Chapter 90 – A Taste of Home

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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 had hunted four Demon Kings simultaneously, moved busily even after that.

While inquiring about methods to leave for other regions, he unsparingly used the various treasures he had obtained during this time.

He strengthened the defense of the Black Jade Flying Boat using the shell of a Demon King that resembled a lobster, and also manufactured an elixir refining furnace used when making medicinal pills using the Purple-Red Crystal obtained in the Thundercloud Sea Region.

He thought of making a Rank 3 sword using materials that possessed sharpness like claws, but soon realized there was no need for that.

He just had to feed the materials whole to Limitless.

‘As long as I increase the sharpness possessed by Limitless, the result is the same.’

The feeding method was not difficult either.

After cutting various spiritual objects possessing sharpness into pieces, it was over by spraying them like fertilizer on the spiritual herb field where Limitless usually rested.

Since then.

Jin So-myeong’s life went on regularly.

He concentrated on cultivation, went to hunt when a Demon King’s location was pinpointed, and the days of searching for a way to leave beyond the sea continued.

*

More than half of the 16 Demon Kings that had raided Sky Island in the past had their lives cut short by Jin So-myeong’s hands.

By the time the Demon Kings trembled with teeth-grinding rage at just hearing Jin So-myeong’s name.

The Lord of Sky Island came seeking him with a troubled expression.

“Fellow Daoist Jin. That much is enough.”

“Yes?”

“Even I did not know I would say such words… but if more Demon Kings are killed, it will become a harm to us humans.”

“It becomes a harm?”

It was a sound hard to understand at first glance.

Gazing at the Lord of Sky Island with questioning eyes, he spoke with a bitter smile.

“What would happen if all the Demon Kings vanish?”

“Well… wouldn’t it naturally be good.”

“At first, it would be so. However, overflowing resources will give birth to more cultivators. In the end, humans will compete and fight among themselves someday.”

“Ah.”

Suddenly, the Damun Kingdom, the nation where he had started cultivation, came to mind.

Even though it was a region where humans were in an absolute position of strength compared to demonic beasts, disputes never ceased.

Rather, they were anxious because they could not devour each other.

Sky Island turning like Red Yang Market?

Honestly, it was hard to assert that it was a pleasant change.

“It seems you have understood. Regrettably, even if demonic beasts vanish, eternal peace does not visit. Because the heaven does not want it.”

“The heaven does not want peace…?”

“Ah, it is just my personal thought. There is no need to think too seriously. Looking only at the results, thanks to Fellow Daoist Jin, Sky Island will be peaceful for the next 100 years.”

Jin So-myeong, who chewed on the words, nodded his head.

‘No wonder. There was a reason why the Lord of Sky Island, who is at the late Golden Core stage, was not active in hunting Demon Kings.’

The Lord of Sky Island viewed the Demon Kings as a necessary evil.

Anyway, hunting the Demon Kings was just to repay the favor he owed to Sky Island.

Since there was no grand mission or anything, this much was enough.

“I understand.”

“Thank you for understanding. By the way, Fellow Daoist Jin. By any chance, are you thinking of leaving Sky Island?”

“Yes.”

“It is a pity. Sky Island is also a decent place to cultivate leisurely…”

He seemed to have heard the news that Jin So-myeong was looking for a method to leave for another region.

The Lord of Sky Island, who was silent for a moment, let out a sigh and spoke.

“It would be useless to forcibly hold onto someone whose mind has already departed. In fact, there is a teleportation array I know. If you want, I will tell you.”

Jin So-myeong, who paused, shined a bright expression.

“Of course I want it. Where is the teleportation array heading to?”

“It is near Mysterious Cloud City in the Eastern Province.”

Although it was not the Southern Province where Damun Kingdom was, it did not matter. Once he crossed over to a large city, moving to other regions was not difficult.

However, the way the Lord of Sky Island spoke was strange.

The tone in which he clearly spoke of the teleportation array’s destination was like a person who had used it directly.

“…By any chance, are you from the Eastern Province?”

“Yes. It has already been 200 years since I left that place and came to Sky Island. At first, I had thoughts of returning, but… before I knew it, this place became my home.”

The Lord of Sky Island, who was gazing at the void with distant eyes as if recalling the far past, held out a jade slip.

It was a map containing the location of the teleportation array.

***

A certain underground cavern.

That place, where no one had entered or exited for 200 years, was suddenly filled with light.

After the flash emitting from the teleportation array cleared.

