Episode 21: Leap
"Eun Dan-bi! Let's head that way."
"Master Jang! There’s not even a path over there—why do you want to go that way?"
"I can smell Spirit Herbs coming from that direction."
"What nonsense is this? Are you saying your sense of smell is better than ours, even though we’re from the Soyo Tribe?"
"It’s not that. It’s just an herbalist’s intuition. Let’s go."
When Jang So-cheon leapt forward, Eun Dan-bi and Soso followed after him, looking as if they had no other choice.
But the path ahead was nothing short of treacherous.
There were thousand-foot cliffs,
areas where the chilling wind sliced at their skin like blades,
and even a hill piled high with thousands of human and beast skulls.
"Master Jang! This is madness. Let’s turn back."
"We’re almost there. Once we cross this ravine, we should arrive."
But the real problem was the ravine itself.
Within it, Demonic Energy had condensed, and Demonic Creatures, having gained Spiritual Energy, were wandering like ghosts, letting out Demonic Howls.
Awoooooo.
Hearing the wolf howls drawing closer, Eun Dan-bi realized there was no turning back now.
"We have no choice. Let’s break through."
"In that case, follow me. I’ll guide you along the safest path."
Boasting to Eun Dan-bi, Jang So-cheon used his Special Ability to pick out the areas with the weakest Demonic Energy and led them across the ravine.
No sooner had they crossed than werewolf-like creatures appeared right behind them.
Three Silver Wolves,
and over a dozen gray wolves.
"Let’s go!"
Jang So-cheon shouted and dashed toward a spot glowing with green light.
"Stop!"
The werewolves who leapt after them immediately faced resistance from the Demonic Creatures.
Hehehehehehe.
A ghost, its red tongue hanging down to its knees, stretched out and bound a Silver Wolf.
The wolf swung its spear, scattering the Demonic Energy, but the creature only grinned grotesquely and shoved its long tongue into the werewolf’s mouth, sucking out its vital energy.
Crunch.
The werewolf bit the creature’s tongue in two.
But from the severed tongue, long tendrils emerged and began draining its energy even faster.
Grrraaaagh!
Despair flickered in the Silver Wolf’s eyes as it rolled them back—none of its pack had made it safely out of the ravine.
"Soul-Returning Herb!"
Climbing a small hill beyond the ravine, they found a vast field of herbs below.
The field was enormous,
but to Eun Dan-bi, only the large Soul-Returning Herbs stood out.
"Eun Dan-bi! We’re short on time, so let’s just grab a few Soul-Returning Herbs and get moving."
"Understood."
But how could they only take the Soul-Returning Herbs?
Greedily, Jang So-cheon and the two Soyo Tribe members harvested as many Spirit Herbs as they could before hurrying out of the field.
As they went, the howls and chilling screams of wolves echoed behind them.
Spurred on by the sound, they pushed themselves to the limit, running with every ounce of strength.
Awooooo.
After a while, they heard the wolves pursuing them again.
"We’re almost there. The exit is just ahead—give it everything you’ve got!"
Glancing back as he ran, Jang So-cheon’s face turned pale.
Two Silver Wolves were right behind them.
One was missing a leg, and the other’s head dangled loosely from its neck.
Yet both still managed to swing their silver spears and keep up.
Swoosh!
The one with the dangling head hurled its spear at Jang So-cheon.
But with its head flopping about, its aim was off—the spear landed far from Jang So-cheon.
"We made it."
Emerging from the Ice Cave, Eun Dan-bi pulled a Flying Magic Device from the Heaven and Earth Pouch and unfolded it wide.
She sent it soaring into the sky, then climbed aboard with Soso.
"Jang So-cheon! Jump!"
Jang So-cheon, following behind, poured all his remaining Spiritual Energy into his Cloud Step Shoes.
He leapt with all his might toward the ascending Flying Magic Device.
But he was just a bit short—
his hand slipped from the railing.
At that moment—
Thud.
Soso reached out and grabbed his wrist.
Leap!
