Chapter 6 – Learning Spells

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Entering the Library Pavilion, Jin So-myeong controlled his expression.

As confidently as possible, he approached a goat-bearded old man who was cleaning with a duster.

“Shopkeeper. I would like to buy a spell, so may I ask you a few questions?”

“Hmm…? Of course! Our Library Pavilion possesses not only spells but also many cultivation methods. What are you curious about, guest?”

Fortunately, the old man was very kind.

He acted as if he could not see his worn-out, shabby clothes. It reminded him of the service spirit of his past life on Earth, bringing a wave of emotion.

Jin So-myeong, whose expression brightened, immediately brought up his business.

“I heard that an early Qi Condensation stage cultivator must use a Breath Concealing Talisman to enter Mount Red Yang.”

“That is correct. You have excellent insight, guest.”

“Then, by any chance, is there also a concealment spell that can replace the Breath Concealing Talisman?”

“Of course there is. It is called the Breath Concealing Art , and it is one of the five essential spells for Qi Condensation stage cultivators. The price is twenty spirit stones.”

“…”

Twenty spirit stones, not even spirit stone fragments. He unconsciously gulped at the exorbitantly expensive price.

If it were his income from his mortal days, it was a fortune that he could only gather by climbing Mount Red Yang for sixty years.

When he was lost for words, the shopkeeper wore a gentle smile.

“Guest. The Breath Concealing Art is very popular. Since the demand is high, the price naturally has no choice but to be somewhat high.”

The old man was still kind, but it struck him in a different sense.

He held back the groan that was about to slip out. In fact, since he did not have a single penny anyway, it did not matter whether it was expensive or not.

He spoke with a calm expression.

“Then… could I perhaps take a look at it? I have heard that there are many fakes among the spells circulating in the market.”

“Hoho. Untrustworthy rogue cultivators often irresponsibly sell roughly copied fakes. However, our Library Pavilion is different. We only handle genuine goods with not a single character missing. Here! Take a look yourself.”

He opened the book that the goat-bearded old man proudly handed over. He quickly scanned the beginning as if inspecting its quality.

‘Breath Concealing Art. As the most basic concealment technique, its principle is to close the pores to lock the naturally leaking spiritual Qi inside the body. Upon grand completion, it works not only against late Qi Condensation stage cultivators but also against sensitive Rank 1 demonic beasts.’

Jin So-myeong’s eyes moved rapidly. He raised his concentration to its maximum.

He desperately memorized the core principle.

He then turned the pages and memorized even the core mnemonics, which made his breath hitch.

‘What on earth does this mean?’

The principle of the spell was logical and relatively easy to understand. However, when it came to learning the concrete method of execution, he felt as if he had run into a massive wall.

No matter how much he examined the mnemonics containing the method of manipulating spiritual Qi, it did not resonate with him.

It felt like reading an alien language.

‘…It’s fine. Let’s focus on memorizing it as much as possible.’

His eyes moved rapidly. Fortunately, as his memory had improved upon becoming a Qi Condensation stage cultivator, he barely managed to succeed.

‘Whew.’

Before he knew it, about two minutes had passed, and he closed the book with a sense of regret.

After all, since the shopkeeper was monitoring him from the side, he could not examine all of it.

This was because as the time spent flipping through the book grew longer, the shopkeeper’s expression gradually turned sour.

‘It’s fine. This is enough.’

Fortunately, he gained the confidence that he could perform the Breath Concealing Art using the Supreme Great Ability.

It would become more certain once he went out of the Library Pavilion and experimented with it.

Since he had achieved his goal, he could stop here, but he felt a little unsatiated.

He complimented the goat-bearded old man.

“As expected! The Library Pavilion is not famous for nothing. It is clean without any missing characters. By any chance, is there also a spell that can manipulate water?”

“I recommend the Cloud and Rain Summoning Art . It is a Rank 1 low-grade water-attribute spell, which can condense water Qi in the air to form clouds and mist to make it rain, and upon grand completion, one can even ride the clouds and fly in the sky. The price is ten spirit stones.”

The Cloud and Rain Summoning Art!

He coveted it as soon as he heard it. If he could control water Qi, he would naturally be able to manipulate dew containing spiritual Qi as well.

If he only learned the Cloud and Rain Summoning Art, it would be extremely convenient when gathering dew on Mount Red Yang.

Gathering all of the hundreds of drops of dew covering the Dew Tree was not a dream either.

“May I take a look at it?”

“…Of course.”

He hurriedly opened the book.

‘When initiating, having water imbued with spiritual Qi helps. If one fills a vessel with spiritual water and succeeds in distinguishing the water Qi among the Qi of the Five Elements…’

He skipped the preface and turned the page.

He raised his concentration to the limit. He quickly turned the pages, grasping the principles of the spell first.

Just when he succeeded in memorizing even the core mnemonics.

Thud!

