The Chaotic Immortal Wood Sect: Immortal Cultivation War - Chapter 50

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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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50. Infiltrating the World as a 3rd-Grade Pill Refiner

Cultivators who dream of immortality and eternal youth always strive to reach higher realms.

This is because raising one’s realm is equivalent to extending one’s lifespan, and at the end lies the eternal life of immortality.

In reality, a monk can be considered an immortal being once they reach the Spirit Body Stage.

This is said because spirit bodies have no predetermined lifespan.

However, the Heaven and Earth Laws do not easily permit eternal life, so even spirit bodies with no predetermined lifespan are not left in peace, and heavenly tribulations are sent down at regular intervals to threaten their lives, and if they cannot overcome them, they perish.

Thus, from the time of Spirit Body Stage advancement, true advancement tribulations begin to appear, and from then on, experiencing minor and major heavenly tribulations once every thousand or several thousand years becomes the life of a monk.

Of course, these lifespan tribulations continue even after reaching the Spirit Body Stage and Avatar Stage or higher realms, and only stop when one becomes a true immortal of the Immortal Realm.

Therefore, true immortality can only be said to be completely obtained when one becomes a true immortal of the Immortal Realm, and until then, monks have no choice but to always be chased by lifespan and devote themselves to cultivation.

If they cannot raise their realm within a certain period, they will not be able to withstand the approaching heavenly tribulation and will return to reincarnation, so how can they be negligent?

Thus, monks learn all kinds of arts to raise their realm, which is called the Hundred Arts of Cultivation.

However, as with all things in the world, among those Hundred Arts of Cultivation, there are those that many monks seek, and those that are not, so the four most preferred arts are bundled together and called the Four Arts of Cultivation.

Of course, depending on the monks, they sometimes speak of Five Arts, Six Arts, Ten Arts of Cultivation, but usually they refer to the Four Arts of Cultivation, counting four arts.

“Formation techniques, pill refining, talisman making, and artifact crafting are the most important.”

Since Kang Hyeon had also heard about the Hundred Arts and Four Arts of Cultivation, he first looked for things related to the Four Arts of Cultivation among the treasures of the Liaison Trading Hall.

Then, even just those poured out thousands of cultivation methods and spell arts, secret techniques and secret formulas.

“Just examining these one by one would be a great study. Such opportunities don’t come often, so I must make them mine as much as possible.”

Kang Hyeon carefully examined the treasures of the Liaison Trading Hall that appeared on the table one by one, trying to grasp their true value.

Although they had already been appraised at the Liaison Trading Hall, it wasn’t completely perfect, so there were definitely parts that the person taking them had to judge.

Thus, Kang Hyeon stayed at the Liaison Trading Hall in Butterfly Fall Market for a full two months, selecting what to take as compensation.

“Well now, you’re gaining quite a profit.”

On the day Kang Hyeon left the Liaison Trading Hall, Lee Chil appeared with a grinning expression.

“The profit I gained wasn’t a loss to the Liaison Trading Hall, was it?”

“That’s true, but it feels like we gave away too much.”

“I’ll remember this good connection, so perhaps the Liaison Trading Hall might gain greatly from this matter in the future?”

“So you’re saying to think of it as an investment?”

“It’s already become something that can’t be undone, so what good would come from arguing about it?”

“Something that can’t be undone… Two months ago, I was the one saying that. I understand. I’ll think of it as an investment and forget about it.”

“Thank you. Although I received it as compensation, thanks to you I obtained many precious things, so it will be of great help to my future cultivation. I won’t forget.”

“I’ll remember. But where are you going? Are you leaving the market town?”

“I heard that recently disciples of Blood Extreme Mountain Villa have been showing interest in this Liaison Trading Hall. So shouldn’t I hurry to hide myself?”

“There shouldn’t have been any reason for stories about Monk Nok Hyeon to spread outside, so I don’t know how this happened.”

At Kang Hyeon’s words that Blood Extreme Mountain Villa was lurking around, Lee Chil played innocent.

