Chapter 99
Translator: T_Fan
Lee Hyun slowly opened his hand.
Blackened ash flaked from the back of his throbbing hand, revealing unblemished skin beneath.
‘…So this is what the Leakless Golden Body can do!’
But there was no time to celebrate.
Three Nascent Soul-level monsters still remained above him, including the two who had helped him.
Outwardly, Lee Hyun calmly shook out his fist. Inwardly, he swiftly examined his newly acquired body from head to toe.
‘My entire body really has become a golden core.’
His true essence, having undergone a qualitative transformation, had already become clear, refined magical power that filled every part of his body.
The quality of that magical power was at the level of an early Golden Core cultivator. But its production and storage were not confined to his lower dantian alone.
His flesh and bones, his internal organs, even his skin—his entire body was absorbing heaven-and-earth spiritual qi and nurturing magical power within the single continuous golden core it had become!
A surge of exhilaration rose from deep within him at the realization that the body he had only ever seen in ancient records had finally become his own.
That was when it happened.
BOOM!
A silver figure burst upward through the white spray.
It was Yan Baishou.
The armor, deeply dented over his chest, rippled back into its original shape.
“Cough!”
Fresh blood ran between the fingers covering his mouth.
‘Damn…’
The moment that fist struck him, tremendous force drove through his armor and shook his internal organs. If he had not instinctively drawn up his magical power to protect his body, he would have been badly injured.
His gaze fell on the young man still standing in the crater.
‘What bloodline is he from? How can a Tier-4 demon beast that only just completed its human-form transformation be this strong?’
Nie Xingya’s voice transmission reached him just then.
[We should withdraw.]
Yan Baishou frowned. The three jade gui tablets circling Nie Xingya had all gone dim.
[We know nothing about that guy’s origins. If we press this any further, we’ll truly be staking our lives on it.]
It was now the two of them against three great demons. Nie Xingya had a point.
When Yan Baishou lowered his bloodstained hand, the silver liquid scattered across the sea and between the reefs stretched into fine threads and streamed into his sleeve.
Seeing this, Tan Yue bared his fangs and sent the seawater beneath his feet surging upward.
“And where do you think you’re going?”
But before he could throw himself forward, Master Hu stopped him with a glance toward the crater.
“Tan Yue. Let them go.”
Tan Yue looked between Yan Baishou and Nie Xingya before dispersing the waves beneath his feet with a displeased expression. Driving away Nascent Soul cultivators was one thing. Taking their lives was another. Who knew what tricks those scheming old monsters of the human race might hide in secret arts they were willing to stake their lives on?
A moment later, the two human cultivators turned into streaks of light and swept through the sky side by side.
Only long after the two trails of light had vanished beyond the horizon did Lee Hyun finally let out an inward sigh of relief.
…
Lee Hyun lightly clenched his fist and reconsidered what had just happened.
‘Was that just the residual force erupting?’
It had been similar to opening the lid of a pill furnace immediately after completing a Golden Core Condensing Pill. The instant the energy throughout his body had condensed, the lingering force that had yet to settle had erupted all at once through his fist. It certainly felt different from clenching his fist now.
Even if his total magical power was fifty times that of an ordinary early Golden Core cultivator, and even if he had obtained the Leakless Golden Body, he could not underestimate Nascent Soul cultivators based solely on what had just happened.
‘Stay humble. Don’t let my guard down.’
If his opponent had not approached because he wanted Lee Hyun’s corpse intact, but had instead bombarded him with techniques from a distance or used a secret art targeting his primordial spirit, there was no telling whether the outcome would have been the same.
Just then, two people descended from the rim of the crater.
One was an elderly scholar with white, pointed ears. The other was a massive man nearly nine chi (about 3 m) tall.
They were even more intimidating up close.
Back when Lee Hyun had been at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, he would have struggled even to meet the eyes of experts like these.
Master Hu took a pair of green jade spectacles from his sleeve and put them on. Beside him stood Tan Yue, faint hexagonal armor plates still visible around his thick neck. Lee Hyun immediately bowed to them both.
“Thank you both for coming to my aid.”
“How is your body?”
Master Hu’s gaze swept over Lee Hyun’s shoulders and chest.
A look of admiration entered his eyes as he studied the golden demon markings flowing beneath Lee Hyun’s skin. The qi and blood visible on the surface were terrifyingly vigorous.
