Chapter 44 – Foundation Establishment

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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When Jin So-myeong requested the elixir refining, Cheong Hwa-ran spoke as if it were absurd.

“You are making an elixir refining commission in a secret realm?”

“Who knows when I will meet a precious person like an elixir master again to postpone this. If it is not troublesome, I ask of you.”

“Sigh. Let me at least hear what pill it is.”

With a flick of his wrist.

Simultaneously with her permission, he pulled out a Red Capture Fruit and showed it.

If this fruit was eaten raw, one’s lifespan would increase by five years, but if refined into a pill and consumed, it would increase by ten years.

Since he had met a skilled elixir master, there was no reason to eat it raw.

“I want to make it into a Rank 1 Longevity-Extending Pill, would that be possible?”

“Red Capture Fruit? …What about the other supplementary ingredients?”

“I am sorry, but I do not even know the pill recipe for the Rank 1 Longevity-Extending Pill. If you tell me what is needed, I will do my best to obtain them.”

“To obtain the ingredients… are you suggesting we meet outside the secret realm?”

“Wouldn’t that be better than refining elixirs here?”

As he shrugged his shoulders, she pinched her brow as if having a headache and said.

“Forget it. I have all the supplementary ingredients, so let’s do this instead. Though it depends on the elixir master’s skill, up to three Rank 1 Longevity-Extending Pills can be made with one Red Capture Fruit.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I will refine them now and give the highest quality one to you, Daoist Friend. In exchange, I will keep whatever is left, no matter how many. Do you agree?”

“…Very well.”

In any case, the Longevity-Extending Pill was effective only once.

Since eating multiple would not increase his lifespan further, he could be satisfied with just one of the highest quality.

“But is it fine to refine elixirs here? I think it would be better to leave quickly.”

“Sigh. You really know nothing about elixir refining. It is difficult to succeed unless it is in a quiet environment like this.”

“Hmm…”

Jin So-myeong, narrowing his eyes, examined Cheong Hwa-ran closely. For some reason, she did not seem to want to leave this place.

“It is just as dangerous outside. Since I have restored the array, it will be safer here for the time being.”

Jin So-myeong looked around the Elixir Refining Room.

Although nothing particularly special was seen aside from the jade slip, it felt unpleasant due to the pure white flame that had almost killed him.

“…Understood.”

He agreed after pondering.

Although there was truth in her words, the real reason was his current physical condition.

Since there was a high probability that cultivators would be camping outside, he could not leave like this.

As his realm had risen rapidly, his spiritual Qi was unstable. To use a proper concealment spell, he had to calm his spiritual Qi.

Toss.

As he tossed the Red Capture Fruit, she caught it carefully and admired it.

“The quality is better than I thought. A decent pill should come out.”

“That is a relief. Is there anything I can help with?”

“No. I would like you to stay as far away as possible so that I can concentrate.”

Nodding his head, Jin So-myeong took a few steps back and leaned his back against the wall, when suddenly.

Cheong Hwa-ran, who pulled out about a dozen flags, waved her hand. A milky-white barrier appeared around her.

‘An array?’

It seemed she had set up defenses out of vigilance against him, but he did not mind.

‘It doesn’t matter as long as the result is good.’

He quietly closed his eyes and meditated. He managed the spiritual Qi that had become unstable after breaking through the realm.

Afterward, while waiting for the elixir refining to finish, he explored the Divine Sense he had recently awakened.

Divine Sense was similar to yet different from the five senses.

‘It is far superior.’

The range was a five-meter radius. Within this, he could notice without missing even a single ant.

‘I can’t see well into the ground. Perhaps due to the many obstacles, I can only see about a meter.’

Other than that, there were no particular drawbacks.

Even a single speck of dust accumulated on the floor was clearly felt, and Cheong Hwa-ran, who was refining elixirs with a cautious expression beyond the translucent array, was also visible.

‘I see why the Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivators are so strong.’

He realized the reason why even a hundred Qi Condensation cultivators gathered could not defeat Foundation Establishment.

Since they possessed such a sensation, there was no way they would be weak.

One of the most important things in combat is seeing the opponent.

Divine Sense could observe all 360-degree directions simultaneously. Since there were no blind spots like with normal vision, the probability of being ambushed was also low.

It was on a different level from Qi Condensation cultivators who were done for the moment their sensory blind spots were pierced.