A young man wearing a sword on his waist appeared, who was Jin So-myeong who had quietly left Sky Island so as not to inform the Demon Kings.

‘Is this the Eastern Province.’

Jin So-myeong, who was scanning the dark cavern, fell into thought.

To name the things to be done first, there were two.

One was to find a good place to cultivate, and the other was to return to Damun Kingdom, which could be called his hometown.

The reason to return to Damun Kingdom in particular was just one. Revenge.

Jin So-myeong had an enemy to repay.

‘The Young Master of the Thousand Corpses Sect.’

He was a demonic cultivator who had tried to refine him into a Jiangshi back when he had just achieved Foundation Establishment.

Since he had achieved Golden Core now, he had to seek him out and make him regret it.

‘I hope he has been living well.’

Disaster is bound to stand out only when it visits in the midst of happiness. The higher the Young Master flew, the more gratifying it would be when dragging him down.

Jin So-myeong, who was imagining the sweetness of revenge, smiled slightly.

Since it was his first time in the Eastern Province, grasping the situation was first.

‘I should look for the largest city nearby first.’

Jin So-myeong, who was standing in the underground cavern, flicked his finger.

Swish!

Drawing out Sword Qi, he dug a tunnel leading to the ground.

***

A certain shop in Mysterious Cloud City in the Eastern Province.

In the Jade Blossom Pavilion, a medicinal pill specialty shop operated for seven generations.

An old man who seemed to be the owner stared intently at only the shop entrance from early morning.

“Grandfather. Just who are you waiting for so much?”

At the question of his grandson, who had just reached the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, the old man smiled slightly and spoke.

“My dream was good today. It was a sign that the God of Wealth descends.”

“Hey, I thought it was something else. Nine out of ten times, Grandfather’s dreams are wrong— Ouch!”

The old man who gave his grandson a chestnut on the head clicked his tongue.

“Do not speak discouraging words and clean if you have nothing to do. What if the God of Wealth comes and returns because of your laziness.”

“I already did all the cleaning…”

“Ahem.”

The grandson, who pouted his lips, cast the Wind Control Art. Just when he was brushing off dust that wasn’t even there once again.

The shop entrance opened and someone stepped in.

He was a young man wearing a Rank 2 highest-grade sword on his waist, a sword cultivator whose plain white defensive robe and calm expression went together too well.

There was no room for the grandson to react.

“Welcome!”

The old man who had only been staring at the entrance from inside the shop ran fast enough to make wind sounds and welcomed the young man.

“Mmm?”

The young man who had just entered the shop—no, Jin So-myeong—paused.

Because the eyes of the Golden Core old man who seemed to be the owner shined to an embarrassing degree.

“…I came to buy some Rank 3 cultivation-use medicinal pills. Are there any?”

“Of course! Here is the list of medicinal pills held by our shop.”

Jin So-myeong scanned the jade slip politely held out by the old man with his Divine Sense.

The Rank 1 and 2 medicinal pills were diverse without even needing mention, and the Rank 3 pills which were Golden Core-grade were also quite numerous.

It was certainly different from Sky Island.

Perhaps because it was on land where transportation was connected, even a single shop sold Rank 3 medicinal pills.

Of course, he did not think all the pills would belong to this shop. It might be a method of selling the goods of a large merchant guild on their behalf.

“Dark Cloud Pill, Fire Essence Pill. These two are the best.”

The price was 50 high-grade spirit stones per pill. They were expensive medicinal pills instead of having no side effects.

When he chose the two highest-grade ones, the corners of the old man’s mouth opened wide.

“Haha. Your discernment is truly outstanding. Those two pills are the best among the medicinal pills held by our Jade Blossom Pavilion. How many pills should I give you?”

“How many do you have?”

“Yes?”

“Just give me everything in the shop.”

The old man swallowed his saliva, then spoke in a trembling voice.

“Combining the two pills, it exceeds a hundred. Will it be fine?”

“Yes.”

If it was a mere 100, there was no need to agonize. Combining the prices, it was only five thousand high-grade spirit stones.

Nodding his head firmly, he expressed his intention to buy everything.

How many high-grade spirit stones did Jin So-myeong have now?

Although he had absorbed a considerably large amount while cultivating, over 50,000 pieces still remained.

Because after breaking through to the Golden Core stage, he had increased the daily production of the Secret Realm of the Mind to 40 pieces.

‘I must spend them unsparingly.’

Spirit stones were objects that had meaning only when exchanged for cultivation resources.

“H-Here it is. I will give you the storage pouch as a bonus.”

