The Chaotic Immortal Wood Sect: Immortal Cultivation War - Chapter 53

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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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53. Making a New Deal with Ju Hyeong Ik

 

“Perfect Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills.”

 

After receiving three wooden boxes from Kang Hyeon, Ju Hyeong Ik examined the contents with his spiritual consciousness without opening the lids, then nodded.

 

“Now the deal between Simyang Sect and myself is complete.”

 

Seeing this confirmation, Kang Hyeon declared with a relieved expression.

 

“I acknowledge it. I’ve certainly received payment for the secret formula.”

 

“Then now.”

 

“That’s right. We need to discuss the next matter. I’ve been waiting for this too.”

 

“As I mentioned before, I can create pills with about thirty percent higher efficacy than the Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills I just gave you.”

 

“Are you certain?”

 

“Of course.”

 

“Then….”

 

At Kang Hyeon’s confident answer, Ju Hyeong Ik showed a hesitant expression for a moment, then reached into his sleeve and pulled something out.

 

Kang Hyeon saw that it was a broken shell fragment.

 

However, as it was revealed outside the sleeve, he could sense intense energy emanating from it.

 

“What is it?”

 

“It’s a teleportation talisman made from a mysterious deep-sea shell fragment.”

 

Ju Hyeong Ik answered thus and held it out to Kang Hyeon.

 

“Take a look.”

 

“Is that alright?”

 

“You need to know its value to make a deal, don’t you?”

 

“So this is the payment for commissioning the improved Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills? Then let me examine it.”

 

Kang Hyeon said this and received the shell fragment that Ju Hyeong Ik pushed toward him, then closed his eyes and concentrated his consciousness.

 

Then the complex formation technique carved into the shell fragment revealed itself.

 

“Hmm. This is…. Something’s missing?”

 

Kang Hyeon realized that this shell fragment was like a key that could activate a teleportation formation.

 

But it was only an incomplete part.

 

“Here’s the rest. Take this and examine this one too.”

 

Then Ju Hyeong Ik took out a smaller shell fragment than what he had given Kang Hyeon and held it out.

 

Kang Hyeon exchanged what he was holding with what Ju Hyeong Ik offered, then examined the new shell fragment.

 

“Certainly, if this and that are combined, they would form a complete magical instrument.”

 

After examining the shell fragment for a while, Kang Hyeon nodded and spoke.

 

What he had received and confirmed earlier and what he received now were clearly one body, and he confirmed that when the two were combined, they would be complete.

 

“Since you’ve figured it out, this will be easy to discuss.”

 

“But since it’s just the key to the teleportation formation and not the formation itself, there are many troublesome aspects.”

 

“You don’t need to worry about that.”

 

“What? What do you mean by that?”

 

“As you know, teleportation formations have actually lost much of their value compared to the past. Isn’t that right?”

 

“That’s because since the Great Alliance appeared, moving across continents or even between realms has become much easier than before.”

 

“Yes, that’s right. Correct, correct. But.”

 

Ju Hyeong Ik was nodding, then looked at Kang Hyeon with a serious expression.

 

“Yes?”

 

“Even so, the value of teleportation formations hasn’t completely hit rock bottom. For those without Great Unity Tokens, teleportation formations are still useful for traveling long distances. Isn’t that so?”

 

“That’s true. Since Great Unity Tokens are difficult to obtain, it’s not easy to see cultivators with Great Unity Tokens around us.”

 

“That’s right. So wouldn’t a token that can use teleportation formations spread throughout not only Nok Province but all over this Hang-o Realm be more than enough payment for mere Spirit Condensation Stage Advancement Pills?”

 

“Then you’re saying this is the activation token for such teleportation formations?”

 

At Ju Hyeong Ik’s words, this time Kang Hyeon asked with a bewildered expression as if to confirm.

 

“Absolutely so. This is without any falsehood.”

 

Ju Hyeong Ik nodded.

 

“If that’s really true, this would certainly be a deal where I gain greatly. One improved Spiritual Energy Condensation Pill, would that be enough?”

 

“Three pills!”

 

“What?”

 

“Make three improved Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills. And within 100 days.”

 

“What on earth…. That demand is too excessive.”

 

Kang Hyeon hesitated with a troubled expression.

 

In reality, if Kang Hyeon set his mind to it, he could complete the pill refining in half that time, not even 100 days.

 

But there was no guarantee that the first attempt at pill refining with an improved formula would necessarily succeed.

 

How could he ignore the probability of unexpected variables appearing?

 

Moreover, achieving even half success in the first pill refining wouldn’t be easy.

 

He could only obtain six Spiritual Energy Condensation Pills if he completed the pill refining without a single flaw, but on the first attempt, getting even one or two out of six wouldn’t be easy.

 

But three pills?

 

Kang Hyeon shook his head and held out the shell fragment he was holding to Ju Hyeong Ik.

 

This was a gesture signaling the end of negotiations.

