Chapter 58 – Ascending Immortal Tournament

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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 focused only on cultivation, snapped his eyes open.

Crackle…

Stabilizing the lightning that leaked out as he had just broken through the realm, he focused his mind.

【Jin So-myeong】

【Lifespan】: 25 / 210

【Realm】: Foundation Establishment 3rd layer

【Supreme Great Ability】: 1430 / 2000

【Divine Ability】:

【Cultivation Method】

Five Elements Qi Condensation Art (Mastery 5402 / 10000)

Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art (Mastery 15120 / 40000)

Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art (Mastery 81265 / 200000)

【Spell】

Wind Control Art (Mastery 920 / 3000)

River and Cloud Sword Art (Mastery 29680 / 30000)

Immortal-Severing Earth Art (Mastery 1178 / 5000)

Thousand Transformations Art (Beginner 520 / 10000)

Lightning Escape Art (Beginner 4670 / 10000)

The achievements made over three years were not small.

The greatest was…

naturally, that he reached the 3rd layer of Foundation Establishment.

As his realm rose, many things changed. The Supreme Great Ability increasing to two thousand was natural, so there was no need to mention it.

The most joyful point was that his Divine Sense had also grown twice as strong.

‘The basic range is one hundred meters, and if extended in one direction, is the maximum three hundred meters.’

At this level, it was not lacking at all even compared to mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

Also.

Because he invested an immense amount of Supreme Great Ability, his spiritual root aptitude also improved.

By Jin So-myeong’s judgment, he had long escaped from the mixed spiritual root. He was not ashamed to be called mid-grade.

Spiritual power had also become twice as much, based on when he had just achieved Foundation Establishment.

“Mhm.”

Jin So-myeong, who was admiring the status window while caressing his chin, paused.

Because he only practiced, his appearance was a mess. Neatly shaving off his bothersome beard with Sword Qi, he fell into thought.

Although good news did not cease, there was… also a somewhat regrettable point.

‘Too slow.’

To take three years to become Foundation Establishment 3rd layer. Honestly, it was frustrating.

At the current speed, it would take one hundred and twenty years to achieve Core Formation. Even that was based on the case where everything went well without any problems.

Was this an especially slow speed?

If asked that, naturally it was not.

Rather, it was far faster than average. He had accumulated numerous opportunities until now, so it could not be slow.

It was just that the realm called Core Formation was ridiculously high.

An absolute majority of Foundation Establishment cultivators dared not even dream of Core Formation…

Just possessing the possibility of achieving Core Formation made them respected, called the Core Formation Seed.

But one hundred and twenty years?

It meant he could only challenge Core Formation by the time his lifespan was nearing its end.

It was not a satisfying speed for him, who had tasted numerous opportunities during the Qi Condensation stage.

The Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art was also a problem.

Did he look down too much on the Thunder Dao cultivation method famous for being difficult? Indeed, its reputation was well-deserved.

As time went on, cultivation became ridiculously difficult.

It was to the extent that it was hard to obtain even one mastery point without investing the Supreme Great Ability.

To reach the next stage, mastery, he had to raise the mastery by another one hundred and twenty thousand, so it seemed it would take at least five more years.

If it continued like this, that was.

‘…Could there perhaps be a place like the Red Cloud Secret Realm here too.’

At the thought that suddenly arose, Jin So-myeong, who stabilized his realm using the Supreme Great Ability, left his cave dwelling.

With the determination that he would search for opportunities himself if they were lacking.

*

Where should he obtain information?

What Jin So-myeong selected was a rogue cultivator gathering.

It was a gathering introduced by the Magnificent Brocade Pavilion, where he had become a regular while buying medicinal pills, and its purpose was to share difficulties in cultivation and find solutions.

Since it was a gathering of people in similar situations, he chose it with the mind that the difficulties and solutions they faced individually would also be the same.

‘Is it here?’

Going to the location indicated on the invitation, a three-story teahouse was visible.

The moment he entered the teahouse where a “closed for business” sign was erected, as if they had rented the entire shop,

“Oh! You have finally arrived.”

About ten Foundation Establishment practitioners engaged in conversation sitting at a round table were visible. Most were in the early stage of Foundation Establishment, and only one was at the 4th layer, which was the mid-stage.

The mid-stage cultivator who organized the gathering, a middle-aged man called Taoist Huang, approached with a bright smile and stood beside him.

“Everyone. A new fellow daoist has visited our Nebula Association today.”

