Chapter 88 – The Sea Where Lightning Strikes

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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The moment Jin So-myeong took out the Black Night Eagle’s corpse, In Hu-yeon’s expression was dyed with surprise.

Staring intently at the eagle head neatly severed by Sword Qi, he muttered.

“This is… a sword scar. Moreover, it ended in a single strike. I thought you killed the Demon King with that bizarre divine ability of yours, but it was not.”

“Haha. I also use a sword quite well.”

“Indeed. Come to think of it, you won the Ascending Immortal Tournament with a sword.”

He had said it as a joke out of awkwardness, but the opponent took it seriously.

Feeling embarrassed as if he had self-praised for nothing, he entered the main point.

“Mmm… Can this Black Night Eagle be used as a material?”

“Of course it is possible. What kind of functions do you want? I will match it as much as possible.”

“More than anything else, I hope the flight speed is fast.”

“Speed… Good. Anything else?”

“I would like it if there was a place where I could cultivate during flight.”

In Hu-yeon, who asked about this and that for a long time, nodded his head.

“It will take about three months. Seek me out after that.”

“Thank you.”

After In Hu-yeon waved his hand and left.

Jin So-myeong went straight to his cultivation chamber and sat cross-legged.

It was to make Limitless, born from the Sword Seed, his Natal Magic Treasure.

“Limitless. Come out for a moment.”

The moment he tapped the Five Elements Sword.

A gold-silver sphere that popped out of the sword flew all over the cultivation chamber.

The fellow, which was roaming in all directions like a curious cat, paused.

As if sensing something, it quietly approached Jin So-myeong and floated.

“Good. Let us begin.”

After gesturing to Limitless to guide it near his dantian, he closed his eyes and concentrated.

How much time had passed?

A single sword emerged in the darkness.

The hilt was as luxurious as if made by melting gold, and the silver blade was as sharp as if forged by gathering sharpness.

It was a sword he saw for the first time, but he could immediately know who it was. Simultaneously with sensing the presence of Limitless.

He completely opened not only his dantian but even his most important soul.

He guided Limitless so it could settle down in his mental space right next to his Golden Core.

As the two existences connected into one, a mysterious feeling was felt.

The vivid emotions felt by the newly born Limitless, such as gladness, excitement, desire to become a better being, hunger, curiosity, and so forth, were faintly but surely transmitted.

‘I succeeded.’

An unbreakable connection was formed between the two.

He instinctively realized what had changed by making Limitless his Natal Magic Treasure.

First, he became able to handle Limitless with only thoughts.

There was no need to speak of the advantage of being faster in a battle where life and death were decided in a split second.

‘The dharma power efficiency has also increased.’

Even if he injected the same energy, the power was stronger than before.

Also, he became able to store it inside his body, which was a basic function of a Natal Magic Treasure.

Lastly, perhaps because their souls were connected, he became able to send Limitless directly into the Secret Realm of the Mind. Of course, taking it out was also possible.

‘This is good.’

This way, he could normally leave Limitless to grow in the spiritual herb field and only summon it when necessary.

The opposite case was also possible.

When cultivating in the Secret Realm of the Mind, he could have Limitless protect the safety of his physical body. He became able to use the secret realm a bit more safely.

‘Great.’

Jin So-myeong, who was satisfied, flicked his finger.

Clang!

Clang!

Feeding Sword Qi to Limitless like feeding fish food to carp, he fell into thought. He had to establish a rough plan on how to cultivate in the future.

The very first thing to decide was the primary use of the Supreme Great Ability.

100,000 beads every month.

He had to decide where to spend the immense amount of Supreme Great Ability.

‘Spiritual root improvement?’

Currently, his spiritual root was at the very end of the mid-grade. Not much was left until high-grade.

It seemed that if he invested Supreme Great Ability while taking a medicinal bath about four or five times, he could achieve a high-grade spiritual root.

Next to high-grade was the Earth-grade spiritual root, and a level of this caliber was in the ranks of geniuses in name and reality.

‘Now I will not even be able to go anywhere and say my aptitude is bad.’

Although it was a good thing, he hesitated to keep investing his Supreme Great Ability.

Because the medicinal bath that enhanced the spiritual root aptitude was also gradually showing limits. The efficiency had lowered too much, so it seemed he had to find another method.

