Chapter 137: Baihui (4)

Chapter 137: Baihui (4)/translatingnovice

The magic artifact shop is just as I remember it.

Its still the same scene from that time.

Clang, clang, clang!

From inside the workshop, the sound of her crafting something can still be heard.

I look around the magic artifact shop for a while, waiting for her.

After a bit, the door of the workshop opens, and a person walks out.

She is wearing the same pure white robe as in my memory.

Its her.

"I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. What brings you here?"

"I am..."

Before I can even say anything.

Woosh!

Suddenly, the jade-colored norigae hanging at my waist starts to tremble violently.

At the same time, the norigae at her waist also starts to shake.

A perfectly identical pair of magic artifacts.

Of course, now there were not two, but three, thanks to the item that transcended time.

But their function still seems to resonate.

"That is..."

Her eyes widened.

"Are you... that person?"

She looks at me with wide eyes, holding her norigae.

I can't speak.

What should I say?

What can I say?

Just then.

Flash!

The norigae in her hand shines brightly and suddenly turns into a bright brilliance.

"...!!"

And then, the light flows into the norigae I am holding and merges into it.

The one I brought is the norigae of Buk Hyang-hwa, transcending time.Updated from novelb(i)n.c(o)m

In other words, its hers from the future.

As if the world does not allow two completely identical things to exist,

Her norigae from the past is sucked into the one I am holding and absorbed.

Fzzzzt...

Soon after, the norigae in my hand, having absorbed Buk Hyang-hwa's, shines even brighter.

It appears to have become firmer and more mysterious than before.

'By overlapping the same artifacts... has the grade of the dharma treasure risen?'

Lost in thought at the mysterious phenomenon, Hyang-hwa too looks astonished.

"So, when the same artifacts meet, this happens. I've learned something new. Hmm, but... that norigae was also my mother's heirloom..."

She seems somewhat sad.

Her expression, gestures, actions, habits, breathing, heartbeat...

All of it, is her.

She is alive.

"By the way, since you've come all this way with the norigae, why don't you come in and have some tea?"

Then.

I realize from her tone of voice.

She is not.

The person I loved.

Drip, drip...

She is not the her who shared the same time with me, the same feelings, the same pain.

"You... don't know me."

"Yes...?"

I absentmindedly wipe away my tears and speak.

"No, its nothing"

I have anticipated this.

My disciples, my master, countless Kim Young-hoons.

I have been preparing for this moment since the time I couldn't meet them.

But now that it's actually happening, I can't help but feel bitterly cold.

Seeing her stirred a tempest in my heart.

Perhaps that's why.

I hand her the norigae.

"Your mother's heirloom was absorbed, so I can't keep it. Please take it."

"Really? It's fine for me, but are you sure you can just give away the token of fate?"

Token of fate, huh.

Do you know?

The person your mother intended to connect you with is already married and dead.

The 'real' token is probably buried with him by Wolryang's hand in his grave.

"...I heard you were to marry the person who brought the norigae."

Feeling an indescribably complex emotion, I place the norigae in her hand.

"I'm sorry, but I will give you this norigae and leave."

"Yes...?"

"I..."

I look at her face and feel relieved.

At the same time, sad looking into her eyes.

My Her is alive, but she doesn't know me.

If only we had died at the same time that day, we could have been together in the afterlife.

"I already have someone I love."

Holding back tears is easy.

But holding back emotions is difficult.

If someone else reads my intent, they might have cried with me.

"Thank you for keeping the token while waiting for fate. But I no longer need that token. Please take it and live freely. You don't have to live waiting anymore."

"Wait a moment..."

Barely suppressing my boiling emotions, I turn my back and leave the magic artifact shop.

A brief but intense encounter.

But I force myself to step away and turn my back.

If I don't turn my back now,

I might fall there and cling to her, weeping madly.

I would never leave this place again.

Swoosh!

I leave the magic artifact shop and board the Nether Crossing Ship.

"Quickly, go anywhere."

[Alright.]

Whirring!

Ghostly mist envelops the Nether Crossing Ship, and we immediately move to another place.

'Who was that man?'

Buk Hyang-hwa recalls the man who suddenly came to give her his token and left.

She was bewildered.

For years, the signal from the connected magic artifacts had not been detected, then suddenly signals started appearing from two places.

She thought the magic artifact was broken, but when she checked it was fine, leaving her confused.

And a few days ago, one of the two signals disappeared.

Unbeknownst to her, that was when Wolryang had placed the norigae in a shrine to honor his great-grandson's spirit.

