Chapter 42 – Fortuitous Opportunity?

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Jin So-myeong, who was heading towards the deepest part of the Red Cloud Secret Realm, stopped his steps.

It was because of the sea of lava spread before his eyes—no, a massive river where lava flowed.

There were several ways to go to the deepest part, but crossing this lava was the fastest.

However, it was not easy.

It was a natural barrier that could be called a sea of fire. It was to the point of being overwhelmed by the feast of red light extending beyond the horizon.

Suddenly, he felt a headache like being pricked by needles.

‘It is poison.’

Ash-colored smoke was rising incessantly from the lava harboring intense heat.

Since it was according to the information on the map, he was not surprised.

After observing the lava from a distance, he made a decision.

‘It is worth crossing.’

He scanned the sub-space. He pulled out the antidote he had prepared in case he got poisoned.

Gulp!

The moment he tossed the pill into his mouth, a refreshing feeling spread from his stomach.

The throbbing headache vanished as if washed away.

‘The effect is good.’

Inwardly admiring it, Jin So-myeong pulled out his flying sword and mounted it. Glaring at the ash-colored smoke emitted by the lava, he steeled his heart.

To prepare against a potential ambush, he even activated the Green Bamboo Dharma Robe.

Swish!

Flying for a long while while keeping guard over his surroundings.

As he flew through the acrid smoke, he could not even see a meter ahead properly.

Despite having taken the antidote, his head ached due to the permeating toxic Qi.

Fwoosh!

He operated the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art to rouse his blood energy. Burning away the toxic Qi, he continued to advance.

Anxiety welled up as his spiritual Qi was consumed rapidly, but he flew silently.

By the time about half of his spiritual Qi remained.

‘Ah!’

Suddenly, his field of vision cleared up. Before he knew it, he had arrived at the deepest part of the secret realm.

Crossing the lava river and landing on solid ground, Jin So-myeong let out a sigh of relief.

Looking around, he did not see anything particularly special, but the temperature was different.

It was much hotter here.

Fitting for a place surrounded by lava, it was sweltering.

‘First, let’s recover spiritual Qi.’

He quickly looked for a safe place first, but his steps repeatedly stopped as he moved diligently.

This was because the surroundings were a heaven of spiritual herbs. All sorts of spiritual herbs he had only heard of were scattered about.

He forced his eyes away from the land filled with treasures.

This was because recovering his spiritual Qi to return to a perfect state was far more important.

Slide.

He sat cross-legged in a crevice of a rock that was perfect for hiding and gripped spirit stones in his hands.

Crackle!

About a dozen spirit stones turned to dust, and his dantian returned to its peak condition.

“Hoo…”

Exhaling the turbid Qi, Jin So-myeong sprang up.

Heading straight towards the target treasure vault, he gathered spiritual herbs as much as possible as long as it did not consume too much time.

By the time the sub-space, which had become wider than an ordinary room after absorbing the storage pouches, was filled with all kinds of spiritual herbs.

He was able to arrive in front of a grand gate so large that his neck ached when looking up.

Looking at the structure soaring high into the sky, the word ‘skyscraper’ came to his mind.

The arched pillars densely engraved with thousands of talismanic characters were a spectacular sight.

It was an entrance leading to a place that anyone could see was important.

‘No one is here.’

It was no coincidence that there was not a single person at such a conspicuous building.

An entrance was only an entrance to those qualified; to unauthorized intruders, it was merely a solid barrier.

At least from what Jin So-myeong had heard, not a single person had breached this place.

Countless people had tried, but all failed. This place was far more difficult to pierce than the ice wall.

‘Let’s see…’

Narrowing his eyes, he focused his senses.

This was because he had to judge whether he could break through the array blocking the main gate.

Clank.

While elevating his spirit while tightly gripping the Limitless Divine Sword, his eyes flew open.

‘It is possible.’

If he used the River and Cloud Sword Qi, which was specialized in twisting and digging into flows, and the Supreme Great Ability simultaneously, he felt he could break the array.

However, it was difficult to judge how many golden spheres would be consumed.

This was because he did not know how powerful the Rank 1 Restriction-Breaking Talisman’s might would be.

‘Still, it is worth a try.’

Suppressing his desire to enter immediately, he pondered carefully once more.

What benefits and dangers would lie in this place that no one had entered.

Jin So-myeong, who was pressing his brow, gave a bitter smile.

‘Since there is no information, it is no different from a gamble.’

Standing still for a moment, he slowly looked up at the sky, and finally pulled out the talisman.

He had decided to try breaking through the main gate.

‘I hope there are no great dangers.’

Having come all this way, he could not give up without even trying.

Fwoosh!

The burning Restriction-Breaking Talisman emitted thick spiritual Qi.

It condensed in midair like a sharp awl, humming as if about to explode at any moment.

“Go!”

Simultaneously with the command, the energy of the Restriction-Breaking Talisman rushed towards the array like a battering ram.

Shring.

The Limitless Divine Sword, drawn smoothly, reflected the light.

The moment Sword Qi rose on the dazzlingly sharp blade.

Buzz!