Stroking his chin, he opened the status window.

【Cultivation Methods】

Five Elements Qi Condensation Art (Mastery 1,000 / 1,000,000)

Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art (Mastery 1,310,000 / 4,000,000)

Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art (Mastery 1,100,000 / 20,000,000)

Next to the spiritual root, what influenced cultivation speed was precisely the cultivation methods.

In particular, since his life-bound cultivation method, the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art, increased the speed of accumulating dharma power as its proficiency rose, its priority was high.

‘What will happen when I reach the stage beyond mastery?’

By any chance, will I get a Nascent Soul-grade divine ability? The probability of that was very high.

The proficiency to be filled until the next stage was roughly 19,000,000.

With his current capacity, it would take 190 months.

‘Is it roughly 16 years…’

It was a time that was a lot if it was a lot, and little if it was little.

Because to a cultivator who achieved Golden Core, cultivating for about 10 years was daily life.

If one could obtain a Nascent Soul-grade divine ability by cultivating for a mere 16 years, no Golden Core cultivator would refuse it.

Jin So-myeong’s gaze, which was scanning the status window, turned toward the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art.

Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art (Mastery 1,310,000 / 4,000,000)

Since only 2,690,000 proficiency was left, it looked relatively easy.

‘It is a dilemma.’

Besides cultivation methods, there were overflowing places to spend his Supreme Great Ability. He could also learn spiritual crop arts or elixir refining arts.

Swish!

Watching Limitless flying whoosh-whoosh around the cultivation chamber, Jin So-myeong, who was locked in thought, made a decision.

‘Let us cultivate while raising the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art first.’

If something needed arose in the middle, he decided to cope with it flexibly on the spot.

***

Three months later.

Jin So-myeong, who was concentrating on cultivation, realized a few difficult points.

‘There is no place to spend high-grade spirit stones.’

Because the number of Golden Core Sages on Sky Island was too small.

Even including him, there were only six, so a market could not be formed.

Of course, high-grade spirit stones were not completely useless.

Absorbing the energy contained in the spirit stones as is was also helpful for cultivation. The efficiency was just bad compared to buying and consuming medicinal elixirs.

‘…It is regrettable, but it is time to leave soon.’

Sky Island was a very good place for Foundation Establishment cultivators to cultivate, but not from the Golden Core stage.

In particular, the problem was that he could not use the cultivation method of drinking medicinal elixirs like water.

Of course, he had no intention to just leave.

‘I must repay the favors I received.’

He had to hunt more Demon Kings so that no problems would occur on Sky Island even without him, and he also had to refill the treasures in the Soul Washing Land he had visited upon winning the Ascending Immortal Tournament.

Because when he took out the Jade Thunder Pearl from the thunder-attribute spiritual spring in the Soul Washing Land, he had promised to replenish it with a better object once he achieved Golden Core.

Also, before leaving, he planned to pack the local specialties that could only be obtained in this sea.

There was much work to do.

While pondering what to handle first, the Jade Light Spring he had created in the Secret Realm of the Mind suddenly came to mind.

‘Oh, right, I believe they said there was a sea where lightning strikes all year round.’

It was a place called the Thundercloud Sea Region, a dangerous location where the entire sky was filled with dark clouds and lightning poured down without rest.

‘…It is nice.’

He felt this was precisely the place.

Since it was a sea where lightning struck all year round, thunder-attribute spiritual objects would be scattered all over the place.

He had been worrying because the effect of the Jade Light Spring, which he had used usefully during Foundation Establishment, felt weak upon achieving Golden Core, but it seemed he could replenish thunder-attribute spiritual objects here.

‘I will also be able to obtain treasures to fill the Soul Washing Land as well.’

It was killing two birds with one stone.

Nodding his head, Jin So-myeong stepped out of his cave dwelling. There was a place he had to stop by before departing for the Thundercloud Sea Region.

Leaving Filial Moon City, he went to the city managed by In Hu-yeon.

“I was thinking of contacting you, and you have come at just the right time. Here is the object you entrusted.”

“Oh… Thank you.”

Jin So-myeong observed the black vessel floating in front of his eyes.

It was a vessel that gave a sleek feeling, and the elongated body with pointed front and back resembled a kayak.

Of course, it was much larger than a kayak.

True to a dharma treasure, its size was adjustable, so it could carry about ten people if expanded to the maximum.

