Ever since the Heavenly Martial Divine Demon (天武神魔) Kim Young-hoon created the Divine Demon Secrets (神魔訣), a method to confuse the consciousness of cultivators by martial artists beyond the pinnacle stage spread throughout the martial world.
Initially, this secret martial art slowly spread among the high-ranking elders of major martial factions.
However, after the news spread in the cultivator world that Heavenly Martial Divine Demon Kim Young-hoon had fought on equal footing with Cheongmun Ryeong, a core member of the Pure Friends Alliance, and even mortals caught wind of it.
The Divine Demon Secrets, reputedly created by him, spread throughout the martial world.
There was also a theory that initially, Kim Young-hoon had spread the secret technique far and wide by assigning masters in various places.
Thereafter, cultivators at the Qi Refining stage, who governed mortals, could no longer underestimate martial artists.
A slight mistake could lead to nobles or royals being decapitated by a highly skilled martial artist.
The higher stage cultivators were less concerned.
Even if the martial artists got a bit stronger, those capable of executing broad-scale destructive spells had little to worry about.However, it was different for cultivators below the mid Qi Refining stage.
They were crucial in ruling over the mortals.
Now aware that the mortals they had treated as 'livestock' could retaliate, they could no longer afford to be arrogant.
Therefore, Jin Wei-yeon, a cultivator at the 6th star of Qi Refining, also tensed up as she faced the man before her.
'He's definitely a master of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit... and he must have mastered the Heavenly Martial Divine Demon's Divine Demon Secrets, as well. A typical Qi Refining 6th star cultivator would've been helpless, but...'
She is confident.
She has brought a high-level magic artifact that could be used by someone at or above the 12th star of Qi Refining.
Although it consumes quite a bit more spiritual power, she has enough spirit stones to replenish her spiritual energy, so she believes she has a good chance of winning.
'I will win!'
She lifts a red fly whisk embossed with a lion's head and activates her spell.
"Depart (離), Ten Suns (十陽)!"
Huarururu!
Ten fireballs burst forth from the artifact, engulfing the man.
Jang Hyuk, an external member of the Jin Clan, forms a hand seal and assists Jin Wei-yeon.
'This is my chance. If I make a good impression on the lady, I don't know about the main Jin family, but my position in the imperial palace could rise! I could secure the position of the department head by impressing her!'
Boom!
A battle ensues within the depths of the astronomy department.
The two cultivators fight fiercely against the sinister martial artist who had infiltrated the department.
Finally, Jang Hyuk and Jin Wei-yeon manage to defeat the martial artist.
"We won! Haha, my bottleneck was cleared during the battle, creating a perfect foundation for advancing to the 7th Star of Qi Refining!"
Jin Wei-yeon is thrilled with the fortuitous breakthrough that occurred during the battle.
"Well done, Jang Hyuk! I will speak to the elders at the Qi Building stage about you! Not just the head of the astronomy department, with your loyalty and ability, you could possibly even obtain the position of minister of ceremonial rites!"
Jang Hyuk is overjoyed by her words.
"Thank you! Thank you, miss!"
It all feels like a dream.
"7th star Qi Refining… right before my eyes…"
"The elder… has acknowledged me…"
I watch as the children blissfully snore away in front of me.
'Seeing such youngsters after a long time, they're quite adorable.'
Even the weakest disciples of the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect are at the 11th star of Qi Refining.
Those were the ones who had been dragged from the Bright Cold Realm immediately upon entering the sect.
Originally, among the disciples from the Head Realm, none had failed to reach the Qi Building stage.
To me, someone who hasn't surpassed the Qi Refining 7th Star is a first since Jeon Myeong-hoon.
'It's quite refreshing… Qi Refining 6th Star, eh.'
I take a deep breath and remove the sleep-inducing spell that fills the astronomy department.
"Sweet dreams, you cute little things."
I lean over and scratch the belly of the old man lying sprawled out, who chuckles as if he is having a pleasant dream.
Wo-woong!
My spiritual energy naturally envelops him, melting away the impurities within his body. It's likely that he won't suffer from minor illnesses for the rest of his life after this.
As I glance at the 6th star Qi Refining cultivator, the perfect foundation for advancing to the 7th star Qi Refining stage is inadvertently established within her.
