The Chaotic Immortal Wood Sect: Immortal Cultivation War - Chapter 2
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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2. Called Heavenly Spiritual Root
“What’s a Spiritual Root Examination?”
In Deok asks with an anxious expression as he’s dragged along by Kang Hyeon.
“There must be different types of spiritual roots. So they’re probably trying to classify them by grade.”
“Is that so?”
When Kang Hyeon responds calmly, the anxiety on In Deok’s face lessens considerably.
“Don’t worry about such things, just think about going home no matter what. Your parents will be worried.”
“Mm? Okay. I’ll do that.”
In Deok nodded, promising once again.
Meanwhile, Kang Hyeon’s hurrying paid off, as when they arrived in front of the Tower, there happened to be an empty spot which they headed toward.
“Come here.”
The person at the spot Kang Hyeon and In Deok approached appeared to be around thirty years old, a scholar-like figure with a refined dignity.
“Hello. I’m called Kang Hyeon. This fellow is Hwang In Deok.”
“Ah, hello.”
At Kang Hyeon’s introduction, In Deok hesitantly greeted them.
“Right. Come here and extend your wrist.”
However, the scholarly man didn’t say much else and requested Kang Hyeon’s wrist.
Kang Hyeon hesitated for just a moment before immediately extending his arm.
“Let me see. Hmm?”
The scholarly examiner placed his index and middle fingers on Kang Hyeon’s extended wrist, then gently closed his eyes.
But before long, he opened his eyes with a startled expression and stared at Kang Hyeon.
“What’s wrong?”
At this, Kang Hyeon wondered if there was some problem and asked cautiously.
“You have a Heavenly Spiritual Root.”
“Pardon? What do you mean by that?”
It was when Kang Hyeon made a confused expression at the unfamiliar term and asked back.
“A Heavenly Spiritual Root?!”
Yang Gwang, who had somehow approached while Air Walking, was asking the scholarly examiner from beside Kang Hyeon.
“With my shallow knowledge, it appears to be so.”
“Really?”
When the scholarly examiner answered thus, Yang Gwang turned his gaze to Kang Hyeon.
But Yang Gwang’s eyes held a faint blue light and were emitting a golden glow.
As Kang Hyeon looked at Yang Gwang with a surprised expression, the golden light he emitted seeped into Kang Hyeon’s body.
“Truly a Heavenly Spiritual Root. But the attribute is Wood?”
Yang Gwang was amazed that Kang Hyeon’s spiritual root was indeed heavenly, but then made a disappointed expression saying the attribute was wood.
“What should we do?”
“For now, manage him specially. You understand what I mean, right?”
“Of course.”
“But hmm?”
Yang Gwang, who had been telling the scholarly examiner to manage Kang Hyeon specially, suddenly turned his gaze to look at In Deok behind Kang Hyeon.
The blue light in his eyes still hadn’t faded, and golden light continued to emanate from them.
Yang Gwang’s gaze seemed to discover something in In Deok, as he looked at In Deok with an even stronger golden light.
Then, after a while.
“Hahahahaha. What kind of fortune is this, what kind of fortune. You!”
“Yes, elder.”
When Yang Gwang pointed at Kang Hyeon and called him, Kang Hyeon immediately bowed and answered.
“Are you acquainted with the child behind you?”
“Yes. We’re childhood friends who grew up together in the same village.”
“Hahahahaha. Childhood friends? Yes, yes. This couldn’t be better. This is excellent.”
“Hyeon Gak!”
“Yes, Master Uncle.”
When Yang Gwang turned and called for Hyeon Gak, the scholarly examiner, Hyeon Gak immediately bowed.
“The child behind possesses Golden Thunder.”
“What? Then you mean he has dual spiritual roots of Gold and Thunder?”
At Yang Gwang’s words, Hyeon Gak looked at In Deok again in surprise.
“No, no. That’s not it. That boy has thunder imbued with the energy of gold. He’s a Heavenly Spiritual Root possessing a single special spiritual root called Golden Thunder.”
“Is, is that possible?”
“It’s natural you don’t know since you haven’t learned thunder attributes, Hyeon Gak. Originally metal and lightning are compatible, and among the energies of thunder, there are several special types, including Golden Thunder.”
“Then that child is…”
“A very special child. And also the child most suited to our Cheonroemun.”
“Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt your conversation…”
While Yang Gwang and Hyeon Gak were conversing, Kang Hyeon interjected.
Listening to their conversation, Kang Hyeon realized there was a high possibility that In Deok might not be able to return home, and his heart grew urgent.
