Chapter 99: Lotus (7)

Chapter 99: Lotus (7)/translatingnovice

Chiiiiiii

"Hatt!"

However, at some point, she regains her senses and the two patterns that were merging return back under her skin.

'What was that?'

"Miss, are you alright?"

"Oh, I'm fine. Just needed a moment to think."

She smiles briefly, then takes the magic artifact from me again.

"If you don't like this one either, let's use this failure as a learning experience and try again next time."

She takes the magic artifacts and goes back into her workshop.

'She doesn't know how to give up...'

I let out a light sigh.

I've said several times that I don't need a magic artifact...

Is she stubborn, or just not understanding?

I find a subtle sense of kinship in her persistence and unwittingly smile lightly.

I get a message from Seo Ran three days later.

"I can let you use the Nether Crossing Ship, but in exchange, give me spirit stones..."

I immediately tell the news to the Cheongmun Ryeong.

"The Nether Crossing Ship...?"

Cheongmun Ryeong, shocked, quickly communicates back to the Cheongmun Clan head through sound transmission.

And a few days later.

Koong!

At Cheon-saek City, the Cheongmun Clan head, Cheongmun Jung-jin, personally arrives with eighty thousand spirit stones.

"Is it true that just by offering spirit stones, one can have a chance to ride the famous Nether Crossing Ship?"

He asks, placing the storage artifact filled with spirit stones on the ground, addressing me and Cheongmun Ryeong.

I nod.

"Yes, a senior I know has agreed to allow a one-time ride on the Nether Crossing Ship. However, it's important to know that this Nether Crossing Ship is a wreck from a battle with the Mad Lord..."

"I'm aware. The tale of the Mad Lord facing the Black Ghost Valley alone is known to everyone in the cultivation world. Nevertheless, I'm eager to ride the Nether Crossing Ship... Even if it's ruined, the honor of riding the ship from the Black Ghost Valley that swept the seas is immense."

Cheongmun Jung-jin speaks with a hint of excitement uncharacteristic of his usual solemn demeanor.

The prospect of riding the Nether Crossing Ship excites not only Cheongmun Jung-jin but also Cheongmun Ryeong and Buk Hyang-hwa.

"That legendary artisans replica ship... To be able to see the Nether Crossing Ship..."

I look at them slightly awkwardly, thinking to myself.

I have entered the Nether Crossing Ship several times with Seo Ran. In my past life, I had even personally sailed it a few times, so it doesn't feel like a big deal to me.

But it seems the Nether Crossing Ship's value is much greater than I thought.

Several days pass.

I fly to the Black Wind Sea with Buk Hyang-hwa, Cheongmun Ryeong, and Cheongmun Jung-jin.

Buk Joong-ho wanted to join with his daughter, but as hes responsible for overseeing Cheon-saek City, he couldn't leave easily and just entrusted us with her safety.

"Just head in that direction."

"Understood."

We boarded Cheongmun Jung-jin's flying magic artifact shaped like a ship, and I guided them towards the Nether Crossing Ship.

"Didn't Miss Buk say she wouldn't leave Cheon-saek City?"

I ask, looking at Buk Hyang-hwa.

"Technically, I don't take on important duties that require me to be away for months. It only takes a few days to visit Serving Command Palace, so I joined this journey."

"I see. Your father mentioned that you don't like to be away from Cheon-saek City for long periods due to your mother's last wish..."

"Yes, that's right."

She plays with the jade-colored norigae tied around her waist.

"My mother was also an artifact artisan. Before I was born, she made a pact with her friend to make their sons sworn brothers if both had sons, make their daughters sworn sisters if both had daughters, and arrange a marriage if they had a son and a daughter."

She looks at the norigae while facing the sea breeze.

"This is a magic artifact made by my mother. It was made in pairs, and she said the other one would be with my destined partner. According to my mother's last wish, I've been waiting at Cheon-saek City, which is why I don't like to leave the city."

"I see..."

I smile at her.

"I hope that someday, your destined partner appears before you."

"Thank you."Follow current novels at novelhall.com)

Buk Hyang-hwa smiles, holding the accessory.

Kurung Kururung

Soon, Cheongmun Jung-jin's flying artifact enters the sea area where the Nether Crossing Ship resides.

