WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: ZERO_SUGAR

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Episode 25: Natal Spirit Artifact (1)

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The Azure Sea Sect Master, summoned out of nowhere, looked utterly bewildered.

A Core Formation Realm great cultivator from another continent.

The great cultivator had said he was merely passing through and asked the Azure Sea Sect Master for the sea route to the next island. After the sect master cooperated, the great cultivator had promptly hurried on.

And now the great cultivator had suddenly summoned the sect master.

Even if the great cultivator was a great cultivator, ordering a sect master about did not sit well with the sect master. Still, there was no way to refuse.

‘What could he possibly want to say...?’

The sect master had brought all the disciples along, but honestly, they were afraid.

If the great cultivator wished it, no one here would make it back alive.

“I didn’t call you here to harm you, so stop being so nervous. Why did you bring such a crowd? Planning to wage war?”

“O-of course not... When I said I was going, my disciples became worried and followed me of their own accord.”

The disciples’ faces plainly said, When did we ever do that?! but the Azure Sea Sect Master pretended not to notice.

“Then why... did you summon me?”

“The next island you told me about, Junior. It’s an island of demon beasts.”

“Yes, that is correct. It is the only route north from this island.”

“And it’s close by.”

“...That is correct.”

“We could simply pass it by, but our paths have crossed, so I thought I’d clean up that island for you.”

The Azure Sea Sect Master’s face brightened at Ise’s words.

Not only was this person’s realm supreme, but his character was worthy of a great cultivator as well.

He looked at Ise with admiration, but that admiration was soon shattered to pieces.

“Of course, it won’t be free. If I clean out all the demon beasts on Choeum Island, how much will you pay me?”

The sect master had encountered countless bandits over a hundred years of life, but this was a first even for them.

What an exceedingly polite robber.

The Azure Sea Sect Master squeezed his eyes shut.

In the end, the sect master was being told to offer tribute.

How many Spiritual Stones would it take for this great cultivator not to grow angry and leave peacefully?

“...How about one thousand?”

“Are you joking? I’m clearing out an entire island, and you’re offering a mere thousand?”

The Azure Sea Sect Master immediately flinched.

It was humiliating before the disciples, but what could the sect master do? They were frightened.

“B-but there is no blessed grotto there, and even if the demon beasts are exterminated, the benefits we would receive...”

“Twelve Foundation Establishment Realm demon beasts could destroy the Azure Sea Sect with plenty to spare. Haven’t there been casualties so far?”

“Mortal fishermen are occasionally abducted, but...”

“Are you, the sect master responsible for this island, planning to ignore the residents’ suffering? Do you want to leave future trouble in the surrounding area?”

To the Azure Sea Sect Master, it sounded as though Ise was asking whether the sect master was not afraid of the consequences of offending a great cultivator. Cold sweat seemed to run down their spine.

“H-how much... were you thinking of?”

“Don’t be so nervous. I’ll charge a reasonable amount.”

Ise proposed ten thousand Spiritual Stones.

With tears in their eyes, the Azure Sea Sect Master emptied their storage pouch and offered them to Ise.

After accepting the ten thousand Spiritual Stones, Ise added one more thing.

“I’ll handle only the demon beasts and leave everything else on the island untouched. Send people later and gather whatever you can harvest.”

“R-really?”

“It’ll take one day.”

Rather than answer whether it was true, Ise told the sect master how long it would take.

“Y-yes! Thank you.”

The sect master repeatedly bowed.

If Ise truly left the island’s resources untouched, this was not a bad deal at all.

As the great cultivator said, the nearby demon beast horde was a genuine threat, and they occasionally clashed at sea.

Since it was an uninhabited island of demon beasts, it would surely be rich in spiritual herbs.

If they could claim the island’s resources, preserved for centuries, making up for ten thousand Spiritual Stones would be no great matter.

Moreover, they would be clearing away an eyesore of a demon beast den for practically nothing. It was a profitable bargain.

Compared to most great cultivators, who were little better than highway robbers, he was practically a saint.

* * *

Choeum Island was relatively small.

It was an Extreme Yin Demon Ground, thick with yin qi and sea fog.

Even amid the Archipelago’s blazing sunlight, this island was cool enough to feel refreshing.

Its nature was so well preserved that it seemed certain to be filled with rare spiritual herbs.

“It’s a bit of a shame, though.”

Ise smacked his lips as he recalled the Azure Sea Sect Master leaving with a broad smile.

Had he not been in such a hurry, he would not have made the offer.

Still, the primary purpose was to train his Hall members, so he decided to console himself by converting at least part of the island’s resources into Spiritual Stones.

“All right, let’s begin. We took their Spiritual Stones, so we should clean up diligently.”

At Ise’s gesture, the Azure Dragon Hall members charged at Choeum Island’s demons.

Birds took flight and wild animals scattered as spells suddenly rained down.