A golden energy mixed into the sword. He had combined the sharp energy created by melting the Supreme Great Ability with the Sword Qi.

At the moment his concentration reached its peak.

Boom!

The Restriction-Breaking Talisman, which collided with a roaring sound, created a microscopic crack, and he stabbed that exact spot.

Crack!

The moment the Limitless Divine Sword touched the array, the fine crack began to expand in the shape of a spider web.

Just as the forcibly widened gap reached its limit.

Thump!

Along with a heavy vibration, a portion of the array collapsed.

‘It worked!’

Jin So-myeong, who had turned pale from pouring out all his strength in an instant, shone his eyes.

A hole large enough for a person to pass through had formed!

Although it was being slowly repaired by the array, it was sufficient to enter.

‘Did about thirty charges of the Supreme Great Ability get consumed?’

Just as he let out a sigh of relief.

Swoosh!

High-density spiritual Qi spewed out through the hole that had just formed and soared into the sky.

It was so fast that there was no time to even react.

Piercing even the red clouds, the energy that soared high into the sky turned into an intense light.

It became a brilliant pillar of light illuminating all directions, catching his gaze.

“…Hah.”

Jin So-myeong’s mouth fell wide open. After going through the trouble of piercing the entrance, what on earth was this?

If it was a light this intense, it would be visible no matter where one was in the secret realm.

It was obvious that countless cultivators who saw the pillar of light would flock here at any moment.

‘I must hurry.’

An unexpected situation had occurred, but what he had to do was clear.

Looting the treasure vault as quickly as possible and slipping away.

‘Wait. Rather than just entering…’

Jin So-myeong pulled out talismans.

After thinking for a moment, he activated Voice Transmission Talismans and commanded Beom Chang.

– Go right now to the place where the pillar of light shot up. I do not know what treasures might be there, so obstruct others from approaching until I arrive.

Whoosh!

Watching the Voice Transmission Talismans flying across the sky, he nodded.

‘It should at least buy some time.’

Using as many as five Voice Transmission Talismans to ensure the command was clearly delivered, he kicked off the ground.

Clang!

With his sword drawn to prepare for potential dangers, he entered the interior.

And he was surprised by the landscape, which was calmer than expected.

Inside the main gate was a long hallway, which was clean without a single speck of dust.

‘…It is quiet.’

After keeping guard for a moment, Jin So-myeong took a step.

Because of the pillar of light, there was not much time.

Since he did not know who would come when, he advanced without stopping.

How long did he walk along the endless single path?

He was able to arrive at a small room labeled ‘Elixir Refining Room’.

‘Hoo! Should I open this door, or not?’

He sharpened his senses, but he did not feel any threat.

However, he also could not know what lay beyond the door.

Jin So-myeong, who was hesitating, grit his teeth.

He had even used a Restriction-Breaking Talisman, yet he had obtained nothing. It was too regrettable to give up and turn back.

To obtain anything further, he had to take risks.

Clank!

The moment Jin So-myeong steeled his mind and entered the Elixir Refining Room.

An intense vital energy struck him.

At the primal energy of life, which he was feeling for the first time in his life, even his pupils grew hazy.

Thump…! Thump…!

A massive heartbeat fluctuating like a steam engine was heard. He could not tell whose heart this was.

‘Is it my heart…? It doesn’t seem like—’

His thoughts fractured.

The clear reason he possessed went limp at some point, and his body was not controlled either.

‘A t-trap?’

His head did not roll, as if rusted. Even making a simple judgment was as difficult as if he would vomit.

Just step by step.

As if possessed, he had no choice but to walk towards the center of the Elixir Refining Room.

‘Ah.’

His eyes, which had turned of their own accord, fixed onto a spot. All his focus was drawn to a brazier in the center of the Elixir Refining Room.

In the small brazier was a pure white flame the size of a candle, burning by itself without any fuel.

Because the primordial fire, said to burn eternally, came to his mind…

He wanted it like crazy.

‘If only I have that!’

Inexplicable greed boiled up. Just as the desire corroding his reason filled his head.

Buzz!

A sharp sword cry shook his mind. Gripping his sword out of habit, Jin So-myeong was startled.

“What!”

He got goosebumps at the bizarre experience, the first of its kind in his life. The feeling of losing control over himself was truly terrible.

Yet what was absurd was that even at this very moment, he wanted that flame to the point of going crazy.

“Ugh.”

He wanted to bite the tip of his tongue to cause pain, but even that was impossible.

Thud, thud.

His body, moving creakily, continued to approach the flame. It felt as if he had become a puppet tied to strings.

Is someone controlling me?

He could not tell.

He could only tell instinctively that the life force condensed in that pure white flame was something incredibly precious.

To the extent that he wanted it like crazy even when the situation had reached this point!

‘No!’

He thought his reason had returned upon holding his sword, but it was an illusion. His body still did not obey control.

His body, which advanced without stopping for even a moment, grabbed the flame.

Fwoosh!

The world burned.

“Aaargh!”

The flames that spread in an instant permeated into his body.

How long did the burning pain that turned his mind blank last?