"There should be a barrier ahead. Just break through it."

Understood.

Cheongmun Jung-jin looks around, then precisely steeres the flying artifact towards the location of the barrier and flies into it.

Kuwooong!

The flying artifact hits the air as if its striking something, and we enter inside the barrier.

[It's a big ghost...]

[The big ghost has appeared...]

Once again, the ghosts within the barrier call me a big ghost and seem to jump around, but they don't dare to approach due to Cheongmun Jung-jin's presence.

After piercing through several layers, we finally break through the last barrier and arrive at the location of the Nether Crossing Ship.

Chaaak!

"Wow, is that the Nether Crossing Ship...?"

"Ho, that is the one from Black Ghost Valley..."

"The replica of the masterpiece created by the legendary craftsman..."

Above the Nether Crossing Ship, there stands a figure.

'Song Jin?'

Its Song Jin, exuding the aura of Core Formation, welcoming us.

"Hmm..."

Cheongmun Jung-jin's expression turns serious upon sensing Song Jin's aura, which is even stronger than his, in the late stage of Core Formation.

"Hello, Elder Song Jin. Wheres Daoist Seo Ran?"

[He is gathering yin energy and ghostly energy from the deep sea as I instructed. He should be absorbing yin energy in the depths, practicing his cultivation method by now.]

"I see."

After answering me, Song Jin turns his attention to the spirit stone box held by Cheongmun Jung-jin.

[It takes ten thousand spirit stones to launch the Nether Crossing Ship once. Another ten thousand for a single spatial travel. That's twenty thousand in total.

Another twenty thousand for the return journey, plus the privilege cost of stepping onto the Nether Crossing Ship of the Black Ghost Valley, another twenty thousand spirit stones.]

A total of sixty thousand spirit stones!

Its an enormous cost.

"What is this..."

"I understand."

I was about to object, but Cheongmun Jung-jin nods and hands over the sixty thousand spirit stones to Song Jin.

"This junior presents these spirit stones to the elder of the great Black Ghost Valley."

[Good, a well-mannered one. Unlike that bandit who demanded the Nether Crossing Ship out of nowhere, you have a different level of integrity.]

"......"

Cheongmun Jung-jin looks puzzled, and I avoide Song Jin's gaze.

[Are you from the Cheongmun Clan? If you are descendants of Chang-ho, it makes sense. Well, I also owe Chang-ho, so I'll reduce the cost by two thousand spirit stones.]

Song Jin, noticing the Cheongmun Clan emblem on Cheongmun Jung-jin's clothes, returns two thousand of the sixty thousand spirit stones.

"Thank you, elder."

[Alright, where did you want to go?]

"We wish to enter Serving Command Palace."

[Serving Command Palace? It's not the time for Serving Command Palace to open. Unless you're in the later stages of Nascent Soul, you can't break the prohibition of Serving Command Palace.]

"Don't worry about that. I have the means."

I take out a barrier-breaking scroll and Song Jin nods.

[If you say so. Let's go then...]

'Right, there was one fairly intact puppet!'

"Ah, come with me, miss. I know where to find an intact puppet."

"Really?"

Her face lits up with excitement.

I take her to the place I have visited before.

And there, just like before, is the puppet.

A bee puppet the size of a human torso.

Its relatively intact.

Buk Hyang-hwa's hands tremble slightly.

I can guess her feelings.

"This is..."

She doesnt take apart the bee puppet right away but first holds and looks it over.

"Inside... it seems only the circuits are slightly damaged. The exterior is intact, and aside from some minor damage, the internal parts are mostly... intact. This is..."

Joy lits up Buk Hyang-hwa's face.

"With a little bit of repair, it might be usable again!"

"Oh..."

Buk Hyang-hwa, visibly thrilled, carefully places the puppet in her storage bag.

"Really, this place is a treasure trove."

"A treasure trove, indeed..."

When I first came here, there seemed to be nothing of use.

The only object of hope was the one Longevity Fruit growing on the first floor.

However, it seems that for someone like her, even this place can turn into a treasure trove.

"Definitely, for someone like Miss, this place is beneficial. Honestly, I just thought of these puppet remains as mere debris..."