Strangely, however, the demon power within him was difficult to perceive clearly. Perhaps because the golden boundary running through his skin and flesh enveloped the fluctuations within, it was difficult to distinguish where his demon power arose and where it gathered.
‘What a strange bloodline.’
“I have no trouble moving.”
“Well, of course you don’t! Not after sending a Nascent Soul cultivator of the human race flying like that. Did you see the look on that bastard’s face?”
As Tan Yue laughed heartily, Lee Hyun pulled a fresh long robe from his storage pouch, shook off the charred remnants of his clothing, and put it on. He took care not to put too much strength into his fingertips as he tied the sash.
When he looked toward the bottom of the crater, he spotted jade caskets scattered among the wreckage.
‘…! I need to hide those, fast.’
He had no idea how they would react if they discovered what ingredients had gone into the Golden Core Condensing Pill. Lee Hyun swept his sleeve, and the jade caskets, half-burned Spirit-Sealing Talismans, and fragments of magic tools were instantly drawn into his storage pouch.
Master Hu spoke.
“Do you have a name?”
“My name is Li Dongwu.”
He had come up with the name without much thought.
After abandoning the identity of Li Dongsi at Baoguang Temple, he had used an entirely different surname and given name. After all, it would be suspicious if Li Dongwu and Li Dongliu appeared one after another at the same Lotus Court.
So this was the first time he had ever used the name Li Dongwu.
“Li Dongwu… What clan are you descended from?”
Here it comes!
Lee Hyun chose his words carefully.
“I lived alone for a long time in the lands of the human race. There was no one who could tell me anything about my roots.”
Master Hu exchanged a glance with Tan Yue.
To think a Junior with such an extraordinary body did not even know his own bloodline.
Still, such cases were not particularly rare among the descendants of clans scattered beyond Cangmang Forest.
If their parents died early, or disappeared while leaving behind young who had yet to awaken their intelligence, they could spend thousands of years in the wilderness without ever learning who their ancestors were.
“Then have you cultivated alone all this time?”
“For the most part.”
“Can you read the writing of the human race as well?”
“Yes. I have no trouble reading or writing it.”
“Oh! Then you must have read cultivation manuals and technique manuals of the human race as well?”
Master Hu visibly brightened as he asked, and Lee Hyun nodded.
“Yes.”
“That is welcome news!”
Tan Yue laughed beside them.
“You’ve finally found a Junior you can actually talk to, Master.”
Master Hu nodded with a satisfied expression.
As Lee Hyun listened to them, he quietly activated the Spirit-Concealing Art and Aura-Concealing Art. His outward presence faded, but fierce demonic qi continued to seep from his chest, back, arms, and legs beneath his long robe.
‘Damn… Can’t I conceal this aura?’
When refining the Golden Core Condensing Pill, he had thoroughly removed the demon beasts’ impure qi and toxins. But he had been unable to eliminate the structure of the concentrated demon power used to condense his true essence.
For an ordinary cultivator, the demon markings would have remained on the golden core inside the dantian. In Lee Hyun’s case, they spread through the flesh of his entire body and along the core shell running through his skin, each giving off its own presence.
When Lee Hyun tried to sink the demon markings deeper beneath his skin, golden patterns flared across the nape of his neck before stopping.
Tan Yue saw it and stepped closer.
“Whoa, don’t rush.”
“What do you mean…?”
“Your newly transformed body is overflowing with energy. If you try to force it down right away, you could damage your bloodline.”
Master Hu nodded as well.
“You need to be careful until the energy settles completely. For now, let us head to Cangmang Forest.”
“Am I allowed to enter Cangmang Forest?”
“We can hardly remain here. Those two from earlier might return with more old monsters of the human race.”
“I have another place where I was staying….”
“If you have belongings to collect, you can always return for them later.”
Tan Yue picked up the conversation.
“What would become of my reputation if word got around that I left a Junior who had just completed his human-form transformation alone at sea in this state? Come, let’s go. I’ll take you as far as the coast.”
Before Lee Hyun could say anything else, Tan Yue threw himself into the sea.
Splash!
A massive shadow swelled beneath the blue waves. A moment later, the island-like carapace of the Dark-Armored Sea Turtle’s true body pushed above the surface.
“Climb aboard!”
Lee Hyun considered it for a moment.