The liver-spotted old man’s palm covered the page.

“Guest? I am sorry, but you must purchase the spell if you wish to read further.”

The old man’s eyes narrowed. He seemed to know what the cold gaze suspected.

Before the atmosphere could turn sour for no reason, he confessed honestly.

“I apologize. Actually, the spirit stones I possess are a bit insufficient. However! I have some spirit stones coming in soon. I came to look into the spells I will purchase then.”

The old man’s expression, which had turned ice-cold, grew gentler as he listened.

“Hmm. I see. However, guest, looking at books without purchasing them can cause misunderstandings, so please be careful in the future.”

“Yes. I will return once I obtain spirit stones in the near future.”

Leaving the Library Pavilion as if half-kicked out, Jin So-myeong let out a sigh of relief.

The Breath Concealing Art and the Cloud and Rain Summoning Art.

He had figured out the principles of the two spells required to gather dew on Mount Red Yang.

‘I succeeded.’

Normally, it was naturally impossible to master a spell in such a short amount of time.

It was the same even for a heaven-sent genius.

However, he was not trying to master the spells. He only wanted to reduce the consumption of the Supreme Great Ability when it mimicked the spells.

‘Shall I experiment?’

He inwardly chanted the core mnemonics of the Breath Concealing Art he had just figured out.

He focused his mind to lock the spiritual Qi inside his body and controlled his breathing. Then, consuming the Supreme Great Ability, he made a wish.

Crackle!

The moment one golden bead turned into powder and disappeared.

A mysterious ripple swept through his entire body. It wandered through his four limbs and a hundred bones, permeating the spiritual Qi accumulated in his dantian.

‘Hmm…?’

It was a strange sensation.

Spiritual Qi was the origin of a cultivator.

Even a tiny amount of spiritual Qi exerted a thousand catties of force. Naturally, spiritual Qi possessed an immense presence like a volcano, but at this moment, the spiritual Qi in his dantian turned tranquil.

As if it had disappeared.

‘This is amazing.’

Even when focusing his senses, nothing could be felt. It felt as if he had returned to his mortal days.

Whoosh!

When he swung his fist as a test, he felt a vast power.

‘Oh?’

The spiritual Qi had not disappeared.

It was merely hidden by the mysterious ripple, and he could use the spiritual Qi at any time if he wished.

However, there was a problem.

If he used spiritual Qi in the middle of the Breath Concealing Art, the consumption of the Supreme Great Ability would increase rapidly.

To maintain the concealment state, he could not use spells, let alone spiritual Qi.

Swish, swish!

Moving this way and that in admiration, Jin So-myeong stepped out onto the street.

He stood and loitered in front of a stall run by a Qi Condensation stage cultivator. He even waved his hand in front of the other person’s eyes, but there was no response.

‘It is more effective than I thought.’

It felt as if he had become an invisible man.

He experimented on several people just in case, but the result was the same. None of the Qi Condensation stage cultivators noticed.

How long had he walked around?

The Breath Concealing Art deactivated, and the presence of his spiritual Qi returned.

‘Is the duration of one bead one hour? Except for the high consumption of the Supreme Great Ability, it is perfect.’

He was very satisfied. It seemed much more powerful than the ordinary Breath Concealing Art.

The next turn was the Cloud and Rain Summoning Art.

He returned home to start the experiment to avoid drawing attention.

Hum!

According to the principles of the Cloud and Rain Summoning Art, he used a clumsy spell, and the Supreme Great Ability filled in the lacking parts.

The moment the spiritual Qi in his dantian decreased rapidly, the spell, which normally would not have even activated, succeeded.

Trickle!

Clear water droplets began to fill the empty jar.

By the time nearly half of his spiritual Qi was consumed, he was able to fill a jar as large as a torso.

“Whew!”

He felt a sense of exhaustion from using too much spiritual Qi in a short period, but the result was splendid.

Although the consumption of spiritual Qi was large, the Supreme Great Ability was barely consumed.

‘Fortunately.’

Since the Supreme Great Ability was a precious energy, he had to save it if he could.

Catching his breath, he stretched out his hand again.

Buzz!

The spiritual Qi drained out like an ebbing tide, and the water contained in the vessel floated into the air.

After several experiments, he succeeded in discovering the characteristics of the Cloud and Rain Summoning Art.

‘Manipulating water that already exists is much easier than condensing water Qi in the air.’

The good news brought a smile to his face.

What he wanted was to gather dew on Mount Red Yang. Naturally, he could not help but welcome such a characteristic.

Having finished his experiments, Jin So-myeong closed his eyes and circulated the Five Elements Qi Condensation Art.

He intended to recover his spiritual Qi and practice the Cloud and Rain Summoning Art and the Breath Concealing Art again.

Even if they were spells whose principles he had only roughly learned, a spell was still a spell.

He had to make an effort, as his consumption of spiritual Qi and Supreme Great Ability would decrease as his proficiency grew.