“Glad to meet you. My surname is Jin, so you can just call me as you please.”

“Mmm. Glad to meet you, Fellow Daoist Jin. I am Seo Ryeong, and this friend beside me is Cheong Mok…”

After exchanging names lightly,

he sat in an empty seat and listened quietly. It was because what he was curious about happened to rise as the subject.

“Sigh. I am worried because my cultivation has slowed down lately, how do people usually resolve it at times like this?”

“Me too! I have already been stuck in the 3rd layer for twenty years. I did not know becoming mid-stage Foundation Establishment would be this difficult.”

Jin So-myeong flinched. To think their realm remained the same for twenty years…

If it were known that he became the 3rd layer in less than five years since achieving Foundation Establishment, he felt he would be cursed out no end.

“Everyone is similar. Lately I am contemplating whether I should obtain and consume a Rank 2 Realm-Breaking Pill.”

“Realm-Breaking Pill? Wouldn’t becoming late Foundation Establishment be even more difficult if you consume that?”

“It cannot be helped. We must contemplate later matters when that time comes. We cannot waste time like this.”

“Indeed…”

Agreeing voices came from here and there, and before long, the conversation died down.

They had grown depressed at the frustrating reality.

Was it because of that? Gazes naturally focused on one place.

Toward Taoist Huang, the person who organized the gathering and the only one who had reached mid-stage Foundation Establishment.

“Ahem. Everyone, do not be too disheartened. Although I am a step ahead for now, we never know the future.”

“Forget about such lip service. How did Taoist Huang break through to the mid-stage?”

At a certain woman’s bold question, the conversation cut off abruptly.

Everyone, including Jin So-myeong, stared at Taoist Huang and anticipated what he would reply.

“This is truly difficult… It is not as if I have some grand secret either.”

“To back out now. You are the one who gathered us, Taoist Huang.”

“Haha.”

Taoist Huang, who had been teasing them as if hesitating, set down his teacup with a clack!

“It cannot be helped. Actually, there are quite a few ways to break through minor realms.”

Gulp.

Along with the sound of someone swallowing, a relaxed voice continued.

“To point out the most famous one, there would be breakthrough during combat . Since ancient times, people with the aptitude of a combat immortal often broke through minor realms during fierce battle. They say a truly talented person even crosses major realms.”

Jin So-myeong, who listened quietly, paused.

‘Was there such a method as well…?’

He was inwardly tempted. It was because combat was the field he was most confident in.

However, the surrounding reactions were not good.

“Taoist Huang. You wouldn’t happen to be trying to get by with such absurd words, would you?”

“Haha. Of course not. We have only just begun, so why are you rushing so much.”

Taoist Huang, who chuckled, continued speaking.

“Breakthrough during combat is honestly no different from a legend, so it is hard, and the Realm-Breaking Pill mentioned earlier would be avoided due to side effects. Therefore, receiving the help of heaven and earth spiritual objects is the most valid.”

“Heaven and earth spiritual objects?”

“Yes. Simply put, it means opportunities are required. Everyone, recall the past. Was achieving Foundation Establishment easy anywhere?”

“…Naturally it was difficult.”

“Since everyone is a rogue cultivator, you must know well. Is there anyone here who reached Foundation Establishment just by cultivating comfortably?”

“Mmm!”

“Of course not! Though we do not speak of it, each of you must have obtained an opportunity. We must not forget that mind!”

Because everyone fell into deep thought and did not open their mouths, the entire teahouse fell silent.

At that time, the woman who had asked boldly said with a sad expression.

“Sigh. I understand what you mean. But is finding opportunities easy anywhere? To risk my life and challenge after having finally achieved Foundation Establishment… it feels too unfair.”

“Haha. Has everyone forgotten about the Ascending Immortal Tournament?”

“Ah!”

“It isn’t dangerous, so it is just right. If you only have decent luck in matchmaking, you will be able to receive quite a decent reward.”

Jin So-myeong, who listened quietly, tightly suppressed a question that almost popped out of his mouth.

He had an intuition that the Ascending Immortal Tournament was highly important, but it was hard to ask.

It was because, judging by the atmosphere, it seemed to be common sense in this Source Light Sea.

‘…So what?’

A thought of “what does it matter” suddenly arose. He would be treated as a suspicious person who did not know something obvious, but that was all.

“Wait a moment. Could you tell me exactly what the Ascending Immortal Tournament is?”