Soon, the demons’ screams echoed across the island.

To prevent any demons from escaping by sea, Ise spread the Shadow Net Formation wide.

The shadowy net formed a vast hemisphere, enclosing and sealing off the entire island in an instant.

Within the net that blocked both sky and sea, the demons that had failed to escape were swept away in droves.

It was a perfect hunt that left no avenue of escape.

Ise rose above the tall peak at the island’s center and raised his voice toward the dense vegetation.

“Twelve Foundation Establishment Realm demon beasts. Stop hiding and come out. You strutted around as Foundation Establishment Realm demon beasts normally, so are you really going to tuck your tails between your legs at a time like this?”

Ise’s voice, infused with spiritual energy, struck the entire island.

There was nowhere to flee anyway.

Even if they curled up their divine sense like pill bugs, they would all be caught once he searched for them.

Like the countless other demons of the Archipelago that vanished and emerged over time, the demons here seemed fated to disappear into a forgotten corner of the brutal cultivation world.

One after another, demons that had abandoned resistance revealed themselves.

“...Human of high realm. What must we do for you to stop attacking?”

A demon beast at the peak of Foundation Establishment Realm spoke calmly.

“How dare a demon try to negotiate?”

Ise had no intention of showing demons mercy.

Ise secretly released Wind Blades toward the various demon beasts, whose eyes darted about.

It was a spell cast without moving a single finger, scattered solely through divine sense.

The demon beasts at late Foundation Establishment Realm and above reacted instantly to the sudden attack, but they could not evade the streak-like Wind Blades launched by a great cultivator.

Blood sprayed and screams rang out.

The peak and late Foundation Establishment Realm demon beasts lost their heads without even managing to resist.

Ise had merely weeded out the ones that would have been too much for the Hall members to handle.

Only six remained, demon beasts at early and middle Foundation Establishment Realm.

“Begin.”

Ise gave the order as he withdrew the Shadow Net Formation.

He judged it safer to hunt fleeing demons than to corner them and drive them into a desperate frenzy.

The Hall members each locked onto prey and flew after them.

The remaining demon beasts scattered in all directions the moment they saw the barrier disappear.

A chase soon broke out across the island.

Ise turned to Buchun, who remained alone at his side.

“Buchun. You should hunt as well. Don’t overexert yourself.”

“...M-me too?”

“Yes. I don’t expect you to become a major fighting force, but it is good to gain experience whenever you can.”

“Yes. I will.”

Buchun lowered their head with a tense expression, then ran off.

Ise rose into the air and spread his divine sense as far as possible, watching the entire island at once.

Battles were breaking out everywhere.

As he watched his subordinates fight, Ise carefully examined each of their abilities.

He intended to intervene immediately if anyone faced danger.

Except for one early Foundation Establishment Realm demon beast, all the demon beasts here were at middle Foundation Establishment Realm.

Other than Shin Hyeon, they were effectively fighting opponents one minor realm boundary above them.

However, the fact that a Core Formation Realm great cultivator stood behind them caused the two sides’ fighting spirits to differ sharply.

Even so, the demon beasts fought desperately to survive.

‘The Deputy Hall Master fights well.’

Shin Hyeon used the sword, the Great Exorcist Order’s most common weapon, as their primary armament. They fought while freely wielding metal- and earth-attribute spells.

Like a battle-hardened veteran who had survived two wars, Shin Hyeon skillfully pressured and hunted a middle Foundation Establishment Realm demon beast.

The experience shown in their unadorned sword forms, using spells only when necessary, was on a completely different level from the other Hall members.

Their ability was certainly worthy of the position of Deputy Hall Master.

However, their spellcasting speed left something to be desired. It was proof that their combat instincts had grown considerably dull.

Pi Garam had discarded the bow used during the Qi Condensation Realm and made a long spear their primary weapon.

Pi Garam turned the entire battlefield into their domain through formations, then used the Telekinesis Art to wield their spear and slowly wear down the opponent.

It was not flashy, but it was an intelligent combat style that made use of his strengths.

In Ise’s view, Pi Garam was at least among those who used their strengths in the most appropriate ways.

Pi Garam’s shortcoming was likewise the frequency with which they used their main weapon.

The spear was practically decorative, and Pi Garam relied on formations for most of the battle.

Seolryeong had entrusted the entire fight to combat puppets, merely pouring out supporting spells from the rear.

The puppets had been a fortuitous encounter given for them to make use of, but relying on them alone made the weakness far too obvious.

Perhaps because it had been a long time since Hong Wonseo had fought, her body was stiff with tension.

She was following an utterly textbook spell duel.

There was nothing in particular to criticize, but that was all.

For a battle of life and death, it lacked ferocity. It felt as though a pair of well-behaved cats were raising their fur and clawing at each other atop a kitchen stove.

Doksu had solid fundamentals and excellent combat ability.