Moreover.

The detection shape of Divine Sense could be changed freely.

Ordinarily, it detected surroundings in a spherical form, but if he wished, he could stretch it long in one direction.

‘Is the maximum distance about fifteen meters?’

When he tried to search beyond that, he felt a needle-pricking headache and stopped.

Just as he was testing his Divine Sense like playing with a newly acquired toy.

A change was detected from Cheong Hwa-ran’s side.

Three pills came out of the cauldron-shaped elixir refining furnace.

Two were somewhat ordinary, and one, with faint spiritual Qi shimmering, was different from its very appearance.

‘Is it finished?’

Cheong Hwa-ran, who was examining the three Longevity-Extending Pills, let out a sigh with a relieved expression.

After hesitating for a moment, she put the two, excluding the best one, into her chest and waved her hand.

“It is all done.”

The array protecting her was lifted. He carefully accepted the pill offered by her, who looked somewhat tired.

‘Unexpected. To think she actually gave me the best one.’

As he gripped the red pill created by melting the Red Capture Fruit, an intense vital energy was felt.

Staring as if possessed at the secret medicine that increased lifespan, he paused.

Despite it being his first time seeing a Longevity-Extending Pill, he could tell that this pill was not ordinary.

“Mid-grade…? No, could it be high-grade?”

“Yes. The medicinal efficacy of the Red Capture Fruit you gave was stronger than expected. If you consume it, your lifespan will increase by about thirteen years.”

“Oh!”

A smile came out naturally at the joyful news.

Carefully storing the Rank 1 high-grade Longevity-Extending Pill in the sub-space, he thanked her first.

“Thank you for your hard work. Your elixir refining skill is truly outstanding, Daoist Friend.”

“Flattery is unnecessary. Now it seems our business is finished… if you leave first, I will go separately.”

He pondered for a moment at her gesturing as if showing the guest the door.

Cheong Hwa-ran’s elixir refining skill was much better than expected. With this kind of talent, he might receive help from her again later.

Although there were a few points that bothered him, in any case, there was no harm in being on friendly terms.

Having finished his thoughts, he opened his mouth.

“An old Foundation Establishment monster of the Red Yang Sect is targeting you. He found it detestable that you reached the 9th layer of Qi Condensation.”

“What?”

“I hope we can see each other again next time.”

Cheong Hwa-ran’s brow narrowed.

As she parted her lips as if wanting to ask something, she let out a sigh.

“…Thank you.”

Nodding his head, Jin So-myeong left the Elixir Refining Room just like that.

While walking down the hallway along the single path, at that moment.

An bizarre sensation, experienced for the first time in his life, was felt at the edge of his Divine Sense.

A feeling as if his clear field of vision was warping.

The Divine Sense that was monitoring the front beyond the hallway was bounced back by something.

“…!”

Jin So-myeong’s eyes widened.

He realized by instinct, not by experience, what the entity that had just interfered with his Divine Sense was.

‘Foundation Establishment!’

A collision between Divine Senses.

Whether he liked it or not, he could not help but know what the entity approaching from the end of the long hallway was.

Startled, he pulled out a bundle of talismans from the sub-space.

Scattering them in the hallway as if setting traps, he turned back and ran immediately.

Bang!

As he opened the door of the Elixir Refining Room roughly and entered, Cheong Hwa-ran, who was lingering near the wall, was taken aback.

“W-What is this all of a sudden!”

“Foundation Establishment! An old Foundation Establishment monster is coming!”

“What?”

“There is no time for this! You know something about this place, don’t you? Is there no way out to another place?”

She bit her lip at the urgent question.

After a brief hesitation, she began to poke here and there on the wall.

How many seconds had passed?

Boom! Bang!!

A chilling sound was heard from behind. The talismans set as traps had activated and exploded.

However, there was no way that a mere assortment of talismans could stop Foundation Establishment.

Just as an unusual energy approached right before them.

Whir!

The wall split apart, and a path formed. It was a sophisticated mechanism that could not be detected even with Jin So-myeong’s Divine Sense.

After entering the passage together with Cheong Hwa-ran, she manipulated the wall, and the entrance closed again.

How long did they run, leaving a faint sense of relief behind?

Their dark field of vision cleared up brightly.

