Chapter 81 – Rank 3 Storage Pouch

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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The moment the tip of the sword thrust by Jin So-myeong touched the Demon King.

His palm tore from the absurd recoil. Just as he forcibly gripped the sword that was about to be flung away.

Crack!

A crack formed, running long across the center of the sword blade. The blade infused with Sword Qi could not pierce even a mere hide.

It was a scene where it would not have been strange for his will to break, but Jin So-myeong’s eyes remained unchanged.

Because he was pouring all of his focus into the goal of victory.

‘What should I do…’

Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration?

Unfortunately, he could not use it yet. That divine ability was a technique that exploded the spiritual power accumulated in the five viscera.

Enough spiritual power had not accumulated in the five viscera that had only just recovered.

‘At least one hour.’

It was the time he had to endure to use the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration.

Just as all kinds of plans flashed through his mind.

The Demon King, who had remained still despite being attacked, muttered in disbelief.

“…Absurd. You really broke through your realm in the middle of battle? Are you saying you are really a Fighting Immortal or something?”

The Demon King, who was silent for a moment, growled while baring his fangs.

“I do not care if you are a Fighting Immortal or whatever. It is enough to just kill you.”

Facing the claws that flew in like a surprise attack, he swung his cracked sword.

Clang!

Every time the blade and claw collided, the crack spread. It was because his Sword Qi was no match for the Demon King’s power.

The Demon King, who pressed him without giving him room to breathe, sneered.

“A pity. If you were holding a Magic Treasure-grade sword instead of that piece of trash, you might have cut even my hide.”

It was nonsense. To begin with, he could not use a Rank 3 Magic Treasure due to a lack of spiritual power.

Even if the Five Elements Sword had been a Rank 2 highest-grade sword, the situation would not have changed. The fundamental problem remained.

‘My technique is lacking.’

Looking at the claws drenched in blood from his own body, he first changed his mindset.

He should not face the Demon King head-on just because he reached Rank 3 Body Tempering.

Right now, he had merely obtained the minimum qualification to fight a Golden Core.

‘Deflect.’

He relaxed his shoulders. He concentrated on the claw that approached, tearing through the air.

He slightly angled the tip of the sword that was thrusting back.

As if receiving a falling petal, he pulled the sword back minutely.

Without resisting the flow of power, he moved along in the direction the claw was heading. Retreating by just half a quarter-step, he swung his sword obliquely.

Ting!

Sparks flew in the instant of collision. A vibration, as if metal clashed against metal, remained like a lingering echo.

“…”

As if feeling something strange, the hesitating Demon King continued to pounce.

Boom!

Due to the claws striking down vertically, half of the uninhabited island, which was all that remained, was shattered.

From then on, the battlefield changed continuously.

Until they passed the sea and arrived at a nameless island.

Clang, clang, clang!

The collisions repeated countlessly. The sword and claws clashed, filling the empty air with brilliant sparks.

At some point.

The cracking rupture sound stopped. The sword, which looked as if it would break at any moment, was still straight. Even the cracks did not grow larger anymore.

It was because Jin So-myeong completely deflected the Demon King’s power.

Watching that sight, the Rank 3 Demon King of the Sea Wolf Clan did not get angry. Rather, he laughed like crazy.

“Good! Good! How long has it been since I had such a fight… If you are a real Fighting Immortal, show me more!”

With a roar, the wind wrapped around the Demon King’s body grew increasingly rougher.

Crunch!

It was as if he was clad in a typhoon. Every time the claws were swung, half-moon-shaped slashes scattered in all directions.

Even the newly arrived island instead of the uninhabited island turned into ruins in an instant.

Whooooosh!

Looking at the spiral wind that ground everything around them.

He was enveloped by a strange premonition.

‘…It feels like I can cut it.’

Even though avoiding it was the right choice, his instinct pointed elsewhere.

A brief moment that could not even be called an instant .

Instead of reason, he trusted his intuition.

He aimed the sword that was full of cracks and on the verge of shattering. Starting with his heart, he triggered all of his five viscera.

It had not been an hour yet.

Even if he used the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration now, its proper power would not come out. Nevertheless, trusting his instinct, he did not hesitate.

An instant.

The spiritual power and blood energy, which were amplified as they circulated through the five viscera, mixed together. Although he absorbed all the spiritual power in his dantian to become one, it was insufficient.

Compared to the true Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration that could turn even mountains into powder, it was far lacking.

But because of that.

He was able to completely control it from beginning to end. He guided that which raced through his meridians to the blade.