"Grow well and strong."
Thinking that sticking around might attract more annoying folks, I pack all the astronomical data into my storage scroll and split space to step outside the royal palace.
'I should just go to a nearby guesthouse and read.'
It seems like a more comfortable option for uninterrupted reading.
The food from the Lower Realm I tasted after a long time was quite delicious.
'Thinking about it, I barely remember eating since reaching the Core Formation stage.'
After attaining the Nascent Soul stage, I hadn't even drunk water.
My vitality is fundamentally different from mortals, so I can sustain myself without food.
"Waiter, bring me another bowl of noodles."
"Yes, my lord!"
After quickly finishing a bowl of noodles, I begin reading the astronomical data.
'Let's see... first, the astronomical traces from the last 500 years... I'll read the flows of the sun, moon, and stars…'
I begin to apply spells to the traces I read through.
'If I integrate the flow of the Seventy-Two Earthly Sha True Words and the Thirty-Six Heavenly Gang Method Decrees into astronomy, and continue moving up to the Twelve Earthly Branches and the 10 Heavenly Stems Diagram…'
I float a small stream of spiritual energy in the air and begin to manifest basic spells according to the flow of celestial phenomena.
Soon after, I can see the clusters of spiritual energy before me taking on a shape.
'Eh? It's taking on a form?'
I didn't expect to see results so quickly, so I look closely at the form.
One of the martial artists at another table suddenly sent chopsticks flying at another, challenging him to a duel to the death, turning the guesthouse into a battlefield.
I focus on the form without much concern for the surrounding chaos.
It's a small, cone-like shape.
'A reversed triangle? An inverted cone? What is this?'
But as I try to observe more details of the cone, it disperses into nothingness.
'Is it some kind of symbol? But an inverted triangle seems too simple to be a symbol. No, it scattered as soon as I tried to observe it more closely, so I might need to examine it more later.'
One of the dueling martial artists announces himself as a master of Three Flowers Gather at the Summit, and his opponent reveals themself to be the same.
'Shall I recreate it?'
Intent becomes disturbed and the fighting martial artists' weapons fill with Gang Qi, striking me several times.
I scratch the hit area and then move the spells before me to recreate the shape.
'Hmm!'
As I attempt to observe the shape again, it just disperses and vanishes.
'Hmm... It seems difficult to observe with my current consciousness. Perhaps it will be easier if my consciousness grows a bit more. And... I need more data observing the flow of celestial phenomena and astronomical observations from the Head Realm. It might be inaccurate since it's only generated with data from Yanguo…'
Finally, the chaotic dueling and bleeding martial artists fly in opposite directions, forming a blood brother pact before leaving the guesthouse.
Finishing my thoughts, I decide to eat another bowl of noodles before scattering the clusters of spiritual energy in front of me.
'Data for Shengzi should be most accurate from the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, and I need to visit Byeokra and the Northern Plains as well. It's also worth visiting the East.'
It shouldn't take long.
"Waiter, are the noodles ready?"
Then, I find the waiter trembling under a nearby table.
The whole guesthouse looks as if a storm had passed through.
"Ah, thank you for saving me, sir guest. Those monsters saw that you didn't react at all despite getting hit a few times, realized you were a great master, and got scared. They pretended to make peace and left."
"Eh? Did something hit me?"
"The noodles are on the house."
"Thank you."
After getting the noodles for free in the guesthouse, I restored the ruined place with a wood attribute spell as a gesture of gratitude and then left.
'I was so focused that I didn't even notice such an event happening right in front of me.'
It's strange.
The cone, though faint, seems to possess a bizarre charm capable of enchanting people.
'I feel even more compelled to investigate it.'
What exactly had Cheongmun Ryeong seen?
A minimum clue is necessary.
"Is this... the Head Realm?"
Jeon Myeong-hoon, sitting with Jin Hae-min in the Golden Thunder Hall, lets out a sigh.
"Excuse me? Did you say something, Grand Elder?"
"Never mind. Have the next one come in."
"Yes, next up is an envoy from the Gongmyo Clan of Byeokra."
"Byeokra...?"
"It's the country beyond Yanguo, located next to the Shengzi."