The rumor that someone who survived the underground ruins exploration supervised by the Liaison Trading Hall had appeared definitely leaked from the Liaison Trading Hall, but he didn’t want to admit it now and incur another debt.

“In any case, it seems the Blood Soul Envoy’s disciples are looking for me, but there’s no reason I should associate with them. So I intend to leave the market town immediately.”

“May you achieve the Great Way of longevity and we meet again.”

“Thank you. I too look forward to the day we meet again. Then I’ll take my leave.”

Kang Hyeon greeted and bid farewell to Lee Chil like that.

And after saying he had something to organize briefly and sending Lee Chil away from his dwelling, he confirmed there were no eyes watching him and immediately opened the entrance to the Mystic Realm and disappeared.

Naturally, since they couldn’t see Kang Hyeon leaving but he had vanished without a trace, the Liaison Trading Hall was noisy with that story for a while.

He hadn’t used a teleportation formation, nor had he used spatial movement spell arts like escape techniques, yet he had cleanly hidden his form, which became a topic of discussion.

Moreover, this fact was also conveyed to the disciples of Blood Extreme Mountain Villa who were secretly observing the Liaison Trading Hall, and they suspected that the Liaison Trading Hall was hiding Kang Hyeon.

The Liaison Trading Hall denied it and jumped up and down, but naturally, the relationship between the two, which was already not good, could only become more hostile.

“As expected, spiritual cultivation and pill refining suit me best.”

Having entered the Mystic Realm and examining the cultivation resources obtained from the Liaison Trading Hall, Kang Hyeon ultimately reached that conclusion.

Spiritual cultivation refers to the art of growing all kinds of plants in the cultivation world, and those who mainly do this are called Spiritual Cultivators.

This spiritual cultivation matches the ability Kang Hyeon awakened on Earth in his previous life, and is also perfectly suited as a cultivation art in this Daecheon World where he obtained wood-attribute spiritual roots.

Moreover, pill refining is the best way to utilize resources obtained through spiritual cultivation, so it can also be called a perfectly suited art.

If he had to choose one of the Four Arts of Cultivation as his main focus anyway, he judged that pill refining was the most suitable.

“Since I have the incantations of the Heavenly Void Scripture, if I must choose among the Four Arts of Cultivation, I have no choice but to choose pill refining even more.”

However, even though Kang Hyeon chose spiritual cultivation and pill refining as his main focus, he couldn’t neglect the other Hundred Arts of Cultivation.

Even spiritual cultivation alone has various methods beyond just injecting spiritual energy to grow plants, such as deploying formation techniques, using talismans, and utilizing spiritual insects or spiritual beasts.

And to achieve good results, one must skillfully utilize all of these, which means that even if focusing on spiritual cultivation, one must still learn formation techniques, talismans, spiritual beast arts, etc. to a certain level or above.

When it comes to pill refining, there’s even more to say.

The more advanced the pill refining formula, the more it requires various assistance from formation techniques and talismans from the basics of handling materials to the finishing touches of completing spiritual pills.

“Anyway, all the Hundred Arts of Cultivation are intertwined with each other, so if I can learn them, it’s good to learn them all. So in the end, I must make everything I brought this time my own.”

Kang Hyeon reached that conclusion and chuckled.

In the end, what he gained from leaving the Mystic Realm was nothing but bringing back a heap of resources to use for future cultivation.

“Still, I can stay busy for a while.”

Kang Hyeon muttered like that and went outside the Giant Tree’s Dwelling to open the entrance to the Mystic Realm.

Even if he learned the Hundred Arts of Cultivation, he wouldn’t stay in the Mystic Realm.

Staying in the Mystic Realm felt like secluding himself, and he couldn’t escape the burden on his heart that he should interact with the world and search for In Deok’s whereabouts.

“This is also a disease. A great disease.”

Kang Hyeon knew that his heart was not properly settled, but he had no choice but to accept that it was a shackle he couldn’t easily escape from.

***

Mangpa Village is a village of monks located at the eastern end of Nok Province, by the coast.

