Chapter 93 – Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda

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Translated by Frog in the Well

Read it only at Novelbyu.com & Utoon.net
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Gathering information about the secret realm was not particularly difficult.

With a single high-grade spirit stone, anyone could be made kind.

“Secret realm? Ah, you must be speaking of the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda that descended upon the Dead Soul Wilderness.”

Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda.

It was a unique name for a secret realm, but it was suitable since it was actually in the shape of a stone pagoda.

Of course, only its outer appearance was a stone pagoda, and it was indeed a secret realm.

This stone pagoda grew infinitely larger the closer one approached, and it was a bizarre object that transferred one to another place at some point.

“I heard that the restriction surrounding the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda will open in three years. Is that correct?”

“Yes. It is certain since the formation masters judged it after seeing the restriction.”

“Then…”

After asking about the things he was curious about for a long time, he returned to the cave dwelling and organized the information he found out.

To summarize the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda in a single word, it was like this.

‘Dangerous but also has many treasures.’

From Rank 4 spiritual objects needed to challenge the Nascent Soul stage to various cultivation methods, and so on.

It was a place harboring such diverse treasures that finding what was not there would be faster.

‘It is worthy of Golden Cores swarming from all directions.’

Many bizarre phenomena also occurred in the secret realm, and if one was just lucky, their realm could rise overnight.

It was a place that a Golden Core who cultivated with the goal of Nascent Soul could not help but covet.

Of course, the most important thing was how dangerous it was.

The survival rate of the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda was about thirty to forty percent, which was quite high compared to the fact that one could obtain Rank 4 spiritual objects.

‘It is not bad.’

This secret realm was a fairly famous existence in the cultivation world. The more he looked into it, the more mysterious points there were.

The Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda did not exist only in this Eastern Province.

It also existed in incredibly far-away, nameless continents. A single secret realm was connected to multiple regions simultaneously.

Was that why?

If one entered the secret realm, the probability of colliding with strong experts from other regions was high.

This was because even if they failed an ambush, they were cultivators from completely different continents, so there was less worry about the consequences. Most of the casualties occurred here.

‘Is the most dangerous thing in the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda people… What is my current combat power around?’

Thinking it over carefully, a rough estimate came out.

Based on general cultivators, early Golden Core was easy, and mid Golden Core was not scary either.

From the late stage, it was hard to assert the outcome.

It seemed the victory or defeat would be decided based on whether he could land the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration.

‘As long as I am careful of late Golden Cores, it will not be greatly dangerous.’

Since Nascent Soul-grade experts avoided this secret realm considerably, he did not have to worry.

It is said that a great Dao is contained in the foundation where the Seven-Colored Treasure Pagoda exists in multiple regions simultaneously.

At the Golden Core level, they could not understand even if they looked, so there was no worry, but Nascent Soul was different.

‘It is said that if one makes a mistake, they might be possessed by the pagoda and become an idiot.’

Organizing what he had found out about the secret realm, he stroked his chin.

Should I go? Should I not go?

Honestly speaking, he was drawn to going.

This was because he had obtained tremendous benefits in the Red Cloud Secret Realm during his past Qi Condensation days. If he missed this opportunity, he felt he would regret it later.

If there was just one regrettable thing, it was that only three years remained to prepare.

‘If I had cultivated for just ten more years, I would have been able to face even late Golden Cores.’

Of course, he did not lament about the lack of time. In the first place, just having become 1st layer of Golden Core now was a miracle.

As much as he had always done his best, there were no regrets.

Therefore…

To not regret today someday, he had to do his best now as well.

‘Three years.’

What could be done in that time?

Jin So-myeong, who was contemplating, opened his status window after a long time.

【Jin So-myeong】

【Lifespan】 : 47 / 672

【Realm】 : Golden Core 1st layer

【Supreme Great Ability】 : 45,000 / 100,000

【Divine Ability】 :

【Cultivation Method】

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

Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art (Mastery 1,470,000 / 4,000,000)

Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art (Mastery 4,320,000 / 20,000,000)

【Spells】

Wind Control Art (Mastery 1,000 / 300,000)

River and Cloud Sword Art (Mastery 2,510,000 / 3,000,000)

Immortal-Severing Earth Art (Mastery 50,000 / 500,000)

Thousand Transformations Art (Proficiency 1,000 / 100,000)

Lightning Escape Art (Mastery 270,000 / 10,000,000)

Wind Transformation Body Force (Proficiency 1,000 / 2,000,000)

【Arts】

Rank 3 Spiritual Crop Art (Proficiency 1 / 1,000,000)

Rank 3 Elixir Refining Art (Initiation 30,000 / 2,000,000)

Scanning through the proficiency status, an estimate came out.

Having visible indicators definitely made it easy to grasp the situation.

‘First of all, there is no need to go to the Southern Province in a hurry.’