"So, literally the next-next door neighbor. Who is the envoy?"
Jin Hae-min reads from the list.
"The Gongmyo Clan... Oh, I know this person. It's Gongmyo Hee, the son of Gongmyo Cheon-saek, one of the Three Greats of Qi Building. He has excellent qualities and has diligently studied under Gongmyo Cheon-saek to become a grand elder at the Core Formation stage."
"...Three Greats of Qi Building? A grand elder at the Core Formation stage? But, the name Gongmyo Hee sounds feminine."
"The Three Greats of Qi Building... Ah, it's tiresome to explain. Please read this material later. The reason why he's a grand elder at the Core Formation stage is because all the cultivators from the Head Realm who were at or above the Nascent Soul stage ascended during the last great ascension."
"I see."
"And the reason Gongmyo Hee's name sounds feminine is..."
Jeon Myeong-hoon has a headache.
This newly settled place called the Head Realm.
The original disciples from the Head Realm, though regretting leaving the Bright Cold Realm, like it, but for those originally from the Bright Cold Realm, this place is virtually a remote backcountry.
The spiritual energy that had been so naturally abundant in the Bright Cold Realm is extremely sparse in the Head Realm.
Resources are scarce there, and the world is smaller.
Moreover, for them, it was as if they had fallen and separated from the Bright Cold Realm where their families are located to the Head Realm, not for some grand cause like ascension, but for other reasons.
And Jeon Myeong-hoon feels similarly.
Though he was originally from those who ascended, he had only ever set foot in the lands of the Bright Cold Realm, not even a square meter of the Head Realm.
Everything is too unfamiliar.
But among all, there is something that drives him almost mad.
'What are they doing now?'
Jeon Myeong-hoon watches Gongmyo Hee introduce himself before him with his vast domain of consciousness at the Heavenly Being stage, while down below at Thunder Cloud Peak where the Golden Thunder Hall is located.
There, the Qi Refining cultivators are 'trading'.
"This time, this is nail dust I obtained from the grand elders after much hardship. It's from the last time they were clipped, taken to the apothecary to be finely ground. This is from Grand Elder Jeon, and this is from Grand Elder Seo."
"From the bodies of Heavenly Being stage Grand Cultivators…!"
"First, the Grand Elder Jeon solely focused on the Lightning Path Method, so the power related to that method lingers in this dust. And Grand Elder Seo, having mastered countless techniques beyond the Lightning Path Method, his dust particularly can be used in all respects."
"It's in good condition and has decent spiritual energy. Forty spirit stones for the medicinal materials."
"No, what are you saying? You're pricing the physical remains of Heavenly Being cultivators for just that?"
Listening to this is dizzying.
Jeon Myeong-hoon is about to issue an order when he recognizes the face of the disciple trading their nail dust—it's one who had lost his dual cultivation partner in the last Lightning Calamity.
'This is crazy. Should I scold them for stealing and selling nails, or should I pretend not to know?'
And it isn't just this.
When he finished his administrative duties and toured Shengzi, his consciousness picked up countless cultivator black markets.
And recently in Shengzi, 'elixirs made from parts of Heavenly Being stage cultivators' were popular.
Naturally, these elixirs were made from Jeon Myeong-hoon and Seo Eun-hyun's nails, hair, saliva, etc.
He wondered whether to rip their heads off for making him feel disgusted, but seeing the disciples slowly recovering from the nightmare of the Lightning Calamity with broad smiles as they sold the elixirs made him think he perhaps should just let them be.
'Did they say Heavenly Being stage cultivators are akin to gods to the people of the Head Realm?'
In that context, they are trading divine bodies (神體).
'Spiritual energy is scarce in the Head Realm, so... maybe that's justifiable?'
But no matter how much he ponders, it feels wrong.
However, seeing their smiling faces caught in his consciousness makes it hard to reprimand them.
'...Well, if that's the case, I should at least tell them to stop trading my parts externally.'
Jeon Myeong-hoon makes up his mind.
'I'll only allow Seo Eun-hyun's parts to be distributed externally.'
"...Furthermore, our Gongmyo Clan has made significant advancements in pill-refining through research conducted with the Jo Clan relics obtained in collaboration with the Buk..."
