Chapter 80
Translator: T_Fan
Instead of answering, Lu Hongyan poured spiritual power into the flying boat’s restriction, and the vessel shot above the mountain ridge.
At that moment, dark blue wings sliced through the air beneath the black clouds.
Whoooosh―
The monstrous bird circling overhead folded its wings tight and plunged downward.
A pale gale spiraled behind its long tail as its mountain-sized body hurtled down at a terrifying speed.
“Lower our altitude!”
At Wang Shulin’s scream, the flying boat tilted so violently it nearly rolled onto its side.
Blue-green shield plates shot out one after another from Lee Hyun’s sleeve.
In an instant, four shield plates interlocked like gears above the flying boat, forming a defensive barrier.
BOOOOM!
Dozens of wind blades burst from the tips of the bird’s wings and slammed head-on into the shield plates.
The impact shook even the flying boat’s defensive barrier. One of the spirit stones embedded in the railing shattered with a crack, and the vessel was violently shoved backward through the air.
The mountain ridge behind them was cleanly cleaved along a diagonal line.
Collapsing rocks and trees thundered down and swallowed the forest. Amid the deafening roar, Lu Hongyan shouted.
“I’ll take us down!”
The flying boat plunged in an almost vertical dive.
Just as they dropped to a perilously low altitude, nearly brushing the treetops, Lee Hyun looked back and frowned.
The ape that had been in the sea was gone.
‘When did it…!’
BOOM!
With a ground-shaking crash, an enormous figure dropped onto the coastal cliff like a bolt of lightning.
A Tier 3 demon beast, the Scale-Armored Sea Ape.
The ape, whose chest and belly were covered in scales, sprang up the instant it landed.
BANG!
Bedrock shattered beneath its feet as the hulking figure, wreathed in surging demonic qi, bounded through the air and crashed down onto the next mountainside.
The impact of its landing alone ripped massive trees out by the roots. The distance between it and the flying boat vanished in the blink of an eye.
Lee Hyun swung the Six-Leaf Shield around behind the flying boat.
Whoosh―
A huge boulder torn free and hurled by the ape ripped through the air toward them.
A shield plate knocked it aside at an angle, sending the deflected boulder crashing into the forest below and throwing up a towering cloud of dust.
To make matters worse, the monstrous bird was circling overhead again.
Without slowing, it swept through a huge arc and turned back toward the front of the flying boat.
Lu Hongyan gritted her teeth.
“Junior Sister Wang, take the controls!”
Wang Shulin took control of the flying boat without hesitation.
“Where should I take us?”
“That low valley ahead! If we climb, we’ll be easy prey for the bird!”
Lu Hongyan pulled a faded yellow talisman from her storage pouch.
A crescent-shaped blade had been drawn across it in blood-red ink. The patterns along its edges had been worn faint by the passage of time, but the aura slumbering within still felt keen enough to cut flesh.
Lee Hyun’s gaze fixed on it.
‘A talisman treasure?’
A talisman treasure was a consumable trump card created when a high-level cultivator of the Golden Core realm or above sealed a portion of the power of one of their techniques or magic treasures into a special talisman.
They were usually bestowed upon descendants by the elders of a cultivation clan, precious treasures meant to be used only when one’s life was hanging by a thread.
Lu Hongyan held the talisman upright between both hands as though pressing her palms together in prayer.
“Buy me a little time. I’ll tear that bird apart first.”
Spiritual power poured from her entire body into the talisman like a waterfall, and the blade inscribed upon it began to radiate light as though it had come alive.
Lee Hyun rearranged the shield plates and replied.
“Leave it to me.”
The flying boat slipped into a narrow gorge within the valley.
While controlling the flying boat’s restriction, Wang Shulin sent an incense burner floating into the air. The brush in her other hand swept through the air, spreading a curtain of crimson flames.
Fwoooosh!
Flames surged from the stern and filled the forest behind them.
The ape pursuing close behind roared and thrust out its massive arm, ripping the flames apart with ease.
Broken tree trunks came raining down and battered the stern of the flying boat without mercy.
At the same time, a shadow descended from overhead.
Screeeech!
