WeTried Translations

Translator/Editor: Dionysus

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◈ Xianxia Cultivation with a Dragon Heart ◈

Chapter 53: An Overwhelming Presence

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A primeval forest where enormous trees rose as if to pierce the sky.

The canopy blocked out the sunlight, leaving the place somewhat dim, but to Han Yujin, a cultivator, its most striking feature was the absurdly dense spiritual energy.

More than ten times that of Earth, and over three times that of the Great Rift.

'This is it. This is exactly it.'

Marveling anew, he let Muyong run free. Once she landed on the ground, she raced around with undisguised excitement, as though she had returned to a hometown she had not seen in a long time.

She had Entry Stage abilities now, so she was incredibly fast. Her golden fur seemed to flash through the forest in every direction.

“Is this your glorious homecoming? Won't you be wildly popular when you meet your kind?”

Squeak! Squeeeak!

“Countless handshakes, pretty females rushing at you... Ah, right. You're female.”

Squeeeak! Squeak! Squeak!

“Don't even think about meeting some scoundrel. Not until you've reached the Nascent Soul Stage and can assume human form. Absolutely not!”

Honestly, if she ever did gain the ability to take human form, he felt even less inclined to approve of any potential partner. Still, he gave her that firm warning for now.

After letting Muyong play to her heart's content for quite some time, he finally picked her up once she had calmed down and headed for the shelter where the wolf beasts lived.

'Should I make a separate Cave abode near the lake?'

The thought crossed his mind, but he could consider it later. For now, staying somewhere familiar would not be bad.

As he traveled, he thought about the Dragon Heart, and why he had insisted on using one for the Outer Core Method.

True Dragons, comparable to fantasy dragons, naturally existed in the cultivation world as well. They possessed one of the highest racial pedigrees among the Yao Tribe.

However, there was a simple reason he had never considered them.

They were Yao Tribe members.

That was right.

Every True Dragon in the cultivation world was undeniably part of the Yao Tribe.

And all Yao Tribe members were descendants who inherited the blood of a mythical, abstract being known as the Celestial Yao.

'Something like the Dao Ancestor of monsters.'

Naturally, monsters claimed that their ancestor, the Celestial Yao, stood on the same level as a Dao Ancestor. Cultivators firmly insisted that, while the Celestial Yao was certainly formidable, it was clearly beneath a Dao Ancestor.

Still.

Even cultivators, proud and inevitably hostile toward the Yao Tribe, spoke of the Celestial Yao alongside Dao Ancestors. That alone made clear how exalted it was.

This was the important part.

The greater a monster's racial pedigree, the more strongly it inherited the Celestial Yao's blood. And Celestial Yao blood was inherently harmful to cultivators.

'Many of the Outer Core Method's side effects ultimately come from using the inner core of a Yao Tribe member, mixed with the Celestial Yao's blood, as the vessel.'

Those side effects must have been incredibly troublesome and difficult to resolve for the False Core Method to have been created in the first place.

'In other words, even if dragons and True Dragons are beings of the same level, a dragon is the far better choice for me.'

And if his target were a True Dragon from the Yao Tribe, he could not expect anything like the agreement he had made with Casarnox. The relationship between monsters and cultivators could hardly be worse.

Before he knew it, he had arrived at the wolf beasts' shelter.

As before, he lured them out by pretending to be weak. At the same time, he was already calculating where to build and place everything in the shelter.

* * *

Dealing with the wolf beasts was as easy as hunting monsters in the Great Rift. In other words, it was no different from pulling weeds.

Muyong had even taken down a couple with Geng Metal Sword Qi. That said it all.

Building a residence, along with several facilities and necessities, did not take long either. Since he had lived here for over a year before, he even improved the arrangement into something more refined.

In less than half a day, he finished all preparations for cultivation by positioning the Bewildering Illusion Array Device properly.

Squeak! Squeak!

Muyong looked delighted, as though this were her true home. She slipped from her master's arms and headed toward the pond, seemingly intending to hunt fish containing spiritual energy with her own strength.

'If I leave her alone, she'll wipe out every fish in there.'

The spiritual energy in the fish here would no longer help his cultivation much, but catching and eating fish beside his residence was pleasant and delicious. He would have to make her restrain herself later.

'The lake monsters would be perfect for brewing Bloodwood Spirit-Fruit Spirit Liquor... And I should visit those Planet of the Apes bastards and collect some fruit, too.'

Now that he had reached the Dharma Soul Stage, the fruit probably would not have much effect. Still, it would not be completely useless, so it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

'I'll go tomorrow.'

There was time. Right now, there was something more important that he wanted to try.

He took the Dragon Heart, which had been quietly resting in the Storage Pouch until now, into his hands. For quite a while, he simply stared at it in admiration.

Honestly, merely looking at it made him happy.

But he could not admire it forever.

Closing his eyes, he removed its concealment and attempted to connect with the Dragon Heart.

Immediately afterward.

The Dragon Heart regained its overwhelming presence and grew until he could barely hold it in both arms. The waves of spiritual energy pouring from it were staggering, even within this dense primeval forest.

“Hmm...”

After remaining still for a moment, a concern suddenly came to him.

He had stayed here for a long time and explored the surrounding area extensively, but he had no way of knowing how far the Dragon Heart's presence would spread.

