The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 70

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Surviving in the Martial Realm as a Mage: Episode 70
Before Ilhyang ascended to the Upper Realm Immortal Cultivation Realm.
He met someone in secret.
Because the other party had made an extraordinarily powerful request.
“My, what refined tastes you have.”
And the place of that meeting was within a dream.
More precisely, it was Mongyeondo, created by the Nine-tailed Fox.
In this place, guided by Geum-ok, Ilhyang encountered one of the Twelve Demon Sovereigns.
A ruler of fox-kind bloodline.
Cheonho—the Celestial Fox said to corrupt even the heavens themselves.
“You’re truly human? A human entering Mongyeondo that I created… so what Geum-ok said was true. How can such a miracle even exist?”
Violet hair cascading down, a body brimming with sensuality.
A woman with an alluring smile playing at her eyes.
At a glance, this was no mere human beauty.
Ilhyang paused for a moment.
His gaze pierced through Cheonho.
Such an overt stare should have been uncomfortable.
Yet Cheonho walked with a languid grace, meeting his gaze as if accustomed to it.
“…You resemble her.”
The resemblance to the Succubus Queen was strangely uncanny.
So Ilhyang was genuinely astonished.
Because standing before him was someone who resembled that demon who had died by his own hand.
Wasn’t the resemblance truly remarkable?
Even that beauty mark beneath her right eye…
One could believe them twins.
‘At this point, a normal person should sense something amiss.’
The Seven Continents and this world.
They possessed an oddly striking number of similarities.
Perhaps rather than a Higher Dimension, I should consider a different concept entirely, he thought.
“Hmm? Why? Did you meet a child who resembles me somewhere? Is that it?”
Ilhyang smiled faintly, and as Cheonho approached him slowly, he felt a thick, intoxicating wave of desire seeping out—and he let out a quiet laugh.
“If you’re going to play games, I’m leaving.”
How dare she?
Ilhyang, who had remained completely unmoved even by the Succubus Queen.
In short, he was invulnerable to this type of mental assault.
Therefore, Ilhyang easily deflected Cheonho’s enchantment.
Feeling this, Cheonho’s body went rigid.
Simultaneously, the wave of seduction that had been flowing from her vanished instantly.
Cheonho, her expression tinged with wounded pride, narrowed her eyes and gazed at Ilhyang.
“Everything Geum-ok said was true. I never imagined a man could withstand the Ecstasy of a Hundred Strikes.”
“If you understand, then return her.”
The reason Ilhyang came to this Mongyeondo.
It was because of Cheonho, who held Geum-ok hostage.
Cheonho let out a low hum, then scoffed before stretching out lengthwise on the broad wooden platform beside him.
“You seem to care quite a bit for that child?”
“There’s no need for threats or hostage games that won’t work. You already know you won’t lay a hand on her.”
“Ho? How would you know that?”
Ilhyang shrugged his shoulders.
If his current suspicion was correct—if this being called Cheonho was similar to the Succubus Queen—
then he couldn’t harm Geum-ok, who was of the same species.
No, more precisely, he wouldn’t be able to.
‘The difference between a true form and a fragment.’
All succubi shared a certain portion of their power, and they also shared knowledge and information.
A form akin to a collective organism.
Among the Demon Clan, only a very small minority possessed such an unusual way of life.
‘The Succubus Queen is special among them, though.’
The Queen actively protected and nurtured her fragments and blood-related kin.
That was her role.
“You. You! You really do know something, don’t you?”
“Tell me the purpose of why you called me here.”
That creature’s plan to use Geum-ok as a hostage was plausible.
At least it had piqued my interest enough to listen.
Cheonho, displeased by Ilhyang’s resolute attitude, puffed out his cheeks.
Then, waving a pure white fan that he held in his hand (though he hadn’t held it before), he spoke.
“According to what Geum-ok told me, you can cross the Dimensional Barrier, right?”
“So?”
“Would you do me a favor?”
I had a feeling this was coming.
According to what Geum-ok had said, Cheonho was a typical demon who viewed humans as nothing more than light snacks.
He was clearly different from that Celestial Great Sage I had met before, who had been endlessly affable toward me. So I mustn’t be deceived by that creature’s beautiful appearance.
He would be thoroughly squeezed out and scattered as fertilizer somewhere.
“What’s the price?”
At Ilhyang’s businesslike question, Cheonho pondered for a moment.
Then he brought forth a small orb from behind and held it forward.