That which became a brilliant radiance by mixing with the Sword Qi that burned like fire.

He swung it.

Ignoring the approaching typhoon, he looked only at the Demon King and drew a single line.

A blindingly snow-white line. It bisected the world.

Not to mention the raging wind, but even the sharp claws and the heart. Everything in the trajectory was split.

The upper body, including the shoulder, was cut diagonally. At the same time it slid down.

Spurt!

The headless wolf appeared as if teleporting and struck down its claws.

Just before death, it gathered even its strength to flee to launch a counterattack.

A strike that disregarded even death. It was fast enough to be impossible to react to, but Jin So-myeong was already prepared.

It was because he had seen Hyeok Cheon-ung, with only his lower body remaining, flee in his Demon Core state.

Slash!

The leg that was stabbing at his heart was sliced off along with the ankle. It could not endure even a bit against the Sword Qi that had become strangely sharp.

Simultaneously, he dug inward and stabbed the abdomen. The moment the tip of the sword pierced the hide and lodged deeply.

Crackle!

Squeezing out all of his remaining spiritual power, he poured down lightning. Starting with the heart, he burned all the organs.

He even did not stop there, but roughly ripped open the stomach and pulled out the Demon Core.

He put the charred corpse and the Demon Core into his sub-space, and was relieved only after seeing them stored without any resistance.

“Whew…”

The truly difficult, long and long battle had ended.

The moment his tension relaxed, his breath caught.

The pain he had forgotten while fighting like crazy rushed in like a tidal wave.

The world spun. As if he had drunk heavily, the ground reeled at will.

‘I am really going to die.’

Jin So-myeong, who staggered as if about to collapse, shook his head. He did not know what state he would end up in if he fainted now.

Dragging his heavy body, he searched the devastated island.

Since it was a Rank 3 Demon King he had won against with difficulty, he intended to pack all the byproducts.

He could not miss the wolf head that must have fallen somewhere on the island.

‘Found it. …Huh?’

He was too tired and tried to put it into his sub-space immediately, but it did not go in.

Instead, such an alert popped up.

【An absorbable space-attribute spiritual object has been discovered. Would you like to absorb it?】

In his wonder, he looked closely and found a bone necklace between the neck mane fur.

‘This is a space-attribute spiritual object? Could it be a storage pouch?’

Examining it here and there using his Divine Sense, it was indeed.

Although it was not a refined dharma treasure like those made by humans, its function was the same as a storage pouch anyway.

It was also the same in that a restriction was cast on it, making it impossible to open.

‘Heh. From Rank 3, they can almost be seen as human.’

It was fascinating that it used a storage pouch despite being a demonic beast.

It was because he could not easily imagine beasts like wolves making dharma treasures.

At any rate, it was a good thing.

Thanks to this, he had one more Golden Core-grade storage pouch. He looked forward to what might be inside it.

‘Let’s pack it first.’

He tied the bone necklace to hang at his waist, and put the upper body including the head into his sub-space.

Jin So-myeong, who was about to leave the spot immediately, paused.

As he tried to fly using his spiritual power, his dantian tingled.

‘…I absolutely cannot fly.’

Right now, he was confident that even if a six-year-old kid came and nudged him, he would collapse.

Plop!

He sat cross-legged on the dirt ground. He tossed a handful of pills into his mouth and gripped a mid-grade spirit stone.

As soon as his spiritual power was recovered, he converted it into blood energy to heal his wounds.

One hour later.

Having escaped from the state where he felt like he would die right away, Jin So-myeong flew up.

He inspected the Five Elements Sword while heading toward Sky Island. It was because there was a point that suddenly bothered him.

‘The cracks disappeared.’

The sword that was on the verge of shattering became intact like new. It was to the extent that his face was reflected on the mirror-clean surface of the sword.

Hummm!

He flicked the sword blade with his finger, and a clear sword ring vibrated. It was not just the appearance that was fine.

‘It feels like it became harder than before.’

Its sharpness also increased. It became sharp enough to be believed even if it was a Rank 2 highest-grade sword.

‘Why did it become like this?’

Looking closely in his curiosity, he saw a difference. Compared to before, the size of the sword was minutely smaller.

It felt as if the sword was compressed by an absurdly strong pressure.

‘…Is it because of the last Sword Qi?’

He recalled the moment he sliced the Demon King.

Surely, he had succeeded in completely controlling the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration at that time and mixed it with the Sword Qi.

He had put a firepower capable of destroying even a mountain into a single sword.

In that process, it seemed that the Five Elements Sword, which was on the verge of breaking, melted and was refined again.