One of the Silver Wolves also leapt high into the air after them.
Its jumping power was incredible—at this rate, it would make it onto the Flying Magic Device.
But then Eun Dan-bi’s hand flashed, and a crimson aura unfurled from her Spirit Sword like a silk ribbon.
Unable to ignore the aura, the Silver Wolf faltered in midair...
and in that instant, the Flying Magic Device pulled just out of its reach.
Even so, the Silver Wolf didn’t give up.
It kicked off the air, soared higher, and managed to grab hold of Jang So-cheon’s pant leg as he clung to the railing.
"Ugh!"
Jang So-cheon and Soso were yanked off the Flying Magic Device together.
"No!"
As Eun Dan-bi screamed, lightning burst from Jang So-cheon’s hand—a Thunderclap Talisman.
Flash!
Crackle!
The Thunderclap Talisman exploded in the wolf’s face, forcing it to release Jang So-cheon’s pant leg and plummet below.
Above, Jang So-cheon and Soso tumbled downward, tangled together.
If they hit the ground, they’d surely die.
At that instant,
Jang So-cheon’s hand flashed, and a yellow talisman sprang from his palm.
It instantly grew in size, spun around, and carried both him and Soso back up to the Flying Magic Device.
It was a Flying Talisman, a gift from Makjang.
Thud!
The Silver Wolf that fell from the sky landed headfirst and died instantly.
In contrast, Jang So-cheon and Soso safely boarded the Flying Magic Device.
Whoosh!
Having fulfilled its purpose, the Flying Talisman shone brightly and then faded away like mist.
A small smile appeared on Jang So-cheon’s lips—a smile filled with gratitude for his friend.
The flight was smooth.
Eun Dan-bi’s Flying Magic Device was a massive sailing ship.
With its sails unfurled, it soared through the sky at a speed even birds couldn’t match.
After flying for a whole day, several ships appeared ahead to greet them.
They were patrol ships of the Red Fox Tribe.
*
The Red Fox Tribe maintained the greatest prosperity among the Nine Ancient Kingdoms.
Their mastery of illusion arts and formation techniques was unrivaled, and their alchemy skills were so advanced that even other tribes would send their young disciples to learn from them.
However, recently, their influence had begun to wane compared to the Tamrang Tribe and other powers.
This was because they had not actively participated in the war against the humans.
Thud!
After disembarking from the Flying Magic Device, Eun Dan-bi assigned Jang So-cheon his quarters and instructed Soso to guide him.
She then went to meet her mother, the queen, as rumors were circulating that the neighboring Soyo Tribe was requesting a share of Silver Essence.
"Young Master! This room is reserved for honored guests of the palace. The princess herself granted it to you, so please make yourself at home."
"You mean I’m to use this spacious room all by myself?"
"This pavilion even has a training room and a refining room. If you ever feel bored, just let me know—I’ll show you around the palace."
"And if I want to call for you?"
"There’s a small bell by the door. Just ring it."
"Understood. Then, could you show me the training room and refining room first?"
"Of course. Please follow me."
As Jang So-cheon toured the pavilion with Soso, he was nearly overwhelmed by its splendor.
Everything was elegant and beautiful, befitting a guest suite.
Thankfully, having seen modern life, Jang So-cheon managed to keep his composure.
"This is the herb storage. If you’re missing any ingredients, just let us know and we’ll restock them immediately."
"That’s very kind of you. With all this, I doubt I’ll need to call for you. I’ll be in the training room for a while, so if you need me, come find me there."
"Understood."
Once Soso left, Jang So-cheon entered the training room and used Divine Sight to survey the area.
Then, sitting cross-legged in the center, he began circulating his energy with the Mystic Heaven Wuji Heart Method his master had taught him.
As he meditated, something felt off.
He realized he hadn’t taken an Elixir Pill before starting, as he usually did.
Tap tap.
He knocked on the Heaven and Earth Pouch, but there wasn’t a single Yellow Essence Pill or Qi Spirit Pill left.
He had traded them all for Makjang’s