His mastery and attainment of the Dokkaebi Shadow-Hunting Demonic Art were high. He also made proper use of a dokkaebi’s naturally resilient body, clearly maintaining the upper hand against an opponent one minor realm boundary higher.

Still, his lack of real combat experience was obvious.

There were several chances to end the fight in one stroke, yet he failed to recognize them and let them pass.

As for Bisang... it did not seem capable of much beyond breathing fire and flapping its wings to launch Wind Blades.

Its attacks were one-dimensional, relying solely on the innate power of its bloodline.

Ise squeezed his eyes shut at the battle, which was difficult to watch.

The problem was that even with his eyes shut, he could still see everything through divine sense.

It seemed he would have to make Bisang learn as many spells as spirit beasts could possibly learn.

The common shortcoming was a lack of overwhelming aggression.

Even at early Foundation Establishment Realm, Ise had hunted Great Perfection demon beasts.

Though he had used primordial qi and all kinds of spirit artifacts, he had never hesitated to throw himself against enemies stronger than himself.

With the way these refined people fought so gently, they could not even defeat opponents one minor realm boundary higher, much less fight across realms.

They needed the spirit to bite and cling to an enemy’s ear with their teeth if their hands were cut off, and with their gums if they had no teeth.

Only then could they be called true Daoists.

The Great Exorcist Order had commanded the world despite being called demon butchers because of that very vicious spirit.

Yet none of his subordinates showed even a trace of that desperate hunger for victory.

- Shin Hyeon, support Bisang.

- Yes, Hall Master.

After ordering Shin Hyeon, who had already subdued their opponent, to help Bisang, which was on the verge of ascending to heaven, Ise looked to Buchun last.

‘...This one is fighting more desperately, if anything.’

Buchun’s realm and ability were low, but Buchun was hunting demon beasts with considerable desperation.

With a body nearing sixty, Buchun somehow killed a middle Qi Condensation Realm demon beast, replenished spiritual energy with medicinal pellets, and immediately headed for the next prey.

It was not talent but desperation that made Buchun throw that aging body into danger without hesitation.

* * *

About half a day later, not a single living demon beast remained on the island.

As everyone performed spirit-sending rites for the demon beasts they had hunted and sealed the corpses, Buchun suddenly sat down cross-legged.

Ise spotted this and sent a voice transmission to the Hall members.

- Those of you who have finished cleaning up, come here.

Shin Hyeon and Pi Garam arrived first.

“What is it, Hall Master?”

“It seems Buchun found a fortuitous encounter during battle. We will stand as breakthrough guardians.”

“Yes.”

The Hall members who had finished their work joined the breakthrough guardians one by one. Several hours later, Buchun broke through the minor realm boundary to the Fifth Star.

The wall of the minor realm boundary, which Buchun had struck at for decades without overcoming, had finally broken.

Buchun rose with a dazed expression.

“Congratulations, Cultivator Bu.”

“Congratulations.”

“You worked hard.”

For someone whose comprehension only allowed a Fifth Star breakthrough near sixty, attaining Foundation Establishment Realm was still a distant prospect.

Even so, the Hall members were happy for Buchun as if it were their own achievement.

Shin Hyeon’s eyes in particular held a wistful feeling.

That moment when an elderly cultivator, lacking both talent and time, barely crossed one step beyond their limits did not feel like someone else’s affair.

After choosing which demon beasts would go into the Beacon Fire Album, Ise gave the results of the island extermination.

“To be honest, I’m not satisfied.”

This battle had shown him clearly that his subordinates were still far too lacking.

“Your close combat is especially poor. It seems you all abandoned Body Tempering completely once you became Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators.”

“...”

The Hall members fell silent at Ise’s criticism.

What was Body Tempering? They had focused on honing their arts and paid virtually no attention to combat itself.

“Your arts are important, of course. But your arts will not protect your lives in war.”

The Great Exorcist Order’s Daoists drew their strength from powerful bodies, supported by rapid spellcasting.

They used mobility and formidable close combat between quickly cast spells to create openings in the enemy’s defenses.

Then they forcibly pried those openings wider and subdued their opponents.

That brutish combat style was why they were even disparaged as butchers.

“With ability at this level, you will be lucky if you do not become a hindrance in war, let alone help.”

Still, Ise was not worried.

Their talent was second to none.

“Whenever there is an island of demon beasts along the way, we will stop and gain real combat experience.”

The Hall members’ faces stiffened. There were not merely one or two islands of demon beasts in the Archipelago.

“And we need real combat experience every day. I have neglected my duty as Hall Master. From now on, I will teach you personally.”

Goosebumps rose along the Hall members’ spines.

“Guided sparring.”

The Azure Dragon Hall Master was frightening when he smiled before causing trouble, but he was most frightening when he made a resolution with that serious, expressionless face.

“Let’s begin right now. Come at me. All of you together.”

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