The Chaotic Immortal Wood Sect: Immortal Cultivation War - Chapter 64

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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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64. Leaving the Black Secret Wetlands and Organizing the Nok Province Journey

 

“Four-Throat, truly extraordinary indeed.”

 

While organizing the Four-Throat Demoness’s storage pouch, Kang Hyeon discovered something he hadn’t expected.

 

It was a wanted notice from the Liaison Trading Hall seeking the Four-Throat Demoness Seo Ok Yeong throughout all of Nok Province.

 

“To raise the Chaotic Heaven Serpent, she killed many monks whose cultivation was lower than hers. Then she killed one monk at the late Qi Accumulation stage, and that monk was a disciple of Mujin Sound Temple?”

 

When their disciple died, Mujin Sound Temple set out to find the killer, and eventually revealed that Seo Ok Yeong was the culprit.

 

And in that process, they also discovered that Seo Ok Yeong had killed countless monks over time to feed the Chaotic Heaven Serpent.

 

After that, the Four-Throat Demoness was expelled from the sect she belonged to and became hunted by various monks throughout Nok Province.

 

Still, since the Four-Throat Demoness had reached the mid-stage of the Decisive Technique, she somehow managed to twist the Soul Engraving Prohibition that had been carved into her when she entered the sect, allowing her to continue her escape.

 

The most important aspect of the Soul Engraving content was not to harm the sect, but Seo Ok Yeong had already caused great damage to the Death Gate through her many killings.

 

However, since Seo Ok Yeong hadn’t intentionally harmed the Death Gate, a variable arose where the Soul Engraving Prohibition didn’t activate.

 

And because such a loophole appeared in the Soul Engraving Prohibition, Seo Ok Yeong was able to exploit it and escape the Soul Engraving Prohibition.

 

But even though she succeeded in escaping, it was impossible to keep avoiding Mujin Sound Temple’s eyes in Nok Province.

 

Wanted posters for Seo Ok Yeong had already been posted not only at the Liaison Trading Hall but at every market town in Nok Province.

 

“So she tried to leave Nok Province and go to another province, and that was Hyeop Province?”

 

From the wanted notice content, Kang Hyeon roughly learned about the deeds committed by the Four-Throat Demoness Seo Ok Yeong, and also confirmed the reason why she had no choice but to leave Nok Province.

 

However, he couldn’t understand why she specifically came to this Hyeop Province instead of somewhere else.

 

But judging from the unusual items found in her storage pouch, Kang Hyeon guessed that the Four-Throat Demoness had promised to make a deal with someone.

 

“The Four-Throat Demoness was a woman who cultivated based on demon energy. Moreover, she was planning to use the Chaotic Heaven Serpent for her realm advancement. The Chaotic Heaven Serpent is originally a precious demon beast that received the blood of an ancient demon beast, and after she was lucky enough to obtain it, she focused solely on cultivation, concentrating her efforts on accepting and manifesting the demon beast’s true blood with a human body.”

 

What if the Four-Throat Demoness hadn’t met Kang Hyeon and fallen under Soul Confusion, and had properly raised the Chaotic Heaven Serpent to the end?

 

She would have tried to become a Chaotic Heaven Serpent herself by accepting the Chaotic Heaven Serpent’s true blood during the Spirit Body Stage advancement process.

 

This was a very special method among cultivation techniques related to spirit beasts, a way of taking the true blood of a demon beast with excellent ancestors and completing it while continuing that legacy.

 

If Seo Ok Yeong could have obtained the Chaotic Heaven Serpent’s true blood and awakened it, she could have gained part of the ancient demon beast’s ability to devour the chaotic heavens.

 

And if she continued to grow that true blood afterward and reached completion, she would have eventually risen to a level similar to the ancient demon beast that was the ancestor of the Chaotic Heaven Serpent.

 

That was the core of Seo Ok Yeong’s cultivation.

 

“So such preparations would be completely unnecessary for the Four-Throat Demoness.”

 

Kang Hyeon muttered while placing three jade bottles in a row in front of his crossed knees.

 

“Not only other true blood, but Spirit Transformation Art would be even more useless to that woman. Spirit Transformation Art is only needed by beasts.”

 

Three jade bottles containing different true blood, and a Spirit Transformation Art jade slip that was with them.

 

Spirit transformation is a shapeshifting cultivation method used when beasts cultivating the Immortal Way want to take human form.

 

So it would be completely useless to Seo Ok Yeong, who was human, but the fact that it was bundled together with true blood had clear implications.

 

“She was going to bundle them together and hand them over. The probability is high that she came to Hyeop Province for that purpose.”

 

The reason Kang Hyeon thought she tried to make a deal in Hyeop Province was because it wasn’t something to drag out for long.

 

Trading true blood and Spirit Transformation Art bundled together is a big deal for those at the Decisive Technique stage, but becomes insignificant at the Spirit Body Stage.

 

So the trade of true blood and Spirit Transformation Art couldn’t be something for the distant future.