“What is it!”
Hyeon Gak asked Kang Hyeon in a sharp voice.
“In Deok has no intention of participating in the Great Unity Festival. He always said he would just return home.”
“Not a chance!”
When Kang Hyeon showed his intention to send In Deok home, Yang Gwang shouted angrily and dismissed it.
“That boy will be the future of our Cheonroemun. Do you think we’d let such a child live among worthless commoners? Ha! Don’t even dream of it.”
Yang Gwang said this while putting force into his eyes.
Then, intricately intertwined golden spheres shot out from his eyes and penetrated the foreheads of Kang Hyeon and In Deok.
“Huh?!”
“Uuugh.”
Kang Hyeon was startled, and In Deok was frightened, his eyes welling up with tears.
“I have branded you both with my marking, so you are now disciples of our Cheonroemun.”
Yang Gwang declared this to Kang Hyeon and In Deok, then turned his head toward Hyeon Gak and said.
“From now on, you will manage only these children until the Great Unity Festival ends.”
“Are you telling me to become their master?”
“Ha! How could someone like you become the master of a Heavenly Spiritual Root? You’ll be surpassed within a few decades, so how could that be appropriate?”
“Then, then…”
At Yang Gwang’s criticism, Hyeon Gak asked about Yang Gwang’s intentions with a dejected expression.
“No matter how urgent it is, we can’t take these children to the Main Sect until the Great Unity Festival ends, can we? So I’m telling you to keep them with you during that time and teach them the basics. Do you understand what I mean?”
“Yes, yes.”
“I will specially provide abundant cultivation resources, so it won’t be a loss for you either.”
“Th-thank you.”
“However, absolutely nothing must happen to these children. Do you understand?!”
“Yes, yes. I understand, Grand Uncle.”
When Yang Gwang greatly emphasized Kang Hyeon and In Deok’s safety, Hyeon Gak also understood his meaning and bowed deeply.
“If I continue to stay here, even that could turn into troublesome matters, so I’ll be going now. Hyeon Gak, do well.”
“Yes, Grand Uncle. Don’t worry.”
“You’d better.”
Right after Yang Gwang’s stern emphasis to Hyeon Gak was heard to the end, he rose into the air again and returned to his original position.
Then Hyeon Gak looked at Kang Hyeon and In Deok and said.
“You two should now return among the other children and stay as if nothing happened. Then I will call for you later.”
“Excuse me…”
“Don’t say anything more and just do as you’re told!”
Kang Hyeon tried to speak once more about In Deok’s return home, but Hyeon Gak sternly pressed him.
At this, Kang Hyeon guessed that reasoning wouldn’t work and had no choice but to grab In Deok’s wrist and retreat some distance from the Tower.
“Kang Hyeon, wh-what do we do?!”
In Deok asked with a pale face.
“Sigh. I’m sorry it turned out this way.”
Kang Hyeon looked at In Deok with a pitiful expression and said.
“I can’t go home now, right? Right?”
In Deok looked at Kang Hyeon with an expression that begged him not to say yes, but.
“It seems that way.”
“It’s because I have a special spiritual root, isn’t it?”
“Yeah. It seems so. I don’t seem to be bad either, but that Yang Gwang person seemed to particularly value you, In Deok.”
“Ah, Mom…”
After calling for his mother, In Deok said nothing more and just let tears flow down his cheeks.
The fact that he didn’t have a major breakdown showed that In Deok also somewhat understood that there was no solution for now.
Kang Hyeon felt sorry for In Deok’s appearance and spent time continuously stroking In Deok’s back.
And during that time, the children of the Plains continued to receive spiritual root examinations, and afterward, the monks moved directly to continue examining children who didn’t come forward for examination themselves.
“Did they mark them separately? How do they accurately know whether someone has received a spiritual root examination or not?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
When Kang Hyeon voiced his question while observing the surroundings, In Deok stopped sniffling and asked.
“From what I can tell, there are forty-two people from Cheonroemun conducting spiritual root examinations. And each of them has examined nearly a hundred children.”
“R-really?”
“But there doesn’t seem to be any cases of unknowingly re-examining children that others have already examined. They don’t even talk to each other, so I don’t know how they manage that.”
“Wow, you were watching things like that?”
“There’s nothing else to do anyway.”
Kang Hyeon answered that way, but more precisely, he was observing the golden energy appearing and disappearing.
Kang Hyeon believed that the golden radiance was a manifestation phenomenon that appeared when using some kind of technique.