On one side, a Nascent Soul-level sea turtle was offering him its back. On the other, a Nascent Soul-level fox was waiting for him.
Anyone could see that they were sincerely trying to look after their Junior.
Without their intervention, he might have died before completing Core Formation. Besides, returning to the lands of the human race while radiating this much demonic qi was hardly a good option.
He had already put Tunnel No. 3 in order before leaving, so nothing disastrous should happen even if he could not return for about three years.
Lee Hyun slowly bowed his head.
“Then I’ll accept your hospitality for a while.”
“Good choice.”
…
The enormous carapace cut through the sea.
Master Hu placed a small table on top of it, took out a tea set, and deftly measured out tea leaves as he spoke.
“This is something called spirit tea that I obtained from the storage pouch of a Golden Core cultivator of the human race. Any civilized being ought to drink tea! It is important to calm both body and mind after a human-form transformation, so have a cup.”
“Thank you.”
The moment Lee Hyun accepted the teacup, there was a faint crack, and a hairline fracture appeared where his fingers touched it. Master Hu stared at it for a moment before taking out another cup.
“It’s fine. When I first completed my human-form transformation, I broke things every time I tried to pick them up.”
After concentrating carefully, Lee Hyun managed to hold the second cup without incident.
He drank, and a faint fragrance lingered as the tea passed down his throat.
Master Hu looked pleased to see Lee Hyun drinking tea quite naturally, much like a human.
“If you lived in the lands of the human race, I suppose you know little about Cangmang Forest.”
“Yes.”
“What the human race knows of Cangmang Forest is mostly limited to its eastern outskirts. Its true size is beyond imagination. Its lands stretch more than a million li (about 392,000 km) to the west and north.”
‘A million li!?’
“Is all of it forest?”
“There are forests, but there are also lakes vast as seas, and swamps where the poison mist never clears throughout the entire year. There are volcanoes, plateaus, and mountain ranges covered in ice as well.”
Master Hu took a sip of tea and continued.
“Various clans and great demons divide those mountains and waters among themselves and rule them. That is the region we call the Cangmang Demon Realm. The place we’re heading to now is only its southeastern corner.”
“Does each clan have its own territory?”
“Indeed. Even within the same forest, one cannot simply settle wherever one pleases. Think of how the human race recognizes ownership of Mountain Gates and spirit veins.”
“Then is it truly all right for an outsider like me to enter?”
“Who would stop a guest I am bringing with me? If you decide to settle there, you can formally notify your neighbors then.”
Master Hu smiled and added,
“There are more than ten Tier-4 fellow practitioners who regularly come and go around Lulin Pavilion. If you include those we exchange letters with from across Cangmang Forest, there are more than a hundred. You will have many people to greet in the future.”
‘More than a hundred?’
Lee Hyun struggled to keep his expression unchanged.
More than a hundred Nascent Soul-level beings? As far as he knew, even gathering every Nascent Soul cultivator in the Nine Kingdoms of Yunzhou would only amount to roughly half that number.
And Master Hu was not finished.
“Deeper within the forest, there are even Demon Lords who have reached Tier 5.”
“……Tier 5? Don’t tell me…”
“It corresponds to what the human race calls the Spirit Transformation realm.”
Master Hu nodded as though it were nothing remarkable.
“They rarely leave their own residences, but having lived for so long, they know a great deal. One of them may even be able to tell us something about your bloodline.”
Lee Hyun felt the back of his neck go cold.
Just what kind of being was a Spirit Transformation cultivator?
He had heard that such experts existed in the distant Qianyuan Empire. But at least within the Nine Kingdoms of Yunzhou, it was a realm whose very existence was uncertain.
It was already enough to send cold sweat down his back knowing he was deceiving members of the demon race at the Nascent Soul level. And now he was supposed to stand before a Spirit Transformation expert and ask them to examine his body?
“If the opportunity ever arises someday…….”
Lee Hyun trailed off. Master Hu looked startled when he noticed golden patterns emerging across the back of Lee Hyun’s hand.
‘Could it be…?’
The moment he mentioned Tier-5 Demon Lords, the young man’s gaze hardened, the veins on the back of his hand bulged, and the energy of his bloodline began to surge…
‘Just hearing that there are stronger opponents has already made him eager for a fight?’