Seeing the signal return to one, she felt a subtle trembling and tension.

It seemed like he might come to find her at any time.

Of course, the pair her mother had made for her could have died long ago, and a third person could have found the magic artifact.

But she had been unable to sleep for several days.

And today.

The 'him' she had been fantasizing about had come.

Surprisingly, he spoke the story of the token related to her norigae.

She was shocked.

Doesnt that mean he is the match her mother had mentioned?

Realizing this, she felt a strange fluttering and trembling feeling.

But contrary to her various expectations.

'He' simply gave her his norigae and ran away.

Saying he already had someone he liked.

"...."

In truth, she had somewhat anticipated this outcome.

Her mother had wished for her to form a bond or marry the person with the norigae.

But in reality, there was no guarantee the other party would honor the promise.

Even if he didn't keep the promise.

The fact that he crossed the desert to deliver the norigae to inform her of this means his character is respectable enough.

'He seemed like a good person...'

She sighed, thinking of the late-stage Qi Refiners who had been following her around lately.

Kugugugu!

Behind Yuan Li, I unleashed the aura of Treading Heaven Beyond the Path, pressing down on the Cheongmun Clan.

Soon after, Cheongmun Jung-jin, the head of the Cheongmun Clan, and the clan's elders appear.

"Are, are you a Nascent Soul senior?"

[Yes.]

"What graces us with your presence to the Cheongmun Clan?"

Cheongmun Jung-jin asks with a serious expression, looking at the Blood Body.

I move the Blood Body's mouth to speak.

[I have noticed someone of interest. A cultivator named Cheongmun Ryeong from the Cheongmun Clan is quite knowledgeable in the way of Understanding before Breakthrough. He is known as one of the three great experts in Qi Building, and his fame is widespread. I have read his books and Im impressed. He truly is a master of Understanding before Breakthrough knowledge. Therefore, I have come to support him and his clan, the Cheongmun Clan.]

Kugugugugu!

I unload the several million spirit stones from the Byeok Clan in front of the Cheongmun Clan's courtyard.

Cheongmun Jung-jin's eyes widened in shock at the sudden influx of enough spirit stones for the entire clan.

"Th-thank you"

[And.]

I continue.

[I will ask the owner of this Nether Crossing Ship, Senior Song Jin of Black Ghost Valley, to make an arrangement.

From now on, if you provide spirit stones, you will be granted the right to ride this Nether Crossing Ship. Take the cultivators of the Cheongmun Clan who mainly practice Wood attribute methods to the Serving Command Palace frequently to accumulate spiritual power.]

I pass on my insights of Wood attribute methods and a scroll that can break through the prohibitions of Serving Command Palace.

Hearing my words through the Blood Body, Cheongmun Jung-jin, the Core Formation elders, and even the Qi Building elders of the Cheongmun Clan who had come out to listen to our conversation bow deeply to me.

"Thank you, Seni"

[Enough!]

I shout, cutting off the council of elders.

Especially Cheongmun Ryeong, who was slowly bowing his head.

'As expected...'

This is why I had the Blood Body deliver it instead of myself.

If I had to hear 'Senior' and receive thanks from Cheongmun Ryeong

It would be too painful.

But still, hearing it through the Blood Body is heart-wrenching.

[That's enough. No need for thanks. It's an order. Now... take care. Do your best to support Cheongmun Ryeong, so he can reach the Core Formation stage.]

After quickly conveying my wishes,

I board the Nether Crossing Ship and ask Song Jin to take me to Shengzi.

Whoosh!

The ghostly mist envelops the Nether Crossing Ship once more, and we sail through space.

"Huh"

Cheongmun Jung-jin chuckles, looking at the pile of spirit stones before him and Cheongmun Ryeong, who looks bewildered.

"Hehehe"

He approaches Cheongmun Ryeong and pats his shoulder.

"Ryeong, your efforts have not been in vain. These gifts from the respected senior are because they were impressed by your writings and theories"

"Is that so."

"Stand tall, Ryeong! Everyone listen up! The spirit stones that have been gifted are under Ryeong's name. One-third of them will be used for Ryeong. Any objections?"

The elders and late-stage Qi Refining cultivators of the Cheongmun Clan answer loudly.

"None!"

Cheongmun Jung-jin laughs heartily.

"First, organize these spirit stones! And Ryeong, I'll help you as best as I can, so let's focus on advancing to the Core Formation stage from today onwards. That senior hopes for your advancement to Core Formation and gave us so many gifts. We can't disappoint him!"

Cheongmun Ryeong, after a moment of silence, speaks with a trembling voice.