Even now, if you look carefully, golden radiance faintly permeates Yang Gwang’s legs and feet as he stands on air.
And when he examined himself and In Deok, didn’t he shoot golden radiance from his blue eyes?
So he was observing with suspicion that golden radiance might appear when they use some technique.
“In Deok.”
“Yeah?”
“Are you feeling a bit better now?”
“Yeah, there’s nothing I can do about it right now. But I’ll be able to go home later. The Great Unity Festival lasts for ten years. When it ends, I should be able to do what I want, right?”
“I don’t think that’s quite right.”
“It’s not?”
In Deok’s questioning gaze looked pitiful.
But Kang Hyeon spoke without hiding his thoughts.
Because he judged that to be more likely.
“It might be better for you to work hard and receive a reward instead. If you ask to go Home as a prize, wouldn’t they grant that?”
“Ah, is that so?”
“That person called Yang Gwang said he’s from Cheonroemun, and you have the Spiritual Root that Cheonroemun considers important. So you must be a very important person, so wouldn’t they grant a wish or so?”
“As expected, Kang Hyeon, you’re smart. Since they probably won’t let us go easily, you’re saying to work hard and get in their good graces instead?”
“Right. That’s exactly it.”
“Okay, I understand. I’ll just do whatever you tell me to do, Kang Hyeon.”
“Hah. Yeah, do that for now. How long could it last anyway. When you get older, you’ll have your own thoughts.”
Kang Hyeon muttered like he was talking to himself, then began looking around again, and In Deok also stopped crying and showed interest in their surroundings following Kang Hyeon.
***
“Kang Hyeon, I’m sleepy.”
Since they were brought here when the sun was almost setting, they missed dinner.
Quite some time had passed since then, so it was natural to be hungry.
In Deok especially had a big appetite, so the fact that he hadn’t felt hungry until now was probably because of the special circumstances.
Moreover, when they arrived at This Place it was morning with the sun heading toward midday, so it would have taken longer to adjust to the time.
Kang Hyeon thought this as he quietly took out Dried Rations from his chest and offered them to In Deok.
“Eat this.”
“Huh? What’s this?”
“Cooked grain ground into powder and then kneaded into dough after that… Never mind. Just eat it.”
“Mmm? Okay.”
“Here, drink some water with it.”
Kang Hyeon twisted and pulled out the stopper of the Gourd Water Bottle hanging at his waist and offered it.
“As expected, Kang Hyeon is amazing. Crunch, crunch! You even prepared all this. Mmph mmph!”
“Drink water!”
“Yeah! Gulp! Gulp! But what about you, Kang Hyeon?”
“I have something to eat, so don’t worry.”
“But why aren’t you eating?”
“Because I’m not immediately hungry.”
“Really? …”
“Why do you suddenly look like that?”
Kang Hyeon asked soothingly, seeing In Deok looking dejected.
“You said so, Kang Hyeon. That I’d only be a burden if we stayed together, so even if we end up going to the Great Unity Festival together, I should return Home right away.”
“So?”
“It feels like that’s happening now. I’m eating what you prepared for yourself.”
In Deok looked down at the half-eaten Dried Rations with an apologetic expression.
“It’s fine. It was useless preparation anyway.”
“Huh? What do you mean by that?”
“That person called Hyeon Gak said he’d take responsibility for us. So we won’t need to worry about food.”
“Is that so?”
“Besides, it’s the same for the other kids. There are many children who are only six years old, so they wouldn’t tell those kids to take care of their own food.”
“That’s true.”
“So eat comfortably. It’s not a problem at all.”
“Mmm. Okay.”
Perhaps thinking Kang Hyeon’s words made sense, In Deok relaxed his expression and began focusing on the Dried Rations in his hand again.
Kang Hyeon watched such In Deok with a pleased expression.
Though they’d been friends since childhood, to exaggerate a bit, Kang Hyeon had practically carried him on his back to raise him.
So he’d often taken care of food like this, and each time, watching him eat so contentedly had become a habit that pleased him.
= Everyone gather.
= Come to This Place!
Just then, someone’s voice clearly reached Kang Hyeon’s mind.
This was similar to when Yang Gwang first transmitted his voice to the children.
“Kang Hyeon, this…”
“Let’s go, Elder Hyeon Gak is calling us.”
“Right? Uncle Hyeon Gak’s voice.”
“Yeah. That’s right, so come here.”
Kang Hyeon grabbed In Deok’s wrist again and began walking toward Hyeon Gak.
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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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