Master Hu remembered the sight of Lee Hyun sending Yan Baishou flying. It was said that some of the mighty bloodlines from ancient times were unusually fond of battle.
Even if they understood proper conduct in their heads, the demonic nature ingrained in their bodies did not always obey. If this Junior was one of those types… bringing him before a Demon Lord would inevitably lead to trouble!
Master Hu hurriedly sent a mental intent toward Tan Yue. Laughter came from beneath the carapace.
“Hoho! There is no need to greet a Demon Lord right away, is there? Junior, once we reach the coast, would you care for a little exercise with me?”
“Pardon?”
“We’ve almost reached the coast anyway. There’s a nice flat rock over there.”
‘…?’
A short while later, the three stepped onto land.
“The rules are simple.”
Having returned to human form, Tan Yue dropped onto a flat rock.
“We brace our feet against each other, clasp hands, and pull. Whoever’s backside leaves the ground loses. No other divine abilities. Let us compete using only the strength of our bodies.”
Master Hu chimed in.
“Fellow Daoist Tan has a sturdy body, so there is nothing to worry about.”
Lee Hyun looked from one to the other.
‘Only physical strength?’
If they were not using techniques or magical power and were competing purely through physical strength, this was a good opportunity to see just how much his body had changed. He slowly sat across from Tan Yue, pressed the soles of his feet against the other man’s, and clasped right hands. Tan Yue’s grip felt like an enormous pair of iron pincers.
“Then let us begin.”
Lee Hyun gradually put strength into their clasped hands.
Crack!
Tan Yue’s shoulder was pulled forward, and the smile vanished from his face.
‘Huh?’
Tan Yue hurriedly tensed the muscles in his lower back.
Hummm!
This time, Lee Hyun’s upper body tilted slightly forward.
‘Damn!’
Lee Hyun gritted his teeth.
As expected of a Nascent Soul-level demon beast!
Tan Yue’s grip tightened further.
‘So he’s saying it’s fine to use this much strength?’
Lee Hyun planted his feet firmly and drew out a little more power. Golden light spread from his wrist toward his elbow, and intricate demon markings appeared between the folds of his robe collar.
Tan Yue’s eyes widened.
‘What kind of brute is this?’
The Junior was pulling as though he intended to rip Tan Yue’s hand clean off. If Tan Yue had been an ordinary member of the demon race, his body would already have been torn apart!
If he got dragged across the rock after being the Senior who had offered to help the Junior loosen up, he would never live it down.
Tan Yue’s neck thickened, armor-plate patterns appeared across both shoulders, and a harsh cracking sound came from the rock beneath him.
Lee Hyun swallowed a curse.
The giant in front of him had said this was only a quick warm-up, yet now he was baring his fangs as though he might swallow Lee Hyun whole.
Hummmmmm―
The spiritual qi along the shore slowly converged toward the two of them.
Golden skin and dark blue-black armor plates gleamed with contrasting lusters as they faced off. Their clasped hands remained perfectly motionless at a single point in midair. Instead, the rock beneath them began to split.
Craaack!
Master Hu’s expression turned serious as he watched through his jade spectacles. At first, it had looked like harmless bonding between the two, but the atmosphere was becoming increasingly dangerous. Tan Yue was renowned for his raw strength, yet this Junior who had only just completed his human-form transformation was not budging in the slightest!
Meanwhile, the cracks in the rock deepened.
Cr-r-rack!
Tan Yue gritted his teeth inwardly.
‘Why won’t this crazy bastard of a Junior stop?’
Lee Hyun was thinking the same thing.
‘How long is this damn turtle planning to keep going?!’
Their arms and shoulders had gone rigid from resisting each other’s strength. If either one suddenly relaxed, the other would go tumbling backward.
At that moment, Master Hu thrust a hand between them.
“Enough! He only just came through a heavenly tribulation! Fellow Daoist Tan, you said you wanted to look after our Junior. What are you doing?”
Tan Yue spoke with obvious relief.
“R-Right. I got a little carried away.”
“Both of you, ease off slowly.”
Lee Hyun nodded as though he had been waiting for those very words.
“Yes, Senior.”
Their clasped hands separated, and silence hung between them for a moment. Then Tan Yue was the first to burst into hearty laughter.
“Now that’s strength! Excellent strength!”
He discreetly hid his throbbing right hand behind his back.