The turbid Qi and all kinds of impurities accumulated throughout his life… all of it turned to ash and vanished, leaving only a pure body.

He realized instinctively.

That his body now was different from before. Literally, it had become superior in every aspect.

It was not incorrect to describe it as having evolved at an essential level.

Shedding the Mortal Frame?

His joy at the word that suddenly flashed through his mind was brief.

The dense life force contained in the flame did not stop.

It surged in incessantly like waves. Even though Jin So-myeong was already at his limit, it kept pouring in!

So pure that it was rather violent.

The essence of life filled his body again and again!

“Ghargh.”

A sense of crisis surged. Not as a simple metaphor, but his body truly felt as if it would explode.

He thought desperately with his head suppressed by the mysterious energy.

No matter how much vital energy it was, an excess was poison.

He had to resolve this overflowing vital energy to survive!

Grit his teeth, he forced his trembling body to move. Barely sitting cross-legged, he circulated the Five Elements Qi Condensation Art.

Humming!

Spiritual Qi, which whirled like a typhoon, was absorbed incessantly and mixed with the vital energy rising from the flame.

How many times did his filled dantian repeat its expansion?

Boom!

The wall blocking Jin So-myeong broke. Breaking through the wall called the minor boundary, he had become a 7th layer Qi Condensation cultivator.

‘Ah.’

He perceived. That his Supreme Great Ability had doubled to 160.

At the same time as stabilizing his realm by pouring out golden spheres unsparingly.

Humming!

He mixed the continuously pouring vital energy with spiritual Qi.

Just as he surpassed even the wall of the 7th layer and reached the 8th layer.

“Cough!”

Blood spilled from the corner of Jin So-myeong’s mouth.

Although his cultivation realm was constantly rising, instead of being happy, he felt chilled.

‘No! This is impossible!’

If it continued like this, his body would truly explode, and he would die!

The vital energy harbored by the flame was on a different level.

Just how much condensed life force there was, it felt like a tsunami was pouring down.

It was absolutely impossible with the Five Elements Qi Condensation Art. He needed another way to consume the massive vital energy!

At that moment.

The spiritual Qi that had slipped out of control ran rampant. Raging along with the vital energy, it destroyed his body.

‘Destruction?’

He focused his mind on the word that suddenly came to him. Instead of the Five Elements Qi Condensation Art, he switched his cultivation method to the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art.

The Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art was a cultivation method that trained the body by repeating destruction and regeneration.

If it was this body tempering cultivation method that consumed massive resources, it might be able to handle the flame’s vital energy…

Crunch!

He focused, forgetting even the passage of time.

After repeating hundreds of tempering cycles amidst the pain.

Starting with the lungs, then the kidneys and the liver.

He evolved all of the five viscera except the heart into spiritual Qi organs.

‘I succeeded!’

While he was at it, he wanted to open even his heart, but he could not do so.

The heart corresponded to Fire among the Five Elements.

Because he did not possess a Fire Spiritual Root, he had to go through a complex procedure to open his heart.

The moment he transformed the four organs into spiritual Qi organs.

Thump!

A condensed colossal strength whirled from deep within his body. Hot blood energy surged as if exploding.

He felt that if he threw a punch, he could even pierce the sky!

His ecstatic joy was brief.

Jin So-myeong’s complexion turned white.

This was because he realized that the life force condensed in the flame had still not ended.

Even though he had consumed such a large amount, instead of decreasing, it only grew exponentially.

‘This is crazy.’

The thought that it was a trap filled his head.

From the beginning, this vital energy was not something that could be handled at the Qi Condensation level.

He did not know who had created the Red Cloud Secret Realm, but they had absolutely not left this flame for Qi Condensation cultivators.

‘I shouldn’t have entered in the first place…’

Just as weak thoughts were seeping in.

Jin So-myeong, with wide-open eyes, shouted.

“No!”

Cultivation was an act of defying heaven.

Numerous difficulties would confront him in the future as well, so he could not give up over just this much.

His body began to swell like a balloon due to the excessive energy, but he forced himself to pay no mind.

Shaking off the energy hindering his thoughts, he pondered a solution.

‘Vital energy! How must I consume the vital energy…?’

At that instant.

Sensing something, Jin So-myeong flinched. He focused his mind immediately, and a translucent hologram appeared before his eyes.

【Jin So-myeong】

【Lifespan】: 18 / 70

【Realm】: Qi Condensation 8th Layer

【Supreme Great Ability】: 39 / 190

【Divine Ability】:

As he became an 8th layer Qi Condensation cultivator, his Supreme Great Ability spheres increased to 190.

Ordinarily, he would have been extremely happy, but it was not important right now.

What was noteworthy at this moment was his lifespan.

’70 years! My limit lifespan was definitely 67 years, but it has increased!’

The reason was clear.

It was due to the vital energy dense enough to drive a person to death.

Because it was an essence of life capable of killing even a body refiner simply by pouring it in, it was practically lifespan.

‘Supreme Great Ability! I must consume this vital energy to make a wish.’

Strong enough to consume all the endlessly pouring energy.

He had to make such a wish!