Judging coolly, the Young Master of the Thousand Corpses Sect was not worth taking risks at all.

Deciding to deal with that fellow later when an opportunity arose, he moved on to the most important cultivation plan.

First, 【Arts】.

There was no need to learn elixir refining art and spiritual crop art in a hurry.

Coming to the Rank 4 immortal city, the market grew immensely. Since most of the necessary resources could be bought with spirit stones, he did not have to refine elixirs himself.

‘I can learn them slowly just like now.’

For reference, Rank 3 Elixir Refining Art was learned separately just for the elixir refining part from the Taiyi Medicine King Scripture that he had obtained in the Red Cloud Secret Realm in the past.

‘Anyway, skipping the arts.’

The next thing to decide was where to use the Supreme Great Ability.

Originally, he planned to raise the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art to the stage after Mastery first.

This was because if the proficiency of his core cultivation method rose, his cultivation speed, combat power, and so on would evolve by one stage in all areas.

‘But there is not enough time.’

The time remaining until the secret realm was three years.

He needed to abruptly increase his combat power in a short period. It seemed he would have to use his Supreme Great Ability elsewhere.

Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art (Mastery 1,470,000 / 4,000,000)

The remaining proficiency was roughly 2,500,000.

Based on now, investing his Supreme Great Ability for two years would allow him to raise it to the stage after Mastery.

‘Will another powerful divine ability like the Light-Accumulating Destructive Vibration appear?’

If even a Nascent Soul-grade divine ability appeared, it would truly be the best. Of course, what would actually happen could only be known by going there when the time came.

Tap, tap.

Tapping the scabbard out of habit while agonizing, Jin So-myeong made a decision.

‘Let us concentrate on the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art for the time being.’

Somehow, he felt like he was gaining a benefit.

Could it be the feeling that the Supreme Great Ability cultivated on his behalf even if he stayed still? Of course, he had no intention of slacking off by trusting only in the Supreme Great Ability.

He must not miss out on the cultivation he performed directly either.

‘It would be nice if I could become Golden Core 2nd layer before the secret realm.’

Originally, he expected it to take five years to reach Golden Core 2nd layer. It meant he had to shorten it by two years.

What should he do to increase the cultivation speed?

The simplest method was to move his cave dwelling to a good place.

‘Was a Rank 3 mid-grade grotto the best place among the cave dwellings that can be rented with spirit stones?’

Since it came to mind, he did not delay. He moved immediately.

Going to Vast Wilderness Immortal City’s Deacon’s Office, he rented a Rank 3 mid-grade cave dwelling.

“Senior. The rent is one thousand high-grade spirit stones per year. And you must pay the deposit for ten years all at once.”

“I know.”

Since it was exactly what he had investigated for a few days, there was no need to ask back.

Following the guidance of the Foundation Establishment deacon, he flew through the sky.

‘It is far.’

Vast Wilderness Immortal City was incredibly wide. Walking or running made it hard to reach the location where the cave dwelling was.

To learn the city’s geography as well, had he flown for about an hour in matching speed with the Foundation Establishment deacon?

A huge mountain range appeared, so vast that it was hard to grasp where the end was.

“Senior. This is the cave dwelling concentration area. I will give you a map, so please be careful not to approach other people’s cave dwellings.”

“Hmm?”

“Formations are deployed in each cave dwelling, so there is no risk of accidentally entering, but occasionally there are sensitive people who get angry just because you came close.”

“I understand. I will be careful.”

Soon he was guided to a two-kilometer-high mountain, and this entire mountain was the cave dwelling Jin So-myeong rented.

After the Foundation Establishment deacon, who bowed politely, departed.

Jin So-myeong, who fully enjoyed the thick spiritual Qi, nodded his head.

‘A small-scale sect could settle down here.’

It was so wide that he felt sorry for using it alone. In particular, there was even a lake where spiritual fish lived halfway up the mountain, so he liked it even more.

Although the rent was somewhat expensive, the spiritual Qi was dense and it was quiet, making it good to cultivate.

After looking around here and there in the cave dwelling, he entered the residence at the mountain top—a three-story wooden house—and sat cross-legged.

‘Let us see how much faster my cultivation speed has become.’

He circulated the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art to accumulate spiritual power. He focused for a long time, forgetting even the flow of time.

Exhaling turbid Qi, he frowned.

‘It is slightly lacking.’

Although the speed of spiritual power accumulation became faster, it was ambiguous.

To definitely become Golden Core 2nd layer within three years, he had to increase the speed further.

‘Hmm…’

Pondering the solution, two methods came to mind.

First, raising the proficiency of the Immortal-Severing Earth Art to increase the dosage of medicinal pills.

It was a decent solution, but there were a few things that weighed on his mind.

