Chapter 62 – Simultaneously with the Start

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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The arena of the Ascending Immortal Tournament.

At the top of the pavilion overlooking the stage at a glance, five Golden Core Sages conversed.

“I am looking forward to seeing what kind of juniors will come out in this tournament.”

“Fellow Daoist Hyeon. I heard your disciple came out as well. Was his name Baek Yu-geon?”

“Yes.”

“But if there was something he needed, you could have obtained it for him yourself. Was there a need to make him participate in the tournament?”

One of the five Golden Core Sages of Sky Island.

The Rank 3 formation master named Hyeon Jin-ja shook his head with a gentle smile.

“It seemed that arrogance had sprouted in my disciple’s heart. I had him participate to let him know how wide the world is.”

“It is a good idea, but I do not know if there will be anyone who can defeat your disciple. To be at the 7th layer of Foundation Establishment at sixty-five years old. Is he not a genius who might appear once in a hundred years?”

“Did not the daughter of the Lord of the Sky Island also enter the tournament?”

At Hyeon Jin-ja’s words, the man who appeared to be in his mid-thirties hurriedly waved his hand.

“Calling me the Lord of the Sky Island is excessive. That is merely a title that the people of the world call me without knowing anything. I am merely the Castellan of Filial Moon City.”

The man with a generous impression chuckled. Chewing on a large chunk of meat, he said,

“Eey, you are the Lord of Sky Island all right. Are you not the only late Golden Core stage cultivator among us? Honestly, I am even contemplating whether we should call you senior.”

“Haha… Please spare me. I like how things are now.”

“Your personality is truly unique. If it were me, I would have made us speak honorifically from the start. To think you actively hold us back from doing so.”

The simple-looking Lord of Sky Island did not reply. He merely wore a humble smile.

“Hmm. By the way, Fellow Daoist Hyeon’s formations are certainly peerless under heaven. How much of that did your disciple inherit?”

“Peerless under heaven? There are so many experts in the world, I am afraid of being criticized.”

The Golden Core Sages did not even look at the tournament grounds. They were merely engrossed in their conversation.

The Round of 128.

Honestly speaking, it was still no different from a preliminary round.

Only when the riffraff who bought inner cores with spirit stones all dropped out would a tournament worth watching finally emerge.

“So, what is the level of your disciple? Surely, he is not capable of setting up a Rank 3 formation already?”

“Haha. He is still far from—”

The ones who were chatting and laughing froze solid. It was as if someone had stopped time.

– Jang Sam-bong wins!

At the referee’s voice that echoed from the tournament grounds just in time, the gazes of the Golden Core Sages gravitated toward the stage.

“…Did you see that?”

“I saw it.”

Looking at Jang Sam-bong—no, Jin So-myeong—who was standing alone in the quiet arena, they marveled.

“A decent sword cultivator has appeared after a long time. If he forms his core, he will become a pillar of us humans.”

“The movements of the demonic beasts these days are unusual, so I hope he survives until the end.”

“Hmm.”

The generous man, who was slowly stroking his chin for some reason, turned his gaze.

He questioned the only Golden Core sword cultivator present in this place, who had not said a single word until now.

“Gwang-myeong. What do you think?”

“…His sword is heavy.”

“Even though it is that fast? Most Foundation Establishment cultivators would not even be able to react in front of that sword.”

When he asked back as if he could not accept it, the Golden Core sword cultivator named Gwang-myeong shook his head.

“I did not mean it in that sense. Of course, this is by my standards. From the perspective of that sword cultivator’s realm, it is naturally more than enough.”

“Oh…”

The generous-looking Golden Core Sage who had asked the question raised his eyebrows in surprise.

Looking at it now, the evaluation of the sword cultivator Gwang-myeong was the highest.

This was because judging him by the standards of a Golden Core cultivator meant that, for whatever reason, he was worthy of it.

“To be in the early Foundation Establishment stage… his realm is a pity. How far will he be able to climb?”

***

After Jin So-myeong entered the Ascending Immortal Tournament,

he reached the Round of 16 by wielding his sword exactly three times. Including his Round of 128 opponent, Cheong Mok, he finished everyone with a single strike.

With each match, the reactions of the spectators kept changing.

“What was that?”

“Is it over…?”

At first, they were bewildered.

“No way! How can a mere early Foundation Establishment cultivator be that strong?”

“He is a sword cultivator.”

“Ha. They say they are matchless in the same rank, and indeed, his reputation is true to the rumors. Should I also learn the sword?”

“Forget it. Sword cultivators are crazy bastards who stake their lives on the sword. It is not something to imitate.”

At the second sword strike, they were astonished.

“Crazy! Gwi Seol-rang, a master of poison arts, could not even withstand a single strike!”

“Waaaaaa!!”

And at the third and final strike, they cheered.

Having reached the Round of 16 like that,

Jin So-myeong, who stepped onto the stage, narrowed his eyes.

‘An opponent worth fighting has finally appeared.’