Before he knew it, Gongmyo Hee's introduction of his clan is coming to an end.
"We also dispatched experts when constructing the Buk Hyang Fleet, and have obtained the technology related to the 'Buk Hyang Fleet.' In short, our clan is capable of manufacturing Buk Hyang Fleet that traverses dimensions, if you wish."
'Buk Hyang Fleet... Was the creator named Buk Hyang-hwa? It has a funny name, just like General Seo.'
"Excellent. Technology that traverses dimensions is essential if aiming for ascension, so I'll definitely keep that in mind."
Jeon Myeong-hoon nods and sends Gongmyo Hee off.
'The name might be funny, but from what Jin Hae-min explained, they can recreate the divine object of the Black Ghost Valley…To be able to create something at the level of a divine artifact of the Human Race's Six Great Sects, I need to remember them.'
Whenever I had time, I would stop by the Jin Clan's territory and sweep through it with my consciousness.
Most of my disciples had aged and died, but their descendants were alive.
After confirming this, I intended to fly over to Byeokra.
That was when it happened.
[Master.]
"Hmm? Hong Fan?"
Hearing a spiritual message from inside the storage scroll, I reach inside to pull out the jade orb in which Hong Fan was sealed.
After the calamity had passed, Hong Fan said he would try to escape on his own, so I left him be. It seems he had finished interpreting the seal.
"Is it all done?"
[Yes, I am ready to come out.]
"Alright."
I lift the jade orb.
Shortly after, cracks form on the surface of the orb, and dark poison begins to seep out.
[Since the seal was carefully set by the Golden Divine Heavenly Thunder Sect, it will take some time to exit. I apologize, but could you wait a bit longer?]
"Of course."
I settle nearby, setting up a protective formation and placing down the orb containing Hong Fan.
'The poison is getting stronger...'
Even while sealed, Hong Fan seems to have continued his research on poisons, as his art of poison has become even denser inside.
"You've become much stronger."
[Yes. While trying to dissolve the seal using only poison, I've recently glimpsed a new realm of poison arts.]
"A new realm in poison arts is..."
I ask, startled.
"Formless Poison (無形之毒)!?"
[Yes.]
Having once been a practitioner of poison arts myself, I am aware of this realm.
After entering the cultivation world, I had even looked it up once out of curiosity.
A dream poison that exists above all others, capable of poisoning anyone below the Integration stage regardless of their cultivation realm!
But in the world of poison arts, it had been so legendary that it was treated merely as a fantasy, yet Hong Fan had gained insight into it.
[It's not complete yet, and it will take quite some time.]
"Well, that's fine. I can wait.
According to some theories, Formless Poison is said to have a certain relationship with the Netherworld.
Whether that's true or not, I sit there happy for Hong Fan's achievement.
Sssss...
'Is the formation melting from Hong Fan's poison...?'
I sit watching the formation while keeping an eye on Hong Fan.
About half a day passes when it happens.
Kuaaang!
Suddenly, a powerful magic artifact strikes the formation from outside. It seems to be not so much an attack but for some other purpose.
'Hmm, cultivators? But how did these guys find this formation? There must be some trick to it.'
A large number of them had gathered.
[Please come out from within that formation.]
Puzzled by the booming spiritual message, I look outside.
[The head of the Jin Clan is looking for you. Please come out and cooperate.]
I look at them and laugh heartily.
"Sorry, kids. I have some things to do here, so that might be difficult."
My calm response makes the situation awkward for the cultivator who had spoken.
[Um, it appears you are a senior from the Core Formation stage, but... no matter what, the place you are sitting on belongs to the Jin Clan. If you do not cooperate, no matter how much of a senior you are at the Core Formation stage, we may have to use force.]
"Force?"
[It may sound presumptuous, but even if you are a senior at the Core Formation stage, it would be difficult for you to disregard this many Qi Building stage elders. Please accept our invitation.]
They bow politely.
I smile faintly, looking out at the Qi Building cultivators who are surrounding me.
About 500 Qi Building cultivators have gathered.
Translator Notes: 72 Earthly Sha True Words and the 36 Heavenly Gang Method Decrees are a reference to the Ursa Major in Daoism with the 72 Earthly Stars and 36 Heavenly Stars.
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