 

With just a little more growth of the Chaotic Heaven Serpent, the Spirit Body Stage would be right before her eyes, and it was unimaginable that Seo Ok Yeong would postpone that.

 

It was definitely a trade that had to be done before Spirit Body Stage advancement, and naturally, what she would receive as payment in that trade would have been resources needed for the Chaotic Heaven Serpent’s growth.

 

“If she exchanged these for resources needed for the Chaotic Heaven Serpent’s growth, she might have been able to raise the Chaotic Heaven Serpent to the Great Perfection of the Decisive Technique stage? So ultimately, the high possibility is that she came to Hyeop Province to meet a beast monk and make a deal. Then where and who was she trying to meet?”

 

To solve that question, Kang Hyeon examined the true blood contained in the three jade bottles.

 

Since she was keeping the three jade bottles bundled together with the Spirit Transformation Art, it meant she was trying to make a deal handing over all four items simultaneously.

 

Then if he looked for targets who needed all three different true bloods, he might be able to figure out who she was trying to deal with?

 

“Giant ape, lion, and demon tree true blood. I need to find a group that can bundle these together.”

 

It was an uncommon combination.

 

Since Spirit Transformation Art was only needed by beasts, the trading target would naturally be beasts with spiritual energy, and since beasts could only accept true blood corresponding to their own bloodline, he didn’t need to think about other bloodlines.

 

But could there be an organization or group that had giant apes, lions, and even demon trees together?

 

Kang Hyeon thought for a moment and then chuckled.

 

He thought that if there really was such a place, it might surprisingly be easy to find.

 

Special cases weren’t common, but weren’t there also many cases that were famous precisely because they were special?

 

If the owners of the three true blood before his eyes were harmoniously together, there might be many who knew about it in the Hyeop Province Cultivation World.

 

However, even if he found the trading target that way, it was unknowable how they would think of Kang Hyeon instead of Seo Ok Yeong.

 

“Let’s organize this much for now. The immediate problem is this.”

 

Kang Hyeon bundled the jade bottles containing true blood and the jade slip recording Spirit Transformation Art and stored them in his storage pouch inside his sleeve.

 

And this time he took out a new item from his own storage.

 

Wooooong jiiiiiing!

 

But as soon as it came outside, it emitted blood light and made an extraordinary crying sound while trembling its body.

 

“Even though it’s ominous, I can’t easily give it up. It’s too precious to just have Trent absorb it.”

 

The object Kang Hyeon was looking at with a troubled expression was none other than a cleaver.

 

The very cleaver that was meant to cut the Chaotic Heaven Serpent’s neck when Seo Ok Yeong gave up on the Chaotic Heaven Serpent’s growth and tried to perform a blood ritual.

 

At that time, Seo Ok Yeong had finished all preparations for the blood ritual and summoned and spread a compressed altar.

 

But that blood ritual failed due to Kang Hyeon’s interference, and the altar collapsed. However, even when the altar collapsed and shattered into pieces, only the cleaver remained completely undamaged and maintained its original form.

 

Therefore, when Kang Hyeon finished dealing with Seo Ok Yeong and the Chaotic Heaven Serpent and left the Black Secret Wetlands, he had taken this cleaver from the pile of stones where the blood ritual altar had collapsed.

 

“When I take it out of the storage pouch, it reacts like this, which is really inconvenient. This is definitely like a signal being sent to someone in the Upper Realm who would receive the blood ritual.”

 

If it was an existence that would receive blood rituals from the Upper Realm, how high would their status be?

 

Kang Hyeon felt some anticipation at the thought that a communication channel with such an existence might be created, but his hesitation was greater.

 

“I might be able to communicate with an existence from the Upper Realm if I find a way, but the risk burden is too great. Monks are people who are hard to trust.”

 

That was Kang Hyeon’s average perception of the monks in the Cultivation World.

 

So even if he connected with an existence from the Upper Realm through the cleaver used for blood rituals, he thought there would be more misfortune than fortune.

 

“It’s better to just use it for research purposes. If I carelessly do something related to blood rituals…”

 

A situation beyond his control could unfold.

 

Perhaps he could be killed by an existence from the Upper Realm, or if not that, he could be enslaved.

 

Beyond the Spirit Body Stage was the Avatar Stage, and only after surpassing even that Avatar Stage would one reach a level befitting the Upper Realm’s Spirit Realm.

 

What couldn’t such tremendous beings do?

 

“Let’s never consider using the cleaver directly. It could invite disaster.”

 

If he didn’t operate the cleaver from this side, even an existence from the Upper Realm wouldn’t be able to interfere with Kang Hyeon in the Lower Realm.

 

Kang Hyeon reached that conclusion and put the cleaver back into the storage pouch in his sleeve.

 

Afterward, Kang Hyeon began examining all his increased wealth from leaving Nok Province and coming to Hyeop Province, starting his overall assessment.

 

“As expected, resources are concentrated on preparing for Heavenly Tribulation. This shows just how much those facing Spirit Body Stage advancement fear the advancement tribulation.”

 

The largest portion of what was in Heo’s and the Four-Throat Demoness’s storage pouches consisted of preparations for facing Heavenly Tribulation.