…
Tan Yue decided to part ways with them at the coast.
“I need to spend a little longer looking around the southern islands. I still have to finish investigating the waters where demon beasts have disappeared.”
Master Hu nodded.
“I’ll leave it to you.”
Tan Yue turned to Lee Hyun.
“Master Hu knows far more about Cangmang Forest than I do, so listen to him. Next time we meet, let’s have another contest.”
“I won’t forget what you did for me today.”
“Hoho! What a courteous Junior.”
Once the Dark-Armored Sea Turtle disappeared beneath the water, Master Hu, who remained on the coast, spread his sleeve and wrapped them both in a soft glow for the flight.
“Let us go.”
…
Enormous trees with thick roots sunk deep into the seawater stretched endlessly along the coast.
Dark blue-black stone pillars stood between them. Characters carved into their surfaces glimmered faintly.
They were prohibition markers declaring the territory of the demon race of Cangmang Forest.
At the entrances to waterways winding between the tree roots, members of the demon race stood guard with crude spears.
As soon as Master Hu descended in a glow of light, they immediately bowed in greeting.
“Greetings, Master Hu!”
“He is my guest. He will be accompanying me to Lulin Pavilion, so bear that in mind.”
The guards turned their attention to Lee Hyun.
At first, they seemed to wonder whether Master Hu had brought someone from the human race. But the moment they sensed the ferocious demonic qi pouring from Lee Hyun, they immediately bowed their heads.
“Greetings, Senior!”
Lee Hyun nodded.
Once they passed beyond the prohibition markers, the sea wind subsided and the smell of damp earth and grass grew thick.
After following the waterways for a while, they began to see lights among giant trees rising dozens to hundreds of zhang (roughly 100 m to over a kilometer).
Houses sat atop branches so thick that several people holding hands could not have encircled them, and vine bridges stretched from tree to tree.
High overhead, enormous birds lowered bundles tied to their legs, while broad-backed demon beasts moved through the waterways below carrying loads of cargo.
On the ground, beside a huge beast laden with baggage, a small weasel standing on two legs scrutinized a wooden tablet and appeared to be arguing over something.
The sounds of wood being struck, beasts crying out, and voices chattering blended together from somewhere nearby.
Master Hu spoke beside him.
“This is where those traveling to and from the coast stop for a while. Lulin Pavilion is a little farther in.”
…
A little farther in turned out to mean something very different from what Lee Hyun had expected.
They had already crossed several mountain ranges since leaving the coastal settlement, yet Master Hu continued flying without stopping.
Whenever the forest seemed about to end, a lake vast enough to reach the horizon would appear. Once they crossed the water, dark blue-black trees would once again stretch all the way to the horizon.
At one point, enormous caves had been carved in rows across cliffs beside a lake. Rather than flying straight over them, Master Hu made a wide detour.
“That mountain belongs to another fellow practitioner.”
For a long time after that, they did not see so much as a single house. Occasionally, an enormous presence stirred among the trees, but once it sensed Master Hu’s passing radiance, it quietly withdrew into the distance.
Only after resting for a night and setting out again did an unusually tall tree finally rise above the endless Cangmang Forest. Something appeared to rest among its branches, but it was still too far away to make out clearly.
“That is Lulin Pavilion. Before we go there, let us first see where you will be staying.”
Master Hu changed course, and a low mountain range appeared amid the dense forest.
One of the peaks contained a hollowed basin on its inner side. A small lake lay at the bottom of the basin surrounded by forest, with gentle slopes and rocky cliffs rising behind it.
Master Hu pointed toward it.
“How would you like to stay on that mountain?”
Lee Hyun felt the dense spiritual qi flowing from the mountainside. Far richer than in the surrounding area, it gathered inside the basin before slowly seeping into the trees, water, and soil.
“Could this be… a Tier-3 spirit vein?”
Master Hu looked slightly apologetic.
“It isn’t really sufficient for a Tier-4 fellow practitioner to live on. Unfortunately, all the other Tier-4 spirit veins in this area already have owners.”
Lee Hyun stared blankly at Master Hu.
What was he talking about? This was a Tier-3 spirit vein!
“Are you saying I may stay on that mountain?”
“If you like it.”
“Which part of the mountain…?”
“The mountain isn’t particularly large. Why would there be any need to divide it?”
Master Hu gave him a puzzled look.