It had already been proven in the real world that even a Bewildering Illusion Array magical artifact could not conceal this presence. Even if he inserted Spirit Stones and activated it, that would only increase the formation array's defensive and offensive power, not its concealment.

'Even with my knowledge of Formation Array Arts... I have nothing better than the Bewildering Illusion Array magical artifact.'

It would be different if he had suitable and sufficient materials, but under the current circumstances, this was the best he could do.

'It's still better than nothing. Spiritual energy is already plentiful here, so maybe that will hide its presence somewhat.'

Even if something attacked, he only had to deal with it.

And if he failed?

He could make a plan after dying first.

Setting aside his concerns, he closed his eyes and began operating the special cultivation method, the Threefold Harmonization Formula.

The Threefold Harmonization Formula was not a cultivation method for increasing one's strength. As its name suggested, it was a special cultivation method for spiritual attunement, resolving the disharmony between a cultivator and a particular target through three stages.

This process was also called refinement for short.

It was mainly used to make the best possible use of objects with spiritual properties at the Dharma Treasure level or above. At times, it could also partially restore Dharma Treasures whose performance had declined after leaving their original owner's hands.

It was also used in the process of creating a kind of avatar called an External Incarnation. Few things required spiritual attunement as much as an avatar did.

'And just like now, it can be quite useful for the Outer Core Method.'

Completing spiritual attunement in advance would resolve a great many side effects.

Moreover, perhaps because he had acquired the Dragon Heart legitimately through a trade rather than stealing it, he had already formed a slight connection with it even without refining it through the Threefold Harmonization Formula. That was why he could conceal its presence and do other such things.

'If I successfully complete the refinement, it may become as though it had always been my heart.'

Then, despite using the Outer Core Method, he might be able to reach the Core Formation Stage with a foundation as orthodox as the True Core Method. It was truly dreamlike.

Filled with anticipation, he began operating the Threefold Harmonization Formula in earnest.

Since it was his first time properly using the cultivation method, he naturally had many clumsy points. But with transcendent comprehension and the intellect of a Dharma Soul Stage cultivator, there was no chance that he would make a fatal mistake.

Thus, for a long time, as though peacefully asleep, he operated the Threefold Harmonization Formula and attempted to refine the Dragon Heart.

Muyong returned after playing in the pond and wandered around nearby for a while, but she did not disturb her master. She simply tore happily into a small fish she had caught entirely on her own, then rolled around contentedly.

Then, as the sun began to set.

Muyong's ears suddenly perked up as she lay there lazily, and she sprang to her feet. At the same time, Han Yujin frowned, stopped the Threefold Harmonization Formula, and opened his eyes.

“...Muyong, come to me quickly.”

The moment he spoke, concealing the Dragon Heart and placing it in the Storage Pouch.

Riiip!

The art-formula restrictions of the Bewildering Illusion Array he had set up were torn apart. They seemed as fragile as paper.

'Damn...'

When the uninvited guest he had worried about truly appeared, it felt far worse than he had expected.

What was worse, the aura he sensed from it was at least at the Core Formation Stage. No, it was likely in the middle or late Core Formation Stage.

'Well... It must be that strong to catch this scent from so far away.'

He had spent no small amount of time in this primeval forest, yet he had never known such a creature existed. That meant it lived far beyond the range he had explored.

The fact that it had found him despite that proved its capabilities.

Passing through the remnants of the torn restrictions, the creature slowly entered. Overall, it resembled a dark brown bear.

However.

Silver, metallic spikes protruded from all over its body, including its back. Its long tail was likewise covered in vicious, mace-like metallic spikes. Above all, the yellow energy that endlessly rose and crumbled around its body made its ferocity and unusual nature impossible to miss.

It approached very slowly, as though facing a rat trapped in a jar, yet worried that the rat might somehow escape.

'Escaping with the Earth Escape Art would be dangerous against something with energy of the Earth School... Would the Wind Escape Art be better?'

As he considered this while holding Muyong close.

Screeeech...!!

A huge, sharp cry rang out from the sky.

When he looked up, a pteranodon-like monster with parrot-bright colors and two pairs of wings was circling overhead.

'Another flying reptile?'

It reminded him of the battle at Thousand Origin City. Of course, this one seemed to be only at the Core Formation Stage, but it was more dangerous because it was clearly after his Dragon Heart.

Just then.

Perhaps alarmed by the arrival of an unexpected rival, the bear-like creature suddenly accelerated and charged. The instant it seemed to move, it was already right in front of him.

Han Yujin hastily used the Lightning Escape Art. A flash and thunderclap erupted, and his figure reappeared far away.

But around him, countless hard spikes of something between rock and metal shot up, forming a cramped cage.

Grrrr...!!

Then, with a tremendous roar, the bear's forepaw smashed through everything as it came down on him. His hurried attempt to use the Earth Escape Art was helplessly blocked by the power that formed the cage.

In that split second.

Muyong violently struggled free from his arms and blocked the incoming forepaw. She used the Violet-Gold Radiance Art that he had passed on through the Spirit Beast Training Formula to its utmost.

Naturally.

The next moment, she shattered without even being able to scream, scattering a little blood. Han Yujin fared no better. Every one of his defensive measures was crushed, and the world went dark.

In the darkness where all sensation disappeared.

- You have died.

The usual mysterious silver letters appeared.

Han Yujin, somehow whole again, stared at them with an incomparably grim expression.

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