His gaze met with the rogue cultivator called Cheon Yo-yeop (Thousand Demon Leaves), who had killed a thousand demonic beasts from the time she was in the Qi Condensation stage until she reached the 6th layer of Foundation Establishment.

Cheon Yo-yeop was a middle-aged woman who appeared simple-looking at a glance, but her entire body except for her face was covered in scars, radiating a feeling that she was not to be underestimated.

She was clearly a rogue cultivator who had lived a very harsh life.

Simultaneously with the start of the match,

Boom!!

a powerful shockwave arose between Jin So-myeong and Cheon Yo-yeop.

Beyond merely reacting to the swift sword strike that no one had been able to withstand since the tournament began, she had blocked it.

“Hmph!”

Cheon Yo-yeop, who released the vast spiritual power that had reached the 6th layer of Foundation Establishment to deflect Jin So-myeong’s sword, formed a hand seal.

Whoosh!

Water poured endlessly from a blue gourd that flew out of her storage pouch.

Jin So-myeong, whose dharma robe was soaked by the silently permeating water droplets, frowned.

‘It’s heavy.’

It was not ordinary water. It was Suppressing Water, which even a Foundation Establishment Grand Cultivator could not escape once trapped in!

A brief time of less than half a second.

The instantly poured Suppressing Water covered the entire stage blocked by the barrier, and

“Die!”

wind and rain raged from all directions.

Every single one of the over thousands of raindrops was a fatal hidden weapon!

Swish, swish, swish!

Just before the hidden weapon storm poured from all directions arrived with a sharp wind sound,

Tap.

he thrust his sword forward as if making a point in the empty air.

The moment he amplified the weak wind generated by the light movement with the Wind Control Art that had reached the mastery stage,

Boom!

all the pouring raindrops were deflected away. He had swept them away with a gale mixed with Sword Qi!

Once the wild wind and rain that obstructed his vision and Divine Sense disappeared, it was clearly visible. The true killing move that was flying in stealthily.

Just before a needle as transparent as a raindrop pierced his temple,

Tap!

his left hand, moving like lightning, snatched the needle.

He glanced at the hidden weapon caught between his index and middle fingers.

The needle wriggled as if it were alive. Even now, caught in his hand, it struggled to kill him.

Looking at the purple liquid dripping from the sharp tip of the needle, he said,

“Poison?”

“A pity. I could have ended it easily.”

“Well… even if I got hit, it seems it would just prick a bit and end there.”

“Hmph. Bluffing just because you are a man. Do you even know what that poison is—”

Clang!

Even before her words could finish, the needle held between his fingers split.

He had shattered a Rank 2 dharma treasure using merely the strength of his fingers.

“…Just how strong is your physical strength? This is absurd.”

As if she had seen a shocking sight, Cheon Yo-yeop, whose pupils were even shaking, lamented.

“I thought that with my level, the top ten would be easy… but this is just too much bad luck.”

Letting out a long sigh, she suddenly glared this way.

Emitting killing intent, she pulled out a chain with a sickle. Contrary to her words, she seemed to intend to keep going.

Rattling!

Following her hand movements, the chain danced.

The chain-sickle drawing a gorgeous curve flew toward the back of his head, but he ignored it.

Boom!

He kicked off the ground with enough force to crack the hard floor.

Moving faster than the chain-sickle accelerated by centrifugal force, he reached the opponent and thrust his sword.

Just before the tip of the sword could pierce her solar plexus, something like a turtle shell popped out from her storage pouch.

‘Black Armor Flying Shield?’

For the shield he had seen at the auction to appear here. It was unexpected, but it was meaningless.

He completely controlled his body, which had become light as a feather due to the Wind Control Art.

Crunch!

Just before the collision, he stepped on the ground and changed direction almost vertically.

He performed a movement that would have shattered the joints of an ordinary cultivator as if it were nothing.

Swish!

As he grazed past the shield blocking the front…

he swung his sword and slashed her neck.

Waaaaaa—!

Simultaneously with the powerful cheers that penetrated the barrier, Cheon Yo-yeop, who was teleported off the stage, left with a bitter smile.

‘Is the goal achieved?’

Since he won in the Round of 16, he advanced to the Round of 8. It meant that at least the top 8 was guaranteed.

Since he had become able to go to the Soul Washing Land, he felt he could afford to have some leeway now.

“What a tremendous swift sword! Jang Sam-bong wins!”

Ending with the referee’s high-spirited declaration, which sounded excited for some reason, he left the stage and returned to the waiting room.

At that moment, when silence welcomed him instead of the ears-burning cheers,

“Senior! You are truly amazing! Cheon Yo-yeop is a rogue cultivator famous for being skilled in battle, yet she could not hold out against your sword!”

The eyes of the receptionist, which had been businesslike, changed. They sparkled to a burdensome degree.

Because she acted like a fan who had met an admired celebrity, he was embarrassed.

‘The atmosphere is definitely different from Damun Kingdom.’

If it were Red Yang Market, they would not have behaved like this to a senior no matter how excited they were.