“Huh? Fellow Daoist Jin. Do you by any chance not know what the Ascending Immortal Tournament is?”

“Yes. Could you give me some guidance?”

“Heh. It is not as if you cultivated on some uninhabited island… how can you not know the Ascending Immortal Tournament?”

Gazes poured in as if looking at a strange animal, but he merely smiled.

Being embarrassed for a moment was better than leaving it unknown!

“The Ascending Immortal Tournament is a tournament jointly hosted by the Golden Core Sages of Sky Island. Only Foundation Establishment cultivators under eighty years old can participate, and it can be called a benevolence for talented juniors.”

“What kind of tournament is it?”

“Naturally, it is combat! However, there is no need to worry too much. Thanks to the restriction installed by Senior Hyeon Jin-ja, who is a formation master, if you receive an attack dangerous to your life, you are automatically teleported off the stage.”

“So it is a structure where you receive greater rewards the more you win in the tournament?”

“That is correct. If you only place within the top ten, you can even enter the Soul Washing Land !”

Soul Washing Land.

A trace of greed flashed in everyone’s eyes in an instant.

The land that washes the soul. Inferring from the name, it seemed like a place that improved aptitude or provided great help to cultivation.

‘…That sounds decent?’

However, he was puzzled. It was not as if the Golden Core Sages had nothing to do, so why would they go out of their way to host such a tournament.

Listening to the explanation that followed, he roughly understood.

‘It is because of the war with the demonic beasts.’

In the Source Light Sea, because spiritual veins were unstable, they had to fight demonic beasts ceaselessly. It was an environment where it was hard to survive unless humans helped one another.

The survival competition between species had changed the culture itself. The atmosphere was different from the Damun Kingdom where Azure Elixir City was located.

‘Of course, I cannot let down my guard…’

There were bound to be exceptions everywhere. It made no sense to say there was absolutely no one who exploited juniors here either.

Just as Jin So-myeong was lost in thought, a rogue cultivator smacked his lips and spoke.

“How much time is left in the qualifying period for the Ascending Immortal Tournament?”

“About half a year remains.”

“That is ambiguous. Starting from now, can we collect ten demonic beast inner cores?”

“Ahem! Isn’t it that there is a way.”

“Well, that is true, but…”

Staring intently because he was curious about what they were talking about, the man explained with a startled expression.

“Ah! Fellow Daoist Jin probably does not know. To participate in the Ascending Immortal Tournament, one must collect Rank 2 demonic beast inner cores. One hundred and twenty-eight people are selected in the order of the most collected, and usually collecting about ten allows one to enter the tournament.”

Collecting ten inner cores is the qualifiers…

It was a trickier condition than expected. It was because not all Rank 2 demonic beasts possessed an inner core.

Usually, one had to catch four or five beasts to obtain one inner core.

Explaining this in another way, it meant one had to possess the strength to defeat forty to fifty demonic beasts of the same rank to pass the qualifiers.

At that time.

The rogue cultivator named Cheong Mok, rolling his eyes, tapped the table to draw attention.

“The Ascending Immortal Tournament is something each must prepare on their own. Let us not talk about it further. Rather than that, I recently practiced a spell…”

*

After the gathering finished, Jin So-myeong roamed the market.

He checked about the Ascending Immortal Tournament with the shop owners he was usually close with, and the information found out at the gathering was all true.

It was an opportunity for talented human juniors, or a subjugation order to clear out the demonic beasts around Sky Island.

Since they would fight demonic beasts at the risk of their lives to participate in the tournament, it was in any case a benefit from the standpoint of managing Sky Island.

At any rate.

the Ascending Immortal Tournament was a good opportunity to raise his cultivation speed.

Since his desire to participate grew step by step, he looked into the related rules, and encountered unexpected good news.

‘A Rank 2 mid-grade demonic beast inner core counts as ten?’

If so, Jin So-myeong was already practically passed the qualifiers.

Swish.

He took out an inner core rolling around in his sub-space. It was what he obtained after catching the monkey demonic beast in the White Wood Forest in the past.

‘So this is worth ten.’

Jin So-myeong, who was fiddling with the demonic beast inner core playfully, froze solid.

It was because goosebumps rose at a thought that suddenly came to mind.

‘Could it be… that the opportunity pointed to by the Spiritual Seeking Talisman was the Ascending Immortal Tournament?’

Was it merely a coincidence?

Or was it truly a bizarre connection? Naturally… it was not yet known.