 

“Though it’s still far off for me, if there’s anything that could help overcome advancement tribulation, I shouldn’t carelessly pass it by.”

 

Kang Hyeon finished organizing his items with that resolution.

 

Then he quietly closed his eyes and focused his consciousness on one of Trent’s branches.

 

He was trying to connect his consciousness with the very branch that In Deok had taken, saying he would refine it into a True Name Method treasure.

 

“Even after arriving in Hyeop Province, there’s still no resonance.”

 

The same result came out as it had several times before.

 

He couldn’t sense the presence of the branch In Deok had taken.

 

“But it hasn’t disappeared.”

 

Fortunately or unfortunately, the branch In Deok had taken hadn’t been destroyed.

 

“Restrictions, barriers, seals, layered formations, special spaces. There are various factors that could erase the branch’s presence. So let’s not be too impatient.”

 

Kang Hyeon opened his eyes, got up, and took a long deep breath while casting his gaze far in the direction the flying leaf ship was heading.

 

***

 

“So you’re saying the Black Secret Wetlands is a place that’s not well known?”

 

Kang Hyeon was sitting face to face with an elderly cultivator on the deck of the flying leaf ship.

 

This elderly cultivator was someone Kang Hyeon had called over just moments ago, who had been returning to the market town where his dwelling was located after finishing spirit herb gathering and demon beast hunting.

 

He was at the Early Qi Accumulation stage, and was currently answering various questions after boarding the flying leaf ship at Kang Hyeon’s request.

 

He had introduced himself as Jin Do Baek.

 

“That’s right, Senior. The terrain here is rough and the vegetation isn’t abundant either. Moreover, there are no particularly famous cultivation resources here…”

 

“Is that so? But knowing that, you still came this way?”

 

“Since there’s no competition, I can enjoy small gains. It’s not great, but it’s not terrible either.”

 

“I see.”

 

Kang Hyeon roughly guessed Jin Do Baek’s disposition of preferring to be less greedy rather than compete, and nodded.

 

“Hmm, but I don’t know why you’re looking for the Black Secret Wetlands, Senior, but they say there’s something very dangerous there.”

 

Jin Do Baek spoke carefully to Kang Hyeon.

 

His words contained a warning about the dangers of the Black Secret Wetlands.

 

“Something dangerous?”

 

Kang Hyeon nonchalantly asked, pretending not to know about the danger.

 

“Thousands of years ago, such rumors spread and many monks went there, but not many returned. The problem is that even though so many monks died, not one of those who returned had gained anything.”

 

At Kang Hyeon’s question, Jin Do Baek began explaining in detail as if excited.

 

“A place that’s dangerous but offers no gains? Still, monks being the type they are, they wouldn’t have given up easily, right?”

 

Kang Hyeon also chimed in as if adding to the conversation.

 

“Of course. So for a while after that, there were quite a few people heading to the Black Secret Wetlands, but at some point it died down.”

 

“In the end, no one who gained anything appeared, I suppose.”

 

Kang Hyeon nodded again as if he could roughly guess how the situation had unfolded.

 

“It became marked as a place with something dangerous that could lead to death, where no benefit could be gained. So no one pays attention to that place. Well, there still seem to be people who occasionally come out from that direction though.”

 

“A place where those who know about it absolutely won’t go, and those who don’t know have no reason to head there.”

 

“But why are you looking for the Black Secret Wetlands, Senior?”

 

Since Kang Hyeon had revealed when bringing him aboard the flying leaf ship that he was heading to the Black Secret Wetlands, Jin Do Baek was asking with an expression wondering if there might be something there.

 

“Hmm, I heard there’s a teleportation array there that can go to other provinces.”

 

Kang Hyeon didn’t hide the fact that there was a long-distance transmission array in the Black Secret Wetlands.

 

However, he changed his story to say he was looking for it rather than having come from that teleportation array.

 

“Come on, what would you use that for? It’s not difficult if you go through the Great Unity Hall.”

 

Then Jin Do Baek brought up the uselessness theory of long-distance transmission arrays.

 

Here, Kang Hyeon was inwardly a bit surprised that Jin Do Baek mentioned the Great Unity Hall so casually.

 

In Nok Province, it was rare for a monk who was only at Early Qi Accumulation to talk about the Great Unity Hall.

 

But for someone who was merely at Early Qi Accumulation to speak of the Great Unity Hall so lightly.

 

“The Great Unity Hall is the Great Unity Hall, and teleportation arrays are another matter. If it’s a formation technique that can move such long distances, there would be much to learn from it, wouldn’t there?”

 

However, Kang Hyeon provided reasoning that his purpose for seeking the teleportation array wasn’t to use the formation for travel, but to study formation techniques by examining it.

 

“Certainly, if that’s the reason, it would be worth taking interest in, but…”

 

Still, Jin Do Baek’s reaction trailed off, seeming to ask whether it was worth the trouble to find it.

 

At this, Kang Hyeon didn’t say more and changed the topic by asking about the market town where Jin Do Baek was staying.

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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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