The monstrous bird’s hook-like talons tore through the air toward the bow. At that instant, Lee Hyun’s eyes flashed.
CLAAANG!
Its talons scraped across three overlapping shield plates in a shower of sparks.
The tremendous weight abruptly forced the flying boat downward.
Treetops scraped against the bottom of the vessel with an eerie grinding sound. Wang Shulin bit her lip and poured spiritual power into the restriction, but the unbalanced vessel could not easily regain altitude.
Lee Hyun grasped at the air, and the Condensed-Essence Grasping Hand surged up from below, forcefully pushing against the underside of the flying boat. Only then did the vessel barely regain its altitude.
Lee Hyun considered the situation.
‘Even with Senior Sister Lu’s talisman treasure, I doubt she can handle more than one…’
The alternating assaults of Tier 3 demon beasts from the air and the ground were immensely dangerous.
Had he been alone, he would have hidden underground with the Earth Escape Art long ago, but he had fellow disciples to protect now.
“Almost done!”
Large beads of sweat rolled down Lu Hongyan’s forehead.
The silver blade emerging between her hands had already taken solid form, growing to the size of a forearm. The talisman paper was beginning to char black.
Wang Shulin shouted.
“It’s coming back!”
The monstrous bird shot through a narrow gap in the gorge and spread both wings wide. Dozens of wind blades howled viciously between its blue-tinged feathers.
Without hesitation, Lee Hyun overlapped all six plates of the Six-Leaf Shield in front of the flying boat.
Clatter-clatter!
CLANG! CLANG-CLANG-CLANG!
Countless sparks sprayed like rain across the shield plates blocking the flying boat.
The cliffs on both sides exploded with thunderous booms, sending rocks raining down.
The monstrous bird drove itself forward with its enormous body, still whipping up winds with its wings as its vicious beak and talons bore down on them.
At that moment, Lu Hongyan’s eyes snapped open.
“Be torn apart!”
BAAANG―
Silver sword light shot straight from her fingertips.
The monstrous bird sensed danger instinctively and twisted its wings, but it was already too late.
The sword light sliced through the demonic light barrier around its wing as easily as cutting tofu and pierced straight through the joint beneath.
SPLASH!
Dark blue feathers and blood sprayed in every direction like a fountain.
The bird’s ear-splitting shriek shook the gorge. Its enormous body lost its balance and skimmed diagonally over the flying boat before crashing into the mountainside, sweeping away dozens of trees and boulders at once.
At that moment, the talisman treasure in Lu Hongyan’s hand crumbled into ash.
Screeeech……!
With one wing left in tatters, the monstrous bird barely managed to rise. It glared resentfully at the flying boat.
When Lee Hyun silently aimed the Six-Leaf Shield at it again, the creature flapped its wings and staggered into the air, retreating toward the sea.
Lu Hongyan breathed heavily as she brushed the ashes from between her fingers.
“I poured every last bit of the talisman treasure’s power into that attack… and still couldn’t kill it.”
“Driving it away was enough.”
The instant Lee Hyun answered,
RUMBLE!
The forest behind the gorge collapsed as though struck by a landslide.
The ape trampled through the trees, leaped over the flying boat, and dropped like a thunderbolt into their path.
“Watch out!”
Wang Shulin sent the flying boat into a sharp turn, but she could not evade it completely.
BOOOOM!
Two enormous fists smashed into the floor of the gorge.
Debris and dust erupted like a waterfall and battered the flying boat’s defensive barrier without mercy. Part of the stern’s outer wall was torn away, and the vessel lurched violently.
As the ape rose from the dust, terrifying demonic qi billowed from between the scales covering its chest.
Lu Hongyan stepped forward to block the roaring beast with her long spear leveled, but having just used the talisman treasure, the flow of her spiritual power was visibly weaker.
Lee Hyun looked between the hulking creature blocking their path and his two Senior Sisters.
‘If there’s only one…’
Having made his decision, Lee Hyun spoke calmly.
“Senior Sister Lu, I have a talisman treasure as well.”
Both women immediately turned toward him.
“You have a talisman treasure?”