"Thank you."

Kugugugu!

The Nether Crossing Ship arrives above the Jinlu Clan in Shengzi.

The Jinlu Clan is the last of the traitor clans of the Western Three Kingdoms.'

I have crushed the Makli Clan and extracted spirit stones from the Byeok Clan.

'But what about the Jinlu Clan?'

The Byeok Clan was spared to some extent because of Byeok Mun-seong, despite my resentment against them.

The Makli Clan was destroyed not only due to my resentment but also because of their usual cruel deeds.

But the Jinlu Clan...

There is neither the usual resentment nor the cruel actions.

At the same time, there are no good memories like with Byeok Mun-seong.

'So then...'

After some contemplation, I descend upon the Jinlu Clan with Yuan Li's Blood Body.

Shortly after.

Jinlu Yeon-cheon, the head of the Jinlu Clan, and Core Formation elders appear.

"Oh my, what brings Lord Bloodwood to this far western end?"

Jinlu Yeon-cheon approaches the blood puppet with a captivating voice.

I activate the Blood Curse Banners embedded in her and the other elders through the Blood Body.

Zzzt!

"Ugghhh...!"

"Agrhhhh!"

In an instant, their entire Core Formation force is incapacitated.

[From now on.]

I speak through the Blood Bodys mouth.

[I will inform you of the forces in the Northern Grasslands and the Eastern States with the Five Elements Blood Curse Banners embedded in them. Go around the North and East, and collect two million spirit stones, or equivalent value, from each of them.]

Woosh!

I summon a Blood Curse Banner through the Blood Bodys hand.

Woosh!

The Blood Curse Banner becomes a red flag tattoo that lands on Jinlu Yeon-cheon's hand.

[Using this, you can activate the Five Elements Blood Curse Banners embedded in individuals three times. Find them, collect the spirit stones under my name, and deliver all of them to the Cheongmun Clan under my name.]

"To the Cheongmun Clan, you say?"

[Yes, and this is for when everything is over. Open it after you've completed your task. Inside the letter are instructions for your next steps. If you open this letter before completing the task, a curse written in the letter will activate, alerting me, so do not open it recklessly.]

"...Yes, I will heed your command."

I hand her the letter with the curse attached.

Jinlu Yeon-cheon carefully places the letter in her storage artifact.

[Carry out my command.]

Inside the letter.

'Once everything is over, dedicate everything of the Jinlu Clan to the Cheongmun Clan and become a subordinate force to them.'

That is the command I wrote.

Its also a punishment for the Jinlu Clan.

'She will probably like it.'

A command that would make Jinlu Yeon-cheon happy.

A command that would make everyone happy.

'And now, the last part...'

I fly to a village with the Nether Crossing Ship.

Its a familiar village.

'A village that suffered from the tyranny of a centipede demon..'

This time, I land in the village with my actual body.

The villagers are wide-eyed seeing me descend from the sky.

I ask the village head.

"Beyond that peak, there lives a centipede demon, correct?"

"Yes, that demon has been taking our young men and women..."

"I'll take care of it. In return, do me a favor."

"Wh-what is the favor?"

"In this village..."

Using internal energy, I sketch the face of a child to whom I read the book of fairy tales in my past life.

"Is there a child who looks like this?"

"Oh, that would be the bookshop owner's daughter. Yes, she's here."

"I have a request for her. Please guide me to her."

I followed the village head's guidance to find the child.

'That book, it certainly wasn't ordinary.'

There must be some hidden secret in it.

In my previous life, consumed with anger, I hadn't thought to delve further into its secrets.

But in this life, it seems worth investigating.

The owner of the village bookshop is an elderly scholar, and the child, known as his daughter, is playing with dolls nearby.

I approach them and ask.

"Do you, by chance, have a book of fairy tales?"

The scholar's response makes me jolt.

"...A book of fairy tales? We don't deal with such childish books here."

"...What?"

I explain the contents of the fairy tales, asking if they have a book of such stories.

Upon hearing my description, the scholar, looking annoyed, goes inside and rummages through his books for a while.

"There's nothing like that here. And stories about the Ender? I have lived and studied in this region for twenty years but have never heard of such traditional fairy tales. Although I often read books with similar tales and sayings to children, I have never come across a book mentioning a Supreme Deity or the Ender."

Translator Notes: It feels like Seo Eun-hyun is resolving his karmic ties. Though hell probably speedrun this every cycle in the future, it does remind me of the immortal among mortal arcs in other Xianxia.

***

Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried

Link to donations in the discord!