Although he was bewildered by the sudden appearance of a peaceful hill, he quickly examined his surroundings.

The pure white clouds he saw after a long time felt unfamiliar. Because the clouds in the Red Cloud Secret Realm were red, he wondered if it could be.

“Is this outside the secret realm?”

“No. It is still the deepest part, and I do not know well from here on either.”

As if she was not lying, her steps slowed down dramatically. Frowning, she seemed not to know where to go.

Jin So-myeong raised his Divine Sense.

Stretching it as long as possible, he scanned all directions. It was to find out where the exit was.

‘…Nourishing Jade Essence Flower?’

The result of searching with Divine Sense was surprising. Looking now, this hill was a field of spiritual herbs.

Unknown medicinal herbs were scattered everywhere, and even three to four Foundation Establishment spiritual objects were visible.

Just as he paused at the greed that rose naturally.

Boom!!

He came to his senses at the intense explosion.

Treasures were only useful when one was alive.

He did not know why the old Foundation Establishment monster had entered the secret realm even risking his life, but if he left these spiritual objects behind, it would delay the monster in chasing him.

“Let’s go over there.”

He ran without hesitation towards the most suspicious place found with his Divine Sense.

The moment they passed between two wooden pillars.

Flash!

Along with a slight feeling of nausea, the surrounding scenery changed drastically.

At the heat that felt welcome for some reason, he looked at the sky and saw the clouds were red. It was certain they had come out to the deepest part of the secret realm.

“Let’s go separately from now on.”

“Fine.”

Simultaneously with her turning into smoke and disappearing, Jin So-myeong also kicked off the ground with all his might.

How long had he fled?

By the time even his strong physical body complained of fatigue.

Jin So-myeong closed his eyes tightly.

‘Hah.’

A hollow laugh escaped him in absurdity.

It was because of the old Foundation Establishment monster drawing closer little by little from behind.

‘Why me?’

Suddenly, a sense of grievance welled up.

To be hit with the one-in-two probability between the two of them.

“…Hoo.”

He shook off all kinds of distracting thoughts floating in his head with a single breath. With cold reason, he focused only on the battle.

Using Divine Sense, he rapidly scanned the surrounding terrain and objects.

If it could not be avoided, he had to face and fight.

To raise his chances of winning even slightly, he chose an advantageous battlefield and threw his body.

Just as he landed near a volcano spewing poison-mixed ash, at that moment.

Landing right after.

The man in black who followed him leisurely held his hands behind his back and admired the surroundings.

“Is this the grave you have chosen?”

“…”

Jin So-myeong observed the Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator in detail.

Although he did not know what his actual age was, he looked to be in his late thirties on the outside.

Suddenly, a disgusting smell of blood pricked the tip of his nose.

Just how many living creatures had he killed throughout his life…

It was more virulent than the acrid smell of the volcano.

Just as he was observing the opponent.

Because the Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator also scanned him, their gazes clashed.

His turbid pupils were filled only with blatant murderous intent.

Seeing that, Jin So-myeong had an intuitive feeling. That no matter how he pleaded, the other would not let him go.

“Senior. Let me ask just one thing. Why did you chase me? There must have been many useful spiritual herbs there.”

“Laughable. Do you ask that of me? Feigning ignorance when you have smeared my disciple’s resentment thickly onto your soul!”

“Ah! So that was it!”

Clapping his forehead as if only now realizing, Jin So-myeong let out a sigh.

“Hah! Seeing Senior’s black robes, I know who you are. If I had known that weakling was Senior’s disciple, I would not have killed him.”

“…What did you say?”

“I am truly sorry. No, actually, that fellow died on his own. I didn’t kill him either… haven’t you come to the wrong person?”

“How dare you! A mere Qi Condensation cultivator behaving in such a manner before me! Are you crazy to die!”

“Well… it is still unknown who will die.”

Standing insolently with his weight shifted to one leg, he laughed at him openly.

Did he have to show courtesy to an opponent who wanted to kill him?

Not at all!

Since they would kill and be killed while exposing everything to the bottom anyway, there was no need for that.

“Old man. You seem to have forgotten, but this is a secret realm.”

“Huh?”

Discarding his casual posture and gripping the hilt of his sword, Jin So-myeong glared at the opponent.

“Whether you or I, we are ultimately just at the Qi Condensation stage.”