“It’s a sword-type talisman treasure. Once activated, sword qi will burst in every direction, so the two of you should take the flying boat and leave the gorge first.”
“No. While you’re preparing to activate it, we’ll draw its attention…!”
Lee Hyun shook his head firmly.
“My talisman treasure doesn’t take long to activate. Having the flying boat nearby will only get in my way. I’ll keep that thing occupied, so go on ahead!”
Before he had even finished speaking, Lee Hyun kicked off the deck and shot into the air.
The blue-green shield plates followed behind him like shadows.
The ape’s yellow eyes immediately swung toward Lee Hyun. Its enormous hand swept through the air as though trying to swat a flying insect.
Whoosh!
The instant Lee Hyun dodged as lightly as a feather, the plates of the Six-Leaf Shield overlapped and slammed heavily into the side of its wrist.
BANG!
The giant arm was knocked outward, creating a momentary opening.
Wang Shulin steered the flying boat through the gap, skimming past the ape and escaping the gorge.
“We’ll wait beyond the mountain! If it gets too much, get out of there immediately!”
Lu Hongyan’s shout faded into the wind.
Without looking back, Lee Hyun widened the distance between himself and the ape.
The instant he confirmed that the flying boat’s presence had disappeared beyond the ridge, his gaze turned cold.
He drew a scabbard from his storage pouch and pulled out a silver-gray sword.
Shing.
It was the Sinking Moon Sword.
Lee Hyun lowered the tip of the blade.
BOOM!
The ape kicked off the ground and charged. An arm as massive as a house swept horizontally through the air.
The six shield plates lined up in front of Lee Hyun and blocked the blow.
BOOOOM!
An enormous impact surged through the Six-Leaf Shield.
Lee Hyun twisted the angles of the shield plates, diverting the brute force toward the cliff while simultaneously slipping beneath the ape’s armpit.
BANG!
The cliff exploded, and amid the shower of stone dust, the silver-gray blade flashed like lightning.
CLANG!
White sparks burst across the thick demonic light and scales. The blade failed to bite deep, sliding away after leaving only a shallow line.
Grrrrrr!
Baring its teeth, the ape brought its free left hand crashing down from above.
As the palm descended over him like a black cloud, Lee Hyun slid backward across the ground.
BOOM!
The earth caved in like a crater, and a storm of dirt swept outward in every direction.
As though determined not to let the retreating Lee Hyun escape, the ape lowered its shoulder, stretched out its right arm, and charged again.
At that instant, an anchor of Earth-Origin Force formed in Lee Hyun’s left hand as he retreated.
Hummm!
An invisible, crushing shackle snapped into place around the ape’s wrist.
The immense gravitational force applied without warning yanked the huge arm off course.
Startled by the unfamiliar phenomenon, the ape shook its arm, but that momentary delay was more than enough for Lee Hyun.
The tremendous spiritual power accumulated throughout Lee Hyun’s limbs, skeleton, and the meridians across his entire body surged all at once.
The Sinking Moon Sword’s Light-Retracting Restriction lit up, and the outline of the blade blurred into the radiance.
Hummmmmm―
Lee Hyun’s figure blurred.
Great Unity Heavenly Dipper, Thirty-First Form: Split Light Unites as One.
Whoooosh―
Dazzling light erupted in every direction, throwing the ape’s vision into disarray.
Every one of those countless lights was sword light. The sword lights that filled the air accelerated all at once, then converged into one directly before the ape’s eyes!
Flash!
Radiance intense enough to sting the skin engulfed the ape in pure white.
SPLAAASH!
A massive wound split diagonally from its shoulder to the opposite flank, spraying dark red blood through the air.
“KYAAAAAGH!”
The ape reeled backward with an agonized scream. Yet the ferocity of a Tier 3 demon beast was not so easily broken. Even as blood poured from its body, it swung its left arm in one final desperate struggle.
CLAAANG!
The shield plates, which had not had time to form a proper defensive formation, were knocked helplessly away, and at point-blank range with nowhere to evade, the enormous fist slammed hard into Lee Hyun’s side.
BANG!
At that moment, dazzling light swelled beneath his robe.
Crack!