“Lulin Pavilion keeps several guest mountains vacant for fellow practitioners who come from afar. This one is under my care, so there is no need to seek anyone else’s permission.”
“Was there no clan living here originally?”
“No. It is also a little removed from the residences of the other fellow practitioners, so it should be quiet enough for you to settle your energy.”
“Is there anything I would need to do in exchange for using this place?”
“Now that we are neighbors, there may naturally be times when we help one another. But who would assign work to someone who has only just come through a tribulation? Consolidate your realm first.”
Lee Hyun looked at the mountain again and thought of the Heaven-Origin Divine Tree in his tunnel.
What if he transplanted it here?
He gave the area a quick examination with the Ground-Sense Art. The water vein beneath the basin was not particularly deep, and beneath it lay a thick layer of bedrock. If he built a house above ground and then dug down beneath it to construct Tunnel No. 4…
“Do you not like it?”
Master Hu asked. Lee Hyun immediately raised his head.
“No. This place is more than enough.”
“Truly?”
“Yes.”
“Then it seems I chose well. If the spiritual qi becomes insufficient later, you can look for another place.”
Master Hu was inwardly relieved. A Junior with such a formidable body was satisfied with a Tier-3 spirit vein, so he did not seem difficult to please. Master Hu took a small jade token from his robes and handed it to Lee Hyun.
“Carry this for the time being. It is my identification token, so you should have no trouble traveling around this area. Lulin Pavilion will prepare a separate identification token for you.”
“I’m indebted to you.”
“I’ll stop by Lulin Pavilion and report what happened. You should rest and examine your body first. I’ll return tomorrow morning.”
After Master Hu disappeared to the north, Lee Hyun remained where he was for a while, looking around at the beautiful scenery.
‘Should I live here…?’
If he returned to the lands of the human race, the powerful demonic qi pouring from his body would be a problem. It would not be easy for him to remain in the cultivation world of the human race for the time being.
This place had its dangers as well, but at least the members of the demon race he had met so far were far friendlier than the old monsters of the human race who had tried to capture him. More importantly, there was a Tier-3 spirit vein right in front of him.
Lee Hyun looked up at the mountain once more and decided to stay here for the time being.
That night, Lee Hyun dug a small temporary cave beneath a rocky cliff and installed a warning formation. He slowly examined his newly acquired body, and before he knew it, it was light outside.
…
The next morning, Lee Hyun followed Master Hu, who had returned as promised, to Lulin Pavilion.
Lulin Pavilion had been built both inside and around an enormous tree. Wooden walkways spiraled up its trunk, which rose hundreds of zhang into the air.
A pavilion rested wherever the branches divided, so from a distance it looked as though a single tree were supporting an entire small sect.
Lee Hyun stood below, looking up.
‘Is that tree a spirit tree too? How many spirit stones would it be worth?’
Completely unaware of his Junior’s wicked thoughts, the good-natured Master Hu led the way up the stairs.
Inside the pavilion, which smelled of old wood, every wall carved into the trunk was lined with books, jade slips, stone tablets, and scrolls made from beast hides. Their sizes and shapes varied so widely that some sections looked more like warehouses stacked with spirit materials than bookshelves.
A small monkey carried two stone slabs across the branches, while beneath it, a long-bodied white weasel sorted wooden tablets.
Clack-clack.
A small member of the demon race flicking abacus beads at a table farther inside looked up. It was a squirrel with round ears and a long tail, perched on a tall stool.
“You’ve returned?”
“I’ve brought a new fellow practitioner. I intend to let him stay at the vacant Qingshi Mountain, so update the records.”
Apparently, Qingshi Mountain was the name of the mountain where Lee Hyun would be staying.
“What name and realm should I record?”
“Li Dongwu. Early Tier 4.”
The paw working the abacus stopped. The squirrel climbed down from its stool, brought its forepaws together, and bowed.
“Greetings, Senior.”
“Ah, yes.”
Lee Hyun responded calmly.
“Which clan should I register you under?”
“He is a fellow practitioner who cultivated alone. He will be staying here for the time being, and I will vouch for him.”
“Understood.”
The squirrel pulled over a wooden tablet and began carving characters unlike the writing of the human race, their slender strokes intertwined like bird tracks.
Master Hu explained.
“It is the Bird-Track Script. The symbols used by each clan differ somewhat, but records that need to be read by several clans generally use this script.”