*

A week later.

Waking up at dawn, Jin So-myeong headed toward Mount Red Yang.

Since he had completed thorough preparations, there was no hesitation. He was full of confidence as he had become somewhat familiar with the Breath Concealing Art and the Cloud and Rain Summoning Art.

Crack!

Consuming the Supreme Great Ability, he performed the Breath Concealing Art. He took steps without hesitation along the familiar path.

‘Oh?’

A short while after climbing Mount Red Yang, his mood naturally improved.

The difference was clearly felt now that he had become a Qi Condensation stage cultivator. The arduous mountain hike was incredibly easy.

Even the terrain so rugged that one could lose their life if careless was traversed as freely as if walking on flat ground.

No matter how long he walked, he did not tire, and his breathing remained calm.

Just as he was enjoying the feeling of the surrounding scenery flashing by.

‘Have I arrived already?’

He arrived beneath the giant tree he had named the Dew Tree. It was twice as fast compared to his mortal days.

Indeed.

He could not help but admire it. Despite becoming a Qi Condensation stage cultivator, the Dew Tree was still grand.

No, as his vision had changed, it looked even more amazing instead.

An ecstatically thick spiritual Qi drifted from the entire tree, to the point that he almost approached it as if possessed.

Also.

He felt the presence of numerous venomous insects crawling among the lush branches.

Tension welled up from the buzzing sound of wings and the rustling noise of something gnawing.

Slide.

He carefully approached, making sure not to make any footsteps.

Stopping about five steps away, he habitually surveyed the surroundings.

After confirming no one was around, he focused his mind and drew up the Supreme Great Ability.

Swoosh!

Hundreds of dew droplets covering the tree poured down in parabolas.

Like rain, they were sucked into the gourd flask in spirals.

It was simultaneous with the crumbling of one Supreme Great Ability bead.

‘I succeeded!’

It was a tremendous harvest.

The special gourd flask, which could hold one hundred catties of water, grew heavy. With this amount, it would far exceed the value of one spirit stone.

His ecstatic joy was brief.

Buzz!

Goosebumps rose at the sharp sound of wings. All sorts of venomous insects sleeping in the Dew Tree woke up all at once.

There were so many that they could not be counted.

Buzz, buzz, buzz!

The menacing sound was like a biting wind.

As if a beehive had been disturbed, all kinds of insects flew around frantically and swept in all directions to find the enemy who had stolen the dew.

‘Gasp!’

He backed away as if bouncing off from an instinctive sense of crisis. He did his best to maintain the Breath Concealing Art and lowered his posture.

Boom!

Instantly, a nearby rock shattered to pieces. As if a bomb had exploded, nothing remained where the swarm of insects had swept past.

Everything within a three-meter radius centered on the tree turned to dust.

‘Crazy!’

The consumption of the Supreme Great Ability to maintain the Breath Concealing Art increased rapidly.

From this fact alone, he could realize just how dangerous those venomous insects were.

He immediately turned around and kicked off the ground.

Buzz!

Cold sweat trickled at the momentum of the angry venomous insects felt from behind his back.

It was fortunate that he hid his presence with the Breath Concealing Art; otherwise, not even his bones would have remained.

‘To think such dangerous venomous insects lived on the Dew Tree.’

A chill ran down his spine.

Truly, the saying that ignorance breeds bravery was spot on.

His face turned pale as he recalled his past when he had frequented the Dew Tree without knowing anything.

Crack!

Once again, another Supreme Great Ability bead turned into powder.

His thoughts of wandering around Mount Red Yang before sunrise completely vanished.

Not even an hour had passed yet, but three golden beads had already disappeared.

He realized firsthand how dangerous Mount Red Yang was.

He hurriedly descended the mountain, and fortunately, he was able to arrive home without any trouble.

“Phew.”

Massaging his tired shoulders, he checked his body’s condition.

Although he was not particularly injured, his spiritual Qi was about half consumed, and a total of four Supreme Great Ability beads had disappeared.

It took approximately twelve days to recover four golden beads.

To be safe, it meant he could climb Mount Red Yang once every fifteen days.

‘Fifteen days. Not bad.’

While checking the consumption, a laugh suddenly escaped him. Now it was time to check the harvest.

Unfolding the bundle he carried on his shoulder, he took out the gourd flask.

Slosh!

It was heavy. Unlike usual, the gourd flask was nearly full.

‘With this much… could I really get two spirit stones?’

He calculated instinctively.

He could gather dew once every fifteen days, and the expected income was two spirit stones.

‘Even with bad luck, I can obtain three spirit stones a month.’

It was a tremendous income.

It was a profit so high that early Qi Condensation rogue cultivators scattered all over Red Yang Market would go mad with jealousy.

This was because three spirit stones could resolve food, clothing, and shelter, let alone purchase the resources needed for cultivation.