This place was governed by two Foundation Establishment stage cultivation families and one sect, maintaining an appropriate balance.

Since there were no proper cultivation forces in the fairly wide surrounding area, this Mangpa Village was quite popular as a center of exchange for lower-level monks.

Kang Hyeon traveled a long distance and finally reached this Mangpa Village where he settled.

The reason he came to the eastern end was for one single reason: Hyeop Province was to the east of Nok Province.

Since In Deok would be in Hyeop Province, the eastern coast of Nok Province was currently the closest position to In Deok, so he came this far to establish himself.

“Your pill refining skills are indeed remarkable.”

“Didn’t I say that among my talents, pill refining is the most boastworthy?”

“It seems so. This is a very well-made medicinal pill.”

There were three specialized medicine shops in Mangpa Village, each belonging to one of the three forces that governed Mangpa Village.

And the medicine shop Kang Hyeon was currently negotiating with belonged to a sect rather than a family among the three forces.

Since capital families were said to be more closed-off compared to sects or organizations, he intended to make the sect-affiliated medicine shop his trading partner.

The owner of the medicine shop was a late Qi Accumulation cultivator, a force that could not be ignored in Mangpa Village.

After Kang Hyeon had established his dwelling on the outskirts of Mangpa Village, the owner learned that Kang Hyeon was an alchemist and commissioned him for pill refining.

Kang Hyeon also had reasons to gain some recognition for his abilities, so he gladly accepted the commission and had come to the medicine shop today with the results.

“It seems you’ve passed the test, so now let’s talk about the secret formula for the Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill.”

Kang Hyeon brought up the main topic to the medicine shop owner.

“Of course. The secret formula is here.”

At Kang Hyeon’s words, the medicine shop owner Ju Hyeong Ik put away the medicinal pill Kang Hyeon had brought, tucking it into his sleeve while taking out a light green jade slip.

“Is that the secret formula for the Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill?”

Kang Hyeon asked with sparkling eyes.

“It’s definitely the secret formula for the Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill. However, this isn’t such a remarkable secret formula. You must clearly understand that.”

“As long as it’s certain to be a secret formula for a medicinal pill that helps condense spiritual energy to achieve core formation, it doesn’t matter.”

“Even if its effects are greatly diminished?”

“The lacking parts can be filled in through research and study.”

“Hah. If it were that easy, would our Simyang Sect have left it as is until now?!”

At Kang Hyeon’s words about filling in the deficiencies through research, Ju Hyeong Ik flared up and poured out his anger.

However, Kang Hyeon remained unshaken and looked at Ju Hyeong Ik as he spoke.

“Even if new attempts fail, it has nothing to do with the Simyang Sect. I fulfill my duty by making and offering the Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills with that formula.”

“Hmm. Yes, that’s right. As long as you make three Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills for us, the deal is complete. That’s why we tested you.”

“But is there a reason to particularly emphasize the deficiencies in the formula? After all, the Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills I’ll give to the Simyang Sect will be made with that formula anyway.”

“Just in case… if you succeed.”

“You mean improving the formula?”

“Yes. If that succeeds, could you also make Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills with the improved formula?”

“I’ll have to think about that. I have to make three Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills as payment for the formula, and I’m also responsible for the materials. In such a situation, new Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills would be too much of a burden. Besides, it wasn’t in the original contract.”

Kang Hyeon showed a troubled expression as he indirectly voiced his refusal.

Then Ju Hyeong Ik looked at Kang Hyeon intently with cold eyes.

“Then what if I prepare those new alchemy materials?”

“Hahaha. How can someone responsible for a medicine shop say such things? It’s the same as asking me to reveal the alchemy materials, which is going too far.”

Kang Hyeon spoke with a laugh, but there was a firm backbone in his words.

Taking responsibility for all the alchemy materials was no different from trying to steal a glimpse of the pill formula.

“Ahem. I was hasty and made a mistake. I absolutely had no intention of prying into your formula. Besides, our Simyang Sect has no 3rd-grade alchemists, so even having the formula would be useless.”