“You’re collecting inner cores, aren’t you? I’ll give you this.”
The inner core I glimpsed contained at most the aura of a Demon King.
Of course, it was exactly what Ilhyang needed most right now.
‘But I can obtain that whenever I want, can’t I?’
Since I had already cast a fishing line into the 4th Realm Spirit Vein in the Demon Immortal Realm, an Immortal-grade inner core wasn’t particularly urgent.
If such a golden opportunity had arrived and I accepted only this in exchange for granting that creature’s request, I would be played for a fool.
Ilhyang was no fool.
Naturally, I crossed my arms and tilted my head to the side.
“Every day, you say? Surely you’re not thinking of giving me only that? Right? Our Demon Sovereign couldn’t possibly be so petty.”
“…Ah, well, yes… That’s right! This is more like a down payment. Humans do things like that, don’t they?”
Cheonho was internally flustered.
He’d clearly heard from Geumok that I was seeking a Yuanying-grade inner core.
When I came forward with an unexpectedly strong presence, Cheonho fumbled and casually tossed me a bead.
Having effortlessly obtained the Yuanying-grade inner core needed to ascend to the 6th Circle, I
asked again with an utterly shameless expression and no change in demeanor.
“So what’s the price?”
“Is there something you want?”
“Far too many things.”
When I answered with a bright smile, Cheonho momentarily hesitated and swallowed hard.
At the same time, Cheonho found it strange.
For some reason, my spirit kept wavering before this arrogant human whose charm magic didn’t even work.
Though I couldn’t understand why.
‘Just as foolish as I thought.’
Watching Cheonho, I let out a silent laugh.
Perhaps it was because I’d lived comfortably all this time thanks to my overwhelming power.
The Succubus Queen from that world was the same, and this creature called Cheonho from this world was equally clumsy and foolish in his own way.
‘I’m getting oddly attached.’
I quickly erased the thought that had surfaced and spoke.
“Give me 5th-grade demon cores. Three of them.”
“That’s impossible! Yao Huang-grade inner cores are originally given only to those who pass the trials. Even I can’t carelessly touch them or it would violate the rules….”
“Your tongue’s loose. Good luck with that.”
As I uncrossed my arms and began to rise as if to leave, Cheonho hastily continued.
“…It would be breaking the rules! But this time I can make a special exception!”
“Where are you trying to peddle medicine? You want to die?”
“Ugh, your language is too harsh.”
I paused.
For a moment, the tone I used to employ when dealing with the Succubus Queen had slipped out, and I fell into thought.
‘Don’t confuse them. This is a different person.’
Whenever something from this world appeared that resembled something from that world, confusion seemed to arise.
I pressed my temples firmly and raised my chin.
“So you’re saying you’ll give them?”
5th-grade demon cores.
If those were what I expected, the 7th Circle wouldn’t be a problem either.
“Fine. I’ll give them!”
“Then tell me exactly what you want.”
This was a transaction.
A fair exchange where both parties benefit from one another through mutual assistance.
Just as I had done with the Succubus Queen at first—a transaction free of any ulterior motive.
Whenever I dealt with the Succubus race, I had to continuously remind myself of this principle.
I was essentially conducting a self-examination of my own thoughts.
This was, in essence, a form of self-scrutiny.
“If you truly can move freely between the Upper Realm and Lower Realm…”
Ugh, how unpleasantly familiar.
Even the way Cheonho drew out the end of that sentence matched the Succubus Queen’s mannerism.
I pressed my lips together firmly and gazed intently at Cheonho.
But why did that fox maintain this human form when they could shift into multiple appearances?
“Can’t you change out of that human shell into something else? It’s incredibly irritating.”
Unable to hold back any longer, I blurted out the words.
Cheonho’s previously excited expression shifted sharply, and they answered with firm resolve.
“Why? I don’t want to! Respect my preferences!”
“…Do as you please.”
“How absurd. Anyway, there’s only one thing I want from you.”
Cheonho found it strange.
I didn’t dislike this blunt and arrogant human.
Rather, I found them oddly appealing.
They were merely a snack, after all.
It was unusual to feel such strong affection toward a human.
As Cheonho’s wandering thoughts returned, they noticed discomfort rising in my eyes.
With a sly smile, they swept their hair back and spoke.
“Next time you ascend. Don’t go here—go to where humans ascend. That place you call the Immortal Cultivation Realm.”
“And then?”
“Open a door there between what you call the Demon Cultivation Realm and that place. Just once is enough.”