‘Is this why they say that if a true expert uses it, even an ordinary iron sword becomes a divine sword?’

Jin So-myeong, who was not even a Golden Core yet, left such a trace.

He wondered what would happen if a high-ranking immortal who walks the heavens used a sword.

Jin So-myeong, who was looking at the Five Elements Sword this way and that, focused on flying again.

In any case, returning safely to Sky Island was the most important thing right now.

***

Half a month later.

Jin So-myeong, who flew through the sky without even sleeping, was relieved. It was because Sky Island began to appear beyond the horizon.

Whether the opportunity brought about by the Spiritual Seeking Talisman ended with the Demon King, there were no more incidents.

‘Hu. I do not know if it was really an opportunity or a disaster.’

The result would be known once he opened the storage pouches obtained from them.

Just as he was about to enter Sky Island, leading his exhausted body, he paused.

The closer he drew to the island, the heavier his body became. It felt as if gravity was strengthening exponentially.

‘…A formation?’

Thinking for a moment, he could tell what the situation was.

A Rank 3 body tempering cultivator was, in a way, half a Golden Core Sage. Because of this, he was caught in the Reverse Polar Strong Chain Formation that protected Sky Island, and his power was suppressed.

Just as he was pondering what to do.

Thud.

A Golden Core Sage with a warm-hearted impression descended from the sky. It was In Hu-yeon, whom he had met at the Ascending Immortal Tournament before.

“Senior. It has been a while since we—”

Just as he was greeting him in gladness.

A fire arrow containing intense heat flew toward the space between his eyebrows.

Kaboom!

Jin So-myeong, who avoided the fire arrow with the Lightning Escape Art he deployed reflexively, was bewildered.

Why was the Sky Island Golden Core Sage, with whom he got along well, suddenly attacking him? He could not understand.

“Senior?”

“Haha. You demonic beast. If you are going to disguise yourself, shouldn’t you at least show some sincerity? Jin So-myeong’s body tempering level is still at Rank 2.”

Looking at In Hu-yeon speaking with a cold expression, he felt like smacking his own forehead.

He had mistaken him for a demonic beast in disguise due to his suddenly risen realm.

“Wait a moment! I am really Jin So-myeong!”

“…Huh?”

In Hu-yeon, who was raising his dharma power as if about to attack immediately, paused. A blue light lingered in his eyes.

Deploying an eye technique, he observed him for a long time before speaking blankly.

“What is this? Why is it really him?”

***

Fortunately, the misunderstanding was resolved quickly.

Returning to his cave dwelling after many twists and turns, Jin So-myeong breathed a sigh of relief.

Although there was a small accident at the end, he obtained something thanks to it.

Jade Well Bath.

A mysterious bathwater that had the effect of healing wounds and raising one’s realm. In Hu-yeon gave this to him, saying he was sorry.

He also received a formation nameplate that allowed his power not to be restricted on Sky Island.

‘It was worthwhile to actively participate in the war.’

Because he joined the Red Blossom Unit and hunted numerous demonic beasts, his credibility was high.

It was to the extent that most of the issuing procedures, which would have been complicated originally, were skipped.

‘Ah, right.’

Although he wanted to rest deeply right this moment, he had work to do.

Forcibly tearing his gaze away from the bed flickering before his eyes, he burned a Voice Transmission Talisman.

Delivering the location of the deep-sea cave dwelling where Hyeok Cheon-ung was to Baek Yu-geon, he informed him that he had met a cultivator raising the Speech-Opening Herb there.

It was because he wanted to see if he could obtain any useful information.

Immediately after sending the transmission.

‘Let’s rest first.’

Lying down on the bed as if collapsing, he fell fast asleep.

He did not wake up even once for three whole days. The moment he woke up after a truly good sleep and soaked his body in the Jade Well Bath.

“Urrgh.”

A strange sound burst from his mouth.

He could absolutely not hold it in as he felt the Jade Well Bath penetrating to his bones and healing his minute wounds.

Beyond all of his fatigue being completely washed away, spiritual power accumulated in his dantian at an absurd speed.

‘Heh.’

The 8th layer of Foundation Establishment drew close, as if it was right before his eyes. It seemed his realm would rise before long.

‘…Is it thanks to the life-risking fight?’

Jin So-myeong, who was marveling, headed to the cultivation room after completely absorbing the Jade Well Bath.

Swallowing his saliva in anticipation, he took out two Golden Core-grade storage pouches.

It was time to open the treasure boxes obtained with hard work!