 

“The deal would be difficult.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

When Kang Hyeon held out the shell fragment showing his intention to give up the commission, Ju Hyeong Ik’s eyebrows twitched.

 

He glared at Kang Hyeon for a moment, then asked.

 

“Can you tell me the reason?”

 

To this, Kang Hyeon nodded and answered.

 

“First, since I’ve never attempted pill refining with the improved formula, I cannot be confident of success on the first try. Naturally, I absolutely cannot promise three pills within 100 days.”

 

“What if I give you more time?”

 

“If time were abundant, I could naturally create three Spirit Qi Condensation Pills. However, the materials consumed would be considerable.”

 

“For teleportation formation activation tokens, wouldn’t such losses be acceptable?”

 

“Materials for about two pill refining attempts—that would be the best we could obtain in Mangpa Village. Anything more would require much more time.”

 

“So you’re saying it would be difficult to conduct two pill refining sessions within 100 days.”

 

“Even with two pill refining attempts, it would be difficult to guarantee three completed pills. So how could I proceed with a deal with Senior Ju? Besides, if it’s three Spirit Qi Condensation Pills, I’d rather take them to Great Market City and obtain other cultivation resources. It’s not like I’m desperately in need of teleportation formations.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

At Kang Hyeon’s response, Ju Hyeong Ik let out a heavy groan.

 

“Certainly, teleportation formations that can move to various places throughout the Hang-o Realm would have great value. But when it comes to whether it’s immediately useful to me or not…”

 

Kang Hyeon let his words trail off.

 

Inwardly, his heart was so urgent it felt like hands would burst from his throat to snatch the pair of tokens Ju Hyeong Ik possessed, but showing such eagerness would ruin even a possible deal.

 

So he was deliberately deceiving Ju Hyeong Ik by acting as if he didn’t particularly need them.

 

“Hmm. Indeed, artifacts do vary in value depending on need. I was being a bit greedy for the sake of our Shimyang Gate disciples, but three pills were apparently too much to ask. Sigh.”

 

Ju Hyeong Ik released the spiritual energy he had subtly raised and let out a long sigh.

 

At this, Kang Hyeon also loosened the tension he had been maintaining.

 

He was confident he could respond to whatever Ju Hyeong Ik might do within this cave dwelling.

 

“Then what about two pills… No, let’s make it one. Can you give me a definite answer on that?”

 

“Are you asking me to compensate if I fail?”

 

“There’s an auspicious day around that time. I’m planning to attempt realm advancement to match it, so if it seems like it’ll be delayed, I’ll have to attempt the advancement using the existing Spirit Qi Condensation Pills I received before.”

 

“Is the auspicious day that important?”

 

“Originally, sailors who depend on the ocean have such tendencies. Our Shimyang Gate’s origins are similar, so we’ve been greatly influenced by superstitions.”

 

“Superstitions…”

 

“It’s not that we still believe in superstitions, but because such aspirations are embedded in our Shimyang Gate’s various cultivation methods, considering fortune and misfortune is very important.”

 

“I understand. That makes sense to me.”

 

Kang Hyeon nodded as if agreeing with Ju Hyeong Ik’s words.

 

Similar contexts exist in cultivation methods, spell arts, spell techniques, and even formation techniques.

 

There’s nothing among the Hundred Arts of Cultivation that doesn’t contain the power of consciousness, and the factors influencing that power of consciousness are very diverse.

 

In Shimyang Gate’s case, they seem to be greatly influenced by divination and numerology that determine fortune and misfortune.

 

So they must attempt realm advancement on auspicious days to have a higher chance of success, and rather than miss that auspicious day, they would take existing advancement pills with slightly reduced effects.

 

“So what will you do?”

 

“One hundred days, understood. I’ll do it.”

 

“Good. Then you keep that one, and I’ll give you this when the spirit pill is completed.”

 

Ju Hyeong Ik put the token he was holding into his sleeve and stored it away.

 

Kang Hyeon also pushed what could be called a down payment token into his storage pouch.

 

“I’m counting on you.”

 

“I’ll need to move quickly. One hundred days—come at the appointed time.”

 

“I will. See you then.”

 

Ju Hyeong Ik didn’t waste time and immediately concealed himself using escape techniques as before.

 

Afterward, Kang Hyeon couldn’t hide his excitement at the expectation that once he finished this pill refining, he could return to Hyeop Province and find In Deok.

 

“Good. Since he said it’s a teleportation formation covering the entire Hang-o Realm, there must naturally be a way to reach somewhere in Hyeop Province. If I can just get to Hyeop Province, I can visit Cheonroe Gate and meet In Deok.”

 

Since In Deok would already have become a disciple of Cheonroe Gate, he didn’t know if they could continue their cultivation journey together.

 

But since they had parted without a proper farewell, he absolutely had to meet In Deok and settle his feelings.

 

Otherwise, his lingering attachment to In Deok would surely appear as a major obstacle to Kang Hyeon’s cultivation of the Great Way someday.

 

Of course, right now his worry for In Deok, who had been suddenly taken away, was greater than concern about future cultivation hindrances.