A thin membrane like a shed skin emerged around Lee Hyun’s body and caught the fist.
A spirit molt of the Three-Molt Silkworm Robe.
The molt absorbed the otherwise fatal impact in his place and shattered into pieces.
The recoil sent Lee Hyun flying. After spinning several times through the air, he landed lightly on the ground.
A dull pain lingered in his side, but neither his bones nor his internal organs had been injured.
Without the Three-Molt Silkworm Robe, the blow would have broken at least five or six ribs.
Lee Hyun stared coldly at the ape.
The ape clutched its torn chest, bloody foam bubbling from its mouth. Wet, gurgling sounds escaped between its ragged breaths.
The savagery in its eyes slowly gave way to fear.
Realizing it had chosen the wrong opponent, the ape hurriedly turned and tried to flee toward the coast. Lee Hyun kicked off the ground.
Without even looking back, the fleeing ape tore up a boulder and hurled it behind itself.
The incoming rock smashed against the Six-Leaf Shield and shattered, and a silver-gray flash cut through the air between the fragments.
The ape spun around and hurriedly raised an arm to guard its neck.
Sword light carved deeply into its forearm, knocking the enormous hand aside. At that instant, the Sinking Moon Sword flashed again.
Shaaak―
This time, the sword light followed the wound already gaping across its chest and slipped smoothly inside.
The ape’s pupils went slack, and its body stiffened.
The wet, bloody rasp leaking from its throat ceased.
BOOOOM!
Its enormous body toppled helplessly onto its side.
The raging demonic qi dispersed, leaving a long plume of dense dust billowing into the air.
Without approaching, Lee Hyun thoroughly examined the corpse with the Aura-Reading Art and his divine sense.
Only after confirming that its qi and blood had completely ceased and its primordial spirit had dissipated did he slowly descend to the ground.
The valley looked as though a natural disaster had swept through it.
An entire section of forest had been ripped apart, and deep sword marks scarred the cliffs.
Lee Hyun dusted off his clothes and checked beneath his robe. Of the three silkworm-cocoon embroideries sewn into the inner lining of the Three-Molt Silkworm Robe, one had lost its light and turned pitch-black.
‘Good thing I prepared an exceptional supreme-grade magic tool.’
He could never afford to let his guard down. The mere thought of what might have happened if even one more Tier 3 demon beast had been present was horrifying.
Lee Hyun approached the fallen ape below its neck.
From within its sturdy rib cage, he sensed a condensed mass of demon power pulsing more intensely than its heart had.
A demon core.
The demon core of a Tier 3 demon beast, something a Foundation Establishment cultivator could hardly even dream of obtaining alone.
…
When the flying boat cautiously returned above the valley, Lee Hyun was standing atop a bloodstained boulder, steadying his breathing.
Wang Shulin, leaning against the deck railing and looking down, stared wide-eyed.
“…No way.”
The enormous corpse of the ape lay sprawled across the valley floor.
Lu Hongyan was the first to leap from the flying boat. Her sharp gaze swept over Lee Hyun from head to toe.
“Junior Brother Li, are you hurt?”
“I’m fine.”
Wang Shulin followed her down and clicked her tongue at the horrific wound torn across the ape.
“A talisman treasure can be this powerful…? What realm was the Senior who made that sword-type talisman treasure in, for it to kill a Tier 3 demon beast?”
“I was fortunate. The talisman treasure’s sword qi pierced its vital point cleanly.”
“What about the talisman treasure? Was it completely consumed?”
At Lu Hongyan’s question, Lee Hyun put on a bitter expression and nodded.
“It turned into a handful of ash.”
Lu Hongyan let out a deep sigh.
“I suppose it would have. Mine was consumed just crippling one wing… Junior Brother, you really paid a heavy price.”
“If Senior Sister hadn’t driven off the bird, I wouldn’t have survived either.”
Lee Hyun calmly changed the subject and pointed toward the corpse.
“Let’s deal with this first. Other demon beasts may come once they smell the blood.”
The two women immediately agreed and got to work.
While Lu Hongyan kept watch over their surroundings, Wang Shulin took a large jade casket, preservative medicinal liquid, and several Spirit-Sealing Talismans from her storage pouch.
