‘It’s all right. If there’s a problem, I only need to solve it.’

This wasn't the first unfamiliar situation he had faced.

There had always been problems, large and small, but he had always solved them. This time would be no exception.

Jegyeong calmly coiled himself up and began examining his inner self.

“My nest!”

At that moment, Cheongo's sorrowful cry broke his concentration.

When he cracked one eye open, he saw Cheongo collapsed in front of the ruined nest.

“...”

Jegyeong quietly closed his eyes as though he had seen and heard nothing.

Footnotes:

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