Immortal-Severing Earth Art (Mastery 50,000 / 500,000)

He would have to use quite a lot of his Supreme Great Ability, and if the consumption of medicinal pills increased further than now, spirit stones would be lacking.

The spirit stones remaining after paying the cave dwelling rent and deposit were roughly twenty thousand.

It was by no means a small amount, but not to the extent of spending recklessly without thought.

‘If not the Immortal-Severing Earth Art… I could also grow the Secret Realm of the Mind.’

【Secret Realm of the Mind】

【Facilities】 : Rank 3 mid-grade spiritual vein, Rank 3 mid-grade spirit stone mine

【Resource Production】 : 40 high-grade spirit stones / 1 day

Strengthening the secret realm cleanly solved all problems.

The cultivation speed would naturally increase, and the spirit stones, which were slowly beginning to decrease, would also regain abundance.

Of course, this solution also had its own difficulties.

【The spirit stone mine has reached the limit of Rank 3 mid-grade.】

【To grow the mine to Rank 3 high-grade, 2,000 high-grade spirit stones are required.】

His meridians were the problem. Jin So-myeong’s current realm was Golden Core 1st layer.

There was no guarantee that he could bear a Rank 3 high-grade spiritual vein. His current meridian state was almost at its limit.

‘Does this mean that to raise the cultivation speed further in the current situation, I must temper my meridians?’

Fortunately, he knew the solution for this.

Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art – Water-Fire Meridian-Melting Chapter.

He just had to cultivate this secret method of tempering the meridians by colliding contrasting energies like fire and water.

‘Going round and round, it is the Five Viscera Hundred Tempering Art again.’

Stroking his chin, he headed toward the center of Vast Wilderness Immortal City, the market.

This was to find a spiritual object usable for tempering meridians.

After wandering around the market all day long, Jin So-myeong admired the place called Vast Wilderness Immortal City once again.

There truly were all kinds of items.

Since whatever was needed for cultivation could be easily obtained… he seemed to understand why Golden Core-grade existences swarmed here.

‘There are even things like this?’

Cold Ice Frozen Blood Pill.

It was a slightly unique cultivation-use medicinal pill, which was cheap compared to its efficacy but had the side effect of freezing the meridians and blood.

Ordinary rogue cultivators were not as leisurely as Jin So-myeong, so they occasionally consumed such medicinal pills while cultivating.

‘…It is not bad.’

Although it was a defective product he would not have normally spared a glance for, it seemed useful in his current situation.

The Water-Fire Meridian-Melting Chapter was a tempering method that damaged and recovered the meridians by colliding two contrasting energies.

The important point here was to balance the two contrasting energies, and as the effect of the medicinal pills was relatively uniform pill by pill, balancing was easy.

‘Since the Cold Ice Frozen Blood Pill is a pill biased toward the water attribute… I should also look for a fire-attribute medicinal pill.’

From this moment, his purpose became clear.

Medicinal pills with side effects. In particular, he selected and purchased pills that put a burden on the meridians.

The Heavenly Ice Black Water Pill, the Meridian-Sinking Pill, the Yellow Springs Earth Dragon Concoction, the True Fire Water Flame Pill, and so on…

Half water-attribute, half fire-attribute.

After purchasing small amounts of as many kinds of medicinal pills as possible, he returned to the cave dwelling.

He checked whether they were suitable for the Water-Fire Meridian-Melting Chapter while actually eating each medicinal pill.

‘The Meridian-Sinking Pill only decreases the flexibility of meridians, so it is not good… It is of no help.’

There were times he ate only one pill, and there were also times he consumed multiple pills simultaneously.

Experimenting while eating in various combinations for two months.

He finally discovered the optimal combination for cultivating the Water-Fire Meridian-Melting Chapter.

‘The Cold Ice Frozen Blood Pill and the Yellow Springs Earth Dragon Concoction. The effect is good when eating these two simultaneously.’

Freezing and burning, the two side effects were perfect for cultivating the Water-Fire Meridian-Melting Chapter.

After this day.

Jin So-myeong’s cultivation ran regularly.

First, he consumed the Cold Ice Frozen Blood Pill and the Yellow Springs Earth Dragon Concoction simultaneously.

He tempered his meridians amidst the side effects that would have ruptured the meridians strand by strand and killed an ordinary person.

Thereafter, he operated the Heavenly Thunder Dao Body Art to convert the medicinal efficacy into spiritual power.

Although it had side effects, it was originally a cultivation-use medicinal pill. Naturally, it also helped in cultivation.

It was quite painful, but somewhat bearable.

Half a year flowed by amidst such days.

Around the time when his meridians no longer became damaged even when eating the two pills simultaneously.

‘This is enough.’

The moment he felt certain that he could strengthen the Secret Realm of the Mind.

Without hesitating, he immediately poured in spirit stones.