“Ah.”

As if snapping back to her senses belatedly, the guide smiled awkwardly. With both hands gathered at her navel, she bowed politely.

“I became too excited. I am truly sorry.”

Letting out a dry cough, she spoke again in a businesslike tone.

“Senior. From the Round of 8 qualifiers, you can use the Jade Well Bath. What would you like to do?”

“The Jade Well Bath? Naturally, I must go.”

It was just what he had hoped for. He had investigated what the Jade Well Bath was even before participating in the tournament.

One could consider it bathwater that healed wounds and recovered spiritual power, and it was famous for its rapid healing speed.

‘I heard it helps with cultivation as well.’

He walked along the long hallway following the guide, and soon arrived at a spacious room enclosed on all sides.

“Senior. This is the Jade Well Bath. Since I cannot enter, I will wait here.”

Leaving behind the gaze staring at him enviously, he inspected the Jade Well Bath.

Overall, it had a look that brought to mind a private hot spring, but it was not hot, so there was no steam.

‘It’s clear.’

The water was so transparent. It was like a clean, well-wiped glass window.

Although he exerted his sensitive senses, he did not see any impurities.

Splash!

He observed the water depth, which reached about his thighs, and stepped in, and indeed.

“Mmm…!”

Extremely pure spiritual power permeated through his skin. It spread to his limbs and hundred bones, recovering his exhausted meridians.

When he guided it to his dantian, it piled up step by step without even needing to be refined.

‘Tremendous. It feels as if it turns into my spiritual power just as I absorb it.’

The spiritual power consumed while fighting had already been recovered long ago, but he did not stop.

Splash!

He sat cross-legged altogether and operated his cultivation method. He constantly absorbed the energy concentrated in the Jade Well Bath and accumulated it in his dantian.

‘If I continue to cultivate here, rising to the 4th layer will be quick too.’

Although he felt like moving the entire bath, doing so was meaningless anyway.

The Jade Well Bath contained in this private tub was a kind of consumable, which was one of the tournament rewards.

The essence made by filtering and filtering impurities from various spiritual herbs with the secret technique of Sky Island, concentrating only the purest spiritual Qi, was precisely the Jade Well Bath.

Although it was a luxurious act that was a hundred times less efficient than making medicinal pills, from the user’s perspective, it was naturally good.

Sssss…

How much spiritual power did he absorb in a state of selflessness?

The Jade Well Bath completely turned into ordinary water. He had absorbed every single drop of the energy contained within it without leaving any behind.

Although it was a pity, he came out after evaporating the moisture on his clothes.

He carefully inspected his dantian, and.

‘Oh?’

The effect of the Jade Well Bath was truly…

brilliant.

The realm that had just broken through the 3rd layer rose drastically.

It seemed he might reach the 4th layer if he immersed himself in the Jade Well Bath just two or three more times.

His mind, which had originally intended to be satisfied with around the top ten, completely changed.

This was because each time he won a match and used the Jade Well Bath, it was no different from saving several years of time.

‘My next opponent… was it Baek Yu-geon.’

It was not easy. Baek Yu-geon was the chief disciple of the Golden Core formation master and was at the late Foundation Establishment stage.

The 3rd layer and the 7th layer of Foundation Establishment.

Even comparing mere spiritual power, there was a seven to eight-fold difference. Between Jin So-myeong and him, there were as many as two minor realms.

Nevertheless, Jin So-myeong, who silently calculated his chances of victory, called the guide.

“I would like to watch other people’s matches. Is it possible?”

“Of course.”

She took out a mirror the size of a palm from her storage pouch and floated it in the air.

Buzz!

In the mirror that instantly enlarged to take up the entire wall, the arena was reflected.

Since the next match happened to be Baek Yu-geon’s turn, he concentrated.

– Start!

Simultaneously with the referee’s shout,

the rogue cultivator who was standing with a firm face stamped his foot. And… a picture-like spear throw unfolded.

Swish!

Like a meteor, the spear blade that flew in a straight line aimed for the heart of the young man wearing a hero’s headband.

At that moment, Baek Yu-geon lightly brushed his hand, and a deep red flame barrier soared to block the spear.

Could one block a spear with fire?

The result appeared soon.

Just how strong was the fire power; the Rank 2 dharma treasure specialized in penetration melted without even being able to approach…

The rogue cultivator, who was charging without losing heart despite the disastrous result, was flustered.

– W-What! When on earth?

He wandered in circles as if trapped in an illusion.

Before he knew it, he was trapped in an unfolded formation!

Jin So-myeong, who watched the match while caressing his scabbard, narrowed his eyes.

‘A formation master…’

They were beings with clear strengths and weaknesses. Although they were powerful once a formation was laid out, if one could prevent just that, there was a chance of victory.

Tapping the floor with the tip of his foot, he looked down. He saw the Cloud-Summoning Shoes that he had not used even once since the tournament began.

Perhaps…

he might be able to end it simultaneously with the start.