 

***

 

“Hm? What’s this?”

 

Kang Hyeon, who had entered Mangpa Village to obtain base materials for pill refining, was startled by a strange vibration he felt from within his robes and focused his consciousness on his storage pouch.

 

Surprisingly, the bundle of arrows he had stored in his storage pouch was resonating with something.

 

“Bi Woo Heon is here?”

 

Kang Hyeon quickly formed hand seals and placed a seal on the arrows in his storage pouch.

 

Until now, he had simply stored them in his storage pouch without any special measures, but if the arrows were resonating with something now, the other side would have also noticed the arrows’ presence.

 

“Since meeting would be good for neither of us, should I completely sever the resonance like this?”

 

He had sufficient means to do so.

 

However, even if it was a bad connection, Kang Hyeon didn’t feel like simply ignoring the appearance of Bi Woo Heon, with whom he had once formed a bond.

 

“Should I at least try observing from a distance?”

 

After pondering briefly, Kang Hyeon reached that conclusion and took out Bi Woo Heon’s arrows from his storage pouch.

 

Then he gauged the direction the arrows were resonating toward and launched his body forward.

 

“Hm?”

 

But as he traveled, the direction the arrows were resonating suddenly split in two.

 

“What’s this about? There can’t be two Bi Woo Heons?”

 

Kang Hyeon stopped walking and organized his thoughts briefly, then quickly drew up spiritual energy to completely seal the arrows’ aura.

 

“One is likely Bi Woo Heon, and the other is probably those who possess Bi Woo Heon’s arrows and are pursuing him.”

 

Kang Hyeon suddenly recalled the Ghost Pattern Myeong Family.

 

The family head there had said he lost his son in Chaotic Dark Valley.

 

And since he had pointed to Bi Woo Heon as the culprit and tried to track him, there was a high possibility that whoever had come here pursuing Bi Woo Heon was related to that Ghost Pattern Myeong Family.

 

If not that, then they were related to Mujin Sound Temple, to whom Kang Hyeon had handed over the arrows.

 

“What should I do?”

 

It was when Kang Hyeon was briefly pondering this unexpected situation.

 

Kwa-kwa-kwa-kwang! Kwa-kwa-kwang!

 

“Huh! Fighting within the village?”

 

A sudden explosion of spiritual energy erupted, and from within that explosion, one monk shot up into the sky above Mangpa Village before disappearing with a flashing escape technique.

 

Immediately after, three monks burst out from the collapsing building and also vanished, leaving behind ominous afterimages.

 

“Ghost energy! Are they indeed monks from the Guimun Myeong Family?”

 

Kang Hyeon confirmed the ghost energy in the afterimages left by the three monks who appeared later and nodded.

 

“How dare they cause a disturbance in Mangpa Village!”

 

But immediately after, someone’s angry voice filled the sky above Mangpa Village.

 

And a pure white line stretched thinly across the high sky in one direction.

 

“A Core Formation monk from the Gongson Family has made their move.”

 

Kang Hyeon muttered, recognizing that the pure white line was a trace of cold energy released by a monk.

 

And he turned away without hesitation to proceed with his original task—moving to obtain materials for pill refining.

 

Bi Woo Heon of Late Qi Accumulation and the Guimun Myeong Family monks pursuing him.

 

With even a Core Formation monk from the Gongson Family involved in the situation, Kang Hyeon had no desire to get entangled in it.

 

After experiencing this unexpected incident, Kang Hyeon gathered all the necessary materials and returned to his cave dwelling, successfully completing the improved Spirit Qi Condensation Pill according to the secret formula in time for his appointment with Ju Hyeong Ik.

 

***

 

“Judging by your expression, it seems you’ve succeeded.”

 

Ju Hyeong Ik, who visited Kang Hyeon’s cave dwelling again, wore a bright smile across his face.

 

As he said, since Kang Hyeon greeted him with a bright expression, it was clear enough that the commission had been successful.

 

“Please take a look.”

 

Kang Hyeon said this while placing a box on the table.

 

Ju Hyeong Ik spread his spiritual consciousness to examine the box and nodded with an even brighter expression.

 

“This is much better than I expected. Very good!”

 

“Then please give me the promised reward.”

 

“Of course. Here it is.”

 

When Kang Hyeon requested the reward, Ju Hyeong Ik didn’t hesitate and took out that shell fragment, extending it to Kang Hyeon.

 

Kang Hyeon received it and confirmed it was the same one as before.

 

And as he put the shell fragment into his storage pouch, he pushed the box on the table toward Ju Hyeong Ik.

 

“Now this spirit pill belongs to Senior Ju.”

 

“Hahaha. Thank you. Thank you. With this, there’s no chance of failing Core Formation Advancement.”

 

“You seem confident?”

 

“The possibility of failure wasn’t high to begin with, but now I’ve obtained an advancement pill that eliminates even that small possibility. Hahahaha.”

 

Ju Hyeong Ik couldn’t hide his joy and laughed heartily.

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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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