Lee Hyun’s sword cut into the ape’s chest, and a deep glow burst from between the thick bones.
A demon core the size of an adult’s fist.
Even outside the body, energy like a whirlpool in a blue sea seemed to pulse beneath its surface.
Wang Shulin swallowed a gasp of amazement.
“It’s completely undamaged! It’s only at the early Golden Core level, but… it’s high grade.”
Lee Hyun carefully held out the demon core. Wang Shulin quickly accepted it, placed it inside the jade casket filled with medicinal liquid, and closed the lid.
The two of them attached several Spirit-Sealing Talismans to it.
They then stripped away the Tier 3 demon beast’s valuable scales, tendons, and bones, quickly preserving everything they could.
After dividing the last of the boxes among their storage pouches, the three left the area without delay.
…
By the time the flying boat emerged from the valley, the black clouds had cleared, and a crimson sunset spread across the sky, staining the edge of the sea.
Lee Hyun leaned against the stern railing and pressed a hand to his aching side. Wang Shulin glanced at him and asked,
“Want some medicine? Are you sure you didn’t bruise something?”
“I’ve already taken a pill, so I’m fine.”
“If it hurts even a little, don’t hide it. Tell me.”
“Yes, Senior Sister.”
Lu Hongyan, who had been sitting in a corner of the deck, took a small booklet from her robe and wrote down several lines before stopping her brush.
“I shouldn’t have taken off in the flying boat in the first place.”
When Lee Hyun looked over, she continued with self-reproach written across her face.
“There was a flying beast lurking overhead, yet I recklessly raised our altitude first. If Junior Brother Li hadn’t blocked that first attack, the boat would have been destroyed and all of us would have died.”
“It was a sudden ambush.”
Wang Shulin tried to console her, but Lu Hongyan firmly shook her head.
“Handling unexpected situations like that is the responsibility of whoever’s in command.”
She dipped her brush in ink, added another line, and closed the booklet.
“What did you write?”
At Lee Hyun’s question, Lu Hongyan gave a bitter smile.
“That we didn’t make it back alive because my judgment was sound. I wrote that much of it was simply my good fortune in having Junior Brother Li with us.”
***
When the three reached a temple in a nearby city, Abbot Yuanwu and the young monks were still tending to refugees scattered throughout the area.
Yuanwu had gone pale upon hearing that two Tier 3 demon beasts had appeared. When he received the report that one had been driven off and the other slain, his jaw dropped, and he could not find a word to say.
…
Three days later, a Golden Core Elder and elite disciples dispatched by Baoguang Temple’s Demon-Subduing Court arrived.
Lu Hongyan’s verbal report, Wang Shulin’s meticulously drawn diagrams of the demon beasts, and tissue samples submitted by Lee Hyun were handed over to the Elder.
No traces of gu insects or sorcery were found in the demon beasts’ bodies. The Elder also raised the possibility that something had driven them in from the distant sea. However, the evidence gathered so far was insufficient to determine the cause.
The Elder gave his orders.
“The Demon-Subduing Court will handle matters from here. The three of you are to return immediately and rest.”
Only then did the three return to Baoguang Temple with their minds at ease.
…
A few days later.
After receiving a full report on the incident, Huitan clicked his tongue.
“I sent you to investigate Tier 2 demon beasts, and instead you came back after risking your lives against Tier 3 demon beasts… Well, you made it back alive, and that’s what matters. Take a break from alchemy for the time being and focus on recovering.”
“Thank you for your consideration, Master.”
“You said you brought back the demon core, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Come with me. Let’s go see Junior Brother Huijue.”
…
The appraisal chamber beside the Inner Alchemy Chamber.
Huijue removed the seals from the jade casket with solemn care.
As the demon core rose into the air, radiating blue light, the appraisal chamber filled with the faint sound of waves and dense demonic qi.
“There’s no doubt. It came from a Scale-Armored Sea Ape.”
Huijue sent a trace of magical power into the demon core and exclaimed in admiration.
“It’s only early Tier 3, but its internal pattern is undamaged. It can be used as a primary ingredient for a Golden Core Condensing Pill.”