"Ahaha, it's not unreasonable to think that way."

She continues collecting the surrounding remnants as she speaks.

"To those who don't need them, they're just trash. But I think differently."

Buk Hyang-hwa picks up a small plate-like object from the floor, covered in numerous spiritual circuits.

"Even ordinary debris, or trash, becomes a treasure in the hands of someone with a connection, don't you think?"

"In the hands of someone with a connection..."

"I believe whether something is trash or not depends on fate and connection. That's why I think there's no real trash in this world.

There are just things that haven't met their destined purpose or connection, and those that have."

"......"

Im quietly impressed by her perspective on fate.

A view of fate different from mine.

'I just thought of it as something to escape from, but this is another perspective.'

Not just something to escape from.

But something that gives value in itself.

'Fate, huh...'

Im lost in thought about fate when...

"Oh, why hasn't this part self-repaired yet?"

She has put the puppet remains in her storage bag and is now looking at the outer wall behind it.

Theres a small injury on the wall, exposing numerous spiritual circuits, which have not self-repaired yet.

"Serving Command Palace should have an auto-repair function... why hasn't this part..."

Buk Hyang-hwa starts to dismantle that area with her tools.

That's when it happens.

Creak...

A small compartment behind her opens.

Simultaneously, a small hidden weapon springs out.

'A trap mechanism..!'

Clang!

I quickly dash over and deflect the hidden weapon.

"Ah!"

"Are you alright, Miss?"

"I, I'm fine but..."

Her face has turned pale.

"Oops..."

When I rushed over to deflect the hidden weapon from behind her, the shockwave caused her to lean forward slightly, causing her tool to deeply embed itself in one of Serving Command Palace's spiritual circuits.

"I think I might have triggered something wrong."

"Is it serious...?"

"It's not so much serious as one of Serving Command Palace's hidden functions..."

Rumble!

"Seems to have activated."

"....!"

Suddenly, a strange pressure envelops the entirety of Serving Command Palace.

This pressure circulates around, compressing the Pure Spiritual Force in every part of my body.

'This is...!'

My spiritual power is restricted, and my cultivation drops from the early stage of Qi Building to the early stage of Qi Refining in an instant.

Looking at Buk Hyang-hwa, her internal spiritual power seems to have mostly dried up, reducing her almost to the state of a mortal.

'Has everyone's cultivation been reduced by one realm...?'

Judging by the range, it seems that the entire Serving Command Palace has fallen into this state temporarily.

As the clan head of the Cheongmun Clan, Cheongmun Jung-jin, being in the Core Formation realm, would have been restricted to Qi Building, and Cheongmun Ryeong would have faced similar restrictions as me.

"It seems I've accidentally triggered some sort of restraint within Serving Command Palace."

"I apologize, Miss. It's my fault for pushing you into it..."

"No, it's my fault for recklessly meddling with Serving Command Palace's walls. I'll try to restore it to its original state."

She hurriedly reinserts her elongated tool into the wall, trying to rectify the circuits.

That's when I notice something.

'That is...?'

Inside Serving Command Palace.

Amidst the debris of the Mad Lord's puppets and other remnants of Heavenly Being cultivators, the guardian stone statues of Serving Command Palace begin to stir.

Creak, creak...

The statues are gradually repairing themselves and starting to rise into the air.

'Is this the effect of the restraint?'

It looks so.

Since this pressure began, spiritual energy has started to flow back into these guardian statues.

"Miss, is it possible to completely undo the restraint?"

"Yes, it's possible. I just need to reset the circuits, but it'll take some time."

Understood.

I sense the energy of the rising guardian stone statues.

'They seem to be in the early stages of Qi Refining, probably because they're still recovering. But the longer this goes on, the more they'll regain their original strength by repairing their damaged body.'

I inspect my own condition.

Woooong!

My spiritual power is restricted and barely movable, but my internal energy is still flowing well.

'Hmm...?'

When I try forming a Gang Sphere, it forms without any issue.

My martial skills are unaffected by the restriction on my spiritual power.

Translator Notes: Extra donated chapter by ASDF, Danghiskhan, ymmm, and idkm8. Thanks for the support! One more to come.

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