I could sense exactly what they wanted.
But their request was far more substantial than I’d anticipated, making this trade feel like a loss for me.
“The incantation is difficult and complex—almost pedantic.”
“What? You can’t do it?”
“What you’re asking for is to create a passage from the Immortal Cultivation Realm to the Demon Cultivation Realm—essentially a boundary gateway, correct?”
“Exactly! You’re smart!”
I exhaled deeply.
The way they expressed something simple in such a convoluted manner was also identical to the Succubus Queen’s style.
‘What kind of world is this, really?’
It felt as though the world had been copied and transplanted here.
I set aside the thoughts surfacing in my mind and raised my hand.
“It seems possible, but I can’t guarantee success.”
“Why not?”
“To cross from that world into this one, coordinates are necessary. The more precise the coordinates, the more accurate the passage becomes.”
“Coordinates? Do we really need them? Can’t you just move there?”
When Cheonho’s expression betrayed his confusion.
I furrowed my brow and spoke.
“I could force it through sheer power if I wanted to. But it would consume an astronomical amount of energy.”
“Ah! So you’re saying you can’t do it because you’re running low on power right now?”
“Are you trying to get under my skin?”
As I shot back sharply, Cheonho laughed brightly and replied.
“Alright, weakling. I shouldn’t ask you to do something beyond your abilities. Sorry!”
“…Anyway, continuing the explanation. There needs to be something at that location that can serve as precise coordinates. Only then can I open a stable rift.”
Precise coordinates.
Just as I had used Geum-ok as a coordinate before to cross into the Demon Immortal Realm.
I needed something that would connect to this world.
‘I already know the coordinates, though.’
By my estimation.
Ascending from the Lower Realm to the Upper Realm was likely a different matter than moving within the Upper Realm itself.
I still couldn’t predict how the Dimensional Barrier would respond.
‘So I need insurance.’
Spatial coordinates shift constantly.
To fix them precisely, I would need to create a portal.
Otherwise, I could at least leave a ‘mark’ that would clearly designate the coordinates.
‘Just like what I secretly left with Jigang Apryong.’
But that was a one-time use.
It consumed a lot of power.
And it required considerable resources.
So there was no need to tell Cheonho about it.
First, the Succubus Queen.
No—I was simply watching to see how Cheonho would handle this.
As I remained quietly silent.
Cheonho pondered for a moment before speaking.
“Then I’ll give you this.”
Cheonho plucked a single small hair from the outermost of his nine tails.
And he tossed it lightly toward me.
*Whoosh*
Catching the tail hair—as long and lustrous as an ordinary person’s head of hair—I grimaced.
The sweet, intoxicating fragrance contained within the tail hair made my head spin.
Reading my expression, Cheonho quickly said.
“Th-that’s with the power reduced as much as possible. If I reduced it any further, it wouldn’t help, right? I was worried the Immortal Cultivation Realm folks might notice, so I completely erased any traces!”
“…I didn’t say anything.”
This was a kind of talisman used among demons.
In other words, it was a magical scroll.
There seemed to be other functions as well, but the one in my hand had them all locked.
The one in my hand had all other functions sealed away.
‘This much should be enough for now.’
I applied pressure with my hand.
I felt the tail hair seeping smoothly into my body.
The method seemed a bit odd when I thought about it.
But if I considered this a talisman, it made sense.
I clenched and unclenched my fist several times, trying to sense any foreign feeling, but there was none at all.
As if it had melted perfectly into me.
Yet it seemed I could transform it back into tail hair form whenever I wished.
“When you go to the Immortal Cultivation Realm, there will be young demon clan members being held or raised there. Find them. Those brats will become the coordinates you’re looking for.”
“Got it.”
Crack—!
The moment I accepted the tail hair, the beautiful surroundings of Mongyeondo suddenly began to tremble slowly.
“Tch. I helped my friend specially today, and this is what I get. It must be because I’m directly exerting power.”
Cheonho grumbled quietly, his expression tinged with regret.
Even for Cheonho, deceiving the eyes of the Dimensional Barrier and intervening in the Lower Realm had its limits beyond a certain range.
“Already thinking about parting ways? Feeling sad?”
“If you’re going to talk nonsense, I’m leaving.”
“Hey! You have to honor contracts, right? I’m a truly terrifying demon.”
I waved my hand dismissively.
In the meantime, my surroundings blurred, and a familiar ceiling came into view.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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