He continued.
“Li Dongsi, are you thinking of keeping it for when you begin preparing for Core Formation?”
“I’m considering it.”
“In that case, I’d advise against it.”
Huijue pointed to the internal pattern within the demon core.
“Unlike while it’s inside a demon beast’s body, once a demon core is removed, its energy will inevitably leak away over time no matter how thoroughly it’s sealed, and its internal pattern will eventually break down. Unless you’re about to attempt Core Formation soon, it’s better to put it through Refining as quickly as possible.”
‘Of course. Besides, one pill won’t be anywhere near enough for me…’
Lee Hyun had no idea how many years it would take to cultivate his entire body to Foundation Establishment Great Perfection.
Even if he made a Golden Core Condensing Pill in advance, nearly all of its medicinal strength would have dissipated by the time that many years passed.
For now, it was better simply to sell it.
“Would the temple be willing to buy it?”
Huijue nodded.
“Of course! The sect is always short on ingredients for Golden Core Condensing Pills, so we’ll pay you generously. We’ll buy all the scales and bones from the carcass as well.”
…
A few days later, the accounts were settled.
The sect commended the three for their contributions and also compensated Lu Hongyan with spirit stones for the talisman treasure she had consumed. Lee Hyun declined separate compensation for his loss, saying the proceeds from selling the demon beast materials were more than sufficient.
In truth, the amount he received from selling the demon core and other materials exceeded the value of an ordinary talisman treasure.
…
At the end of that month, Huijue summoned Lee Hyun to a corner of the Inner Alchemy Chamber, where Lee Hyun assisted him with the Refining process for a Golden Core Condensing Pill.
The demon core of the Scale-Armored Sea Ape Lee Hyun had slain melted inside the pill furnace, surrounded by several rings of golden magical power.
The baleful qi surrounding the demon core dispersed within the flames. The internal pattern revealed beneath remained intact as it absorbed the energies of the refined medicinal ingredients one after another.
The essences of various spirit plants fused together in a dazzling display.
Before long, the energies of the medicinal ingredients gathered around the demon core’s internal pattern and merged into one, finally congealing into a Golden Core Condensing Pill that gave off a faint golden glow.
Lee Hyun observed every step of the process closely and committed it to memory.
***
Three months passed.
The southern coast regained its peace thanks to the Demon-Subduing Court’s large-scale purge, and the ports that had been closed came back to life.
Aside from those encountered by Lee Hyun’s group, only a couple more Tier 3 demon beasts appeared, and the exact reason behind the demon beasts’ unrest was never discovered.
Lee Hyun’s daily life returned to normal.
The damaged spirit molt of the Three-Molt Silkworm Robe also fully regenerated through nurturing with spiritual power.
…
One day, work in the alchemy chamber ended earlier than usual.
After washing his hands and stepping into the corridor, Lee Hyun heard a familiar voice.
“Junior Brother Li.”
He turned to see Wang Shulin approaching with light steps.
“Finished early?”
“Yes. Do you still have work left, Senior Sister?”
“No, I’m done too. Um… before you go, just a moment.”
Wang Shulin glanced around, then stepped close to Lee Hyun.
Along with a faint fragrance, her pale hand suddenly slipped inside Lee Hyun’s sleeve.
When Lee Hyun closed his hand, his fingers found a jade slip.
“What is this?”
“Who knows?”
She gave him a mischievous smile.
Lee Hyun sent a trace of spiritual power into it, and bold golden script appeared at the beginning of the jade slip.
Sutra of Refining Intent into Vow
Lee Hyun’s pupils trembled.
“This is…”
“You asked me about it on the flying boat back then, remember? You seemed very interested in methods of cultivating vow power without relying on vows.”
Wang Shulin fidgeted with her fingers as she added,
“Don’t worry. I didn’t secretly take it out of the Scripture Pavilion.”
“Can I really accept something this valuable…?”
“Ahem. It simply means this jade slip was fated to come into Junior Brother Li’s hands. What is there to worry about?”
⚬──────────✧──────────⚬
Join our discord server: https://discord.gg/96hMXymzMP