As Lee Hyun studied the shape of the characters, Master Hu pointed toward the shelves farther inside.
“Most records over there concern the boundaries of territories, waterways, and places where medicinal herbs or minerals can be found. There are also records about ancient bloodlines and human-form transformation. Each clan contributed a little, and over time it accumulated into all of that.”
“You keep records from different clans together in one place?”
“We make copies of whatever they don’t mind sharing. Few fellow practitioners are generous enough to bring their secret teachings here.”
A short while later, the squirrel held out a green jade token.
The front was carved with characters Lee Hyun could not read, while the reverse bore a simple emblem depicting a mountain and a tree.
“This token identifies you as a guest of Lulin Pavilion. It also records that you are staying at Qingshi Mountain.”
Master Hu took back his own identification token and added,
“When entering a place ruled by another mountain lord, show them this token and state your business. Do not gather spiritual resources without permission or harm clan members or demon beasts under their protection, or you may cause a dispute.”
“Understood.”
…
Master Hu’s study was located in the upper reaches of Lulin Pavilion.
A thick branch stretched diagonally past the window, with a row of small birds perched on it basking in the sunlight.
The room was neatly arranged.
Books from the human race filled one wall, while scrolls depicting the forms and patterns of various beasts hung along another.
Lee Hyun spoke.
“Is there a way to contain this energy?”
“Every bloodline differs, so I don’t know what will suit you.”
Master Hu took out a small jade slip.
“This is a basic Qi-Regulating Method used by the demon race. Read it first, and do not force yourself to follow any part that does not suit you.”
“I still can’t read the Bird-Track Script…….”
“I added explanations in the writing of the human race. I made it so that I could compare it with cultivation arts of the human race while studying.”
Lee Hyun accepted the jade slip.
When he lightly sent his divine sense into it, methods for gathering and releasing qi and blood around a demon core appeared in his mind.
‘Damn… Even the demon race centers its qi circulation around a demon core in the dantian?’
He had no separate golden core or demon core to serve as a center.
“Do you have any older methods? Perhaps a way to regulate energy throughout the body’s flesh and blood rather than gathering it into one place….”
“It seems that Qi-Regulating Method does not suit you well.”
“Yes.”
Rather than answering immediately, Master Hu went to another shelf. A short while later, he returned with a thin booklet.
When he turned the pages, faint lines ran across an illustration of an enormous beast curled in on itself.
“This is an illustration that accompanied an ancient Record of Transformation.”
The look in Lee Hyun’s eyes changed.
“Has the complete cultivation formula for this survived as well?”
“Among the clans that preserve ancient inheritances, some possess related methods or martial learning. But Lulin Pavilion only has records and annotations such as these. To see the main text, you would need permission from its owner.”
Master Hu slid the booklet toward Lee Hyun.
“Start with this. If you find any clues that suit your body, I will look into which clan’s records we should seek next.”
Lee Hyun accepted the booklet.
“Thank you. But… are you sure it is all right to help someone you’ve only just met this much?”
Master Hu studied him for a moment.
“You seem to think I’m making a terrible bargain here. Cangmang Forest has many powerful fellow practitioners, but only a few I can truly reason with.”
Master Hu pointed through the branches outside the window toward the many mountain peaks beyond.
“Those who maintain Lulin Pavilion with me each have their own clans and territories. Normally, we exchange records and help procure whatever the others need. But once disputes begin over the boundaries of spirit veins or the ownership of spiritual resources, even they become reluctant to listen to me.”
“Master, are you the one who mediates between them?”
“If a matter can be settled by talking it through, then that is what should be done. But sometimes I need a powerful fellow practitioner willing to lend weight to my words. All the better if that person favors no particular clan.”
Master Hu rested a hand on the booklet.
“You reached human-form transformation alone, and you can read the books of the human race. Is it really such a terrible bargain to give one vacant guest mountain and a few copied books to a Junior who matched Tan Yue in strength and came away perfectly unharmed?”
Only then did Lee Hyun begin to understand Master Hu’s goodwill.
“Of course, I am not asking you to do anything immediately. Recover first and live here for a while to see whether the place suits you. If you lend me a hand once or twice when I run into trouble in the future, I will be grateful.”
“If it is something within my ability, I will help.”
Master Hu nodded.
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