Scanning the storage pouch held out by the old man with a trembling hand with his Divine Sense, exactly 131 Rank 3 medicinal pills were visible.

Just in case, he examined the pills intently, but there were no particular problems.

Satisfied, he paid the price without a single word of complaint.

“…Thank you!”

“Shopkeeper. By the way, by any chance do you know what to do to go to the Southern Province?”

“The Southern Province? Wait a moment. I will try asking my friends.”

The expression of the old man, who was happy like a child upon receiving the spirit stones, grew serious.

Like a person handed a mission, he took out a voice transmission talisman and contacted here and there, and there was no time to stop him.

‘How kind.’

Perhaps because he spent a lot of spirit stones, the treatment was different.

How long did he wait?

The old man spoke with a much brighter expression.

“Customer. I found out. They say there is a regular passenger vessel going to the Southern Province from the Vast Wilderness Immortal City.”

“Vast Wilderness Immortal City?”

“Yes. It is a Nascent Soul-grade immortal city located two thousand li to the southwest…”

Jin So-myeong, who listened to the explanation for a long time, nodded his head.

Two thousand li.

Converting to kilometers, it was about 800km.

During his Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment days, it was a considerably burdensome distance, but now that he became a Golden Core cultivator, there was no problem at all.

It was a level where he could fly even with his bare body.

Finally purchasing a nearby map and body-tempering medicinal pills as well, Jin So-myeong left the shop.

Watching the shops lining up along the market district, he made a decision.

‘I should stop by a few more places.’

Although the medicinal pills purchased just now at the Jade Blossom Pavilion exceeded 130, they were insufficient.

Because he had learned the Immortal-Severing Earth Art and could consume 4 times more pills than others, even 130 pills would not last more than a few years.

Cultivating slowly without medicinal pills was something he declined any further. He wanted to pile up a sufficient amount in his sub-space.

Going into an alleyway, he cast the Thousand Transformations Art.

Changing his appearance, he entered another shop instead of the Jade Blossom Pavilion he had just come out of.

“Shopkeeper. Do you have Rank 3 cultivation-use medicinal pills?”

For several days, he went around the entire city buying various cultivation resources.

Materials to practice elixir refining, body-tempering spiritual medicines, and so forth.

If there was something needed, he bought all of it. Although it was an action that considerably attracted attention, he did not particularly mind.

Changing his appearance every time he stopped by a shop was the height of caution.

Because with the strength Jin So-myeong possessed now, a typical dispute could not even become a problem.

Just when he was pouring out spirit stones like a person holding a deep grudge.

‘What.’

A problem occurred in a shop located in a remote alleyway.

He felt a stealthy Divine Sense mark on a few of the medicinal pills he had just bought.

“Customer. Why are you doing that?”

“…It is nothing.”

Being seen off by the shopkeeper who gave a friendly greeting, he came out to the alley, and from then on, gazes followed him.

‘Are there three?’

The realms of the pursuers were three early Golden Cores.

Just in case, he consumed Supreme Great Ability to amplify his senses, and it was certain. Faint malice was directed toward him.

‘How absurd.’

At a glance, they were robbers who coveted spirit stones.

To think that what they did after reaching the Golden Core stage was robbery. It was both pathetic and laughable.

Perhaps those Golden Core Sages had done numerous robberies since their Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment days.

Although things went well by luck and they reached Golden Core, to think they touched him of all people…

‘Indeed. This is originally what the cultivation world is.’

Even though he had not arrived in the Southern Province yet, a feeling of returning to his hometown overflowed.

Of course, it was a feeling he did not miss at all.

Forcibly suppressing the dry laugh that was about to come out, he maintained an expressionless face.

He extended his Divine Sense to estimate their combat power, but the opponents did not notice at all.

Although they seemed to be hiding in their own way, their locations were also clearly visible.

It meant that all three had weaker Divine Sense than Jin So-myeong.

‘They are worse than the Demon Kings.’

There was nothing more to see. After stopping by a few more shops, he left the city as is.

Because he was curious about how far the fellows would follow.

Indeed.

The robber fellows did not betray his expectations. As they grew distant from the city, they showed movements of trying to surround the area.

‘If you want to die that much.’

Jin So-myeong, who let out a sigh, summoned Limitless and let it seep into the Five Elements Sword.

Just when he was drawing his sword.

“Are you Yeo Dong-bin?”

Robbers… no, from the mouths of those whose identity as robbers had now become unclear, a truly unexpected name came out.