Since there was also a cabin in the center, it looked comfortable to rest in during flight.

“I named it the Black Jade Flying Boat. How is it?”

“I really like it. How is the speed?”

“It is similar to a mid Golden Core cultivator flying at full power. Of course, in this case, the consumption of high-grade spirit stones is severe.”

In Hu-yeon, who was hesitating, spoke.

“If flying at full power, one high-grade spirit stone is consumed in one two-hour period.”

One two-hour period was roughly two hours.

‘Does it consume roughly 12 pieces if I fly all day?’

For reference, a high-grade spirit stone was more valuable than ten thousand low-grade spirit stones.

The Black Jade Flying Boat was literally a dharma treasure that flew while scattering spirit stones like rain.

However, it was a consumption rate manageable for Jin So-myeong.

“One piece per two-hour period… That is not bad.”

“That is not bad?”

In Hu-yeon’s corners of the mouth twitched. After parting and closing his mouth several times like a person who had heard bizarre words, he cleared his throat and said.

“Thanks to you killing the Black Night Eagle cleanly, its inner core was preserved almost intact. Therefore, I was able to put the divine ability the fellow used into the dharma treasure.”

“Divine ability?”

The most impressive divine ability used by the Black Night Eagle was precisely the clones.

He stared with a faint hope, and In Hu-yeon did not betray his expectations.

“It is the clone divine ability. If you use this ability, the Black Jade Flying Boat will split into five and scatter in all directions. It will be useful when escaping upon meeting a strong enemy.”

“Ohhh.”

“For reference, this ability must be used with your dharma power, not spirit stones.”

“Awesome. Can I try riding it?”

“It is yours now, so of course.”

“Then I will go around the surrounding sea as a test and come back.”

The moment Jin So-myeong, who boarded the Black Jade Flying Boat, poured in high-grade spirit stones.

The vessel was enveloped in wind, then soared vertically.

Simultaneously.

The Black Jade Flying Boat, split into five, scattered in all directions. Even In Hu-yeon, who made the dharma treasure, could not tell which one was real.

Swish!

The five beams of light vanished out of sight within the span of a few breaths.

In Hu-yeon, who remained in his spot and stared up at the sky, admired.

“I made it myself, but it is truly an awesome speed. …By the way, just how expensive of a flight is that.”

***

Two months later.

Crossing the vast open sea and arriving at the Thundercloud Sea Region, Jin So-myeong admired.

Rumble! Crash!

Because no matter where he looked—east, west, south, or north—lightning was striking without rest.

‘It is a magnificent sight.’

The sky was filled with thick dark clouds, so not a single speck of sunlight was visible.

Rumble…

The sight of the dark sea being dyed blue by the lightning aroused awe toward nature.

It was a place where a human—no, any living creature—could not help but feel instinctive fear.

However, to Jin So-myeong, who had mastered the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art and could absorb lightning, it looked like a treasure storehouse.

Simultaneously with entering the Thundercloud Sea Region by controlling the Black Jade Flying Boat.

Boom!

Lightning struck as if it had been waiting.

Three high-grade spirit stones used as power cracked simultaneously. The protective barrier wrapping the boat instantly grew faint.

“Oops.”

Thinking it would not be able to hold out for long, he just put it into his sub-space. In this ominous sea, it was better to fly with his bare body.

Crash!

A shower of lightning also poured down on him after he disembarked the vessel, but since he had mastered the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art, there was no problem.

‘It prickles.’

Every time he was hit by lightning, he converted it into dharma power and piled it up step-by-step in his dantian.

‘It is a bit dangerous… but if things go well, I could cultivate here.’

How long did he fly over the dark sea? By the time the number of times he was hit by lightning exceeded a hundred.

On a desolate rocky island, he discovered the thunder-attribute spiritual object he had aimed for.

‘Jade Thunder Pearl!’

He stared at the rock emitting blue lightning as if possessed.

This single chunk emitted thunder Qi stronger than all 12 Jade Thunder Pearls in the Secret Realm of the Mind combined.

Indeed. Having become a Golden Core Sage, each and every harvest he obtained was incomparable to the past.

‘Let us gather exactly a hundred pieces of this size.’

Then the Jade Light Spring in the Secret Realm of the Mind would become strong enough to be helpful even in the Golden Core stage.