An alchemist’s grade starts from the lowest 1st grade and increases by one grade each time they advance a major realm.

Spiritual Energy Technique is 1st grade, Qi Accumulation is 2nd grade, and Core Formation is 3rd grade.

What’s special here is that an alchemist’s grade depends not on their cultivation level but on the grade of pills they can refine.

In other words, even someone in mid Qi Accumulation could be recognized as a 3rd-grade alchemist if they succeeded in Core Formation-level alchemy.

Of course, dividing and assigning alchemist grades actually requires considering more complex and various circumstances, but simply put, that’s how it works.

And the medicinal pill that Kang Hyeon had just been evaluated on by Ju Hyeong Ik was precisely a Vitality Pill for Core Formation cultivators.

By proving his qualifications as a 3rd-grade alchemist with the Vitality Pill, the Simyang Sect would give him their Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill formula, and Kang Hyeon would pay for the formula by making three Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills from that formula – this was the content of the current contract.

“I understand. Since Senior Ju is facing core formation, I’ll understand that you acted hastily due to urgency.”

“If you understand that much, couldn’t you also understand my desire to obtain even slightly better Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills?”

As Kang Hyeon tried to smoothly move past the situation, Ju Hyeong Ik showed his greed again.

However, even from Kang Hyeon’s perspective, Ju Hyeong Ik’s behavior was understandable.

Being at the late Qi Accumulation realm with Core Formation advancement not far away, he was naturally desperate for Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills that would help with advancement, and if there were better Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills available, he would naturally covet them.

“Shouldn’t we first complete the deal by making Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills with that formula, then discuss the next transaction? I don’t know whether I’ll be able to supplement and improve the formula.”

“Mmm. Yes. There’s an order to things. I was too hasty.”

At Kang Hyeon’s tactful words, Ju Hyeong Ik finally showed signs of backing down a step.

With this, Kang Hyeon received the jade slip containing the Simyang Sect’s Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill formula from Ju Hyeong Ik and headed toward his dwelling.

‘If I disappear like this, the Simyang Sect will officially put out a bounty on me.’

Kang Hyeon noticed the surveillance eyes following him from within Mangpa Village to his dwelling on the outskirts but pretended not to know.

He thought it was the Simyang Sect’s natural right to monitor him.

Having entrusted him with the formula for Core Formation Advancement Pills, which were sect treasures, wasn’t it natural to monitor the trading partner until the deal was complete?

“I never expected to obtain a Core Formation advancement pill formula in such a remote place. I’d have to say I’ve been extremely lucky.”

Kang Hyeon muttered as he sat in lotus position facing the bronze alchemy furnace placed in the center of his alchemy room.

The massive alchemy furnace now before Kang Hyeon’s eyes was the very ancient treasure that the former Blood Soul Envoy had used.

This bronze alchemy furnace had been completely cleansed of all the energy that had been inside it at the Mysterious Realm reservoir.

Kang Hyeon had examined the alchemy furnace in the reservoir, confirmed that not even a speck of the Blood Soul Envoy’s alchemy traces remained, and brought it out.

‘Now let’s examine the Simyang Sect’s Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill formula. Even if it’s a lower-grade Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill, how could an elixir that increases the probability of Core Formation advancement not be precious?’

The Simyang Sect had several late Qi Accumulation cultivators, but they were all unable to attempt advancement due to lacking pills that would help with advancement.

In such circumstances, an alchemist appeared who, despite only being at mid Qi Accumulation in cultivation, had reached 3rd grade in alchemy, so they eventually came to trade with the Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill formula.

‘Since cultivators who have already achieved core formation rarely engage in sect affairs, in a situation where Qi Accumulation cultivators are the real power holders, when an opportunity came to obtain Core Formation advancement pills, it was natural for them to push through such a trade.’

Kang Hyeon reflected on his trade with the Simyang Sect while looking at the jade slip containing the formula, then finally began reading the jade slip using his spiritual consciousness.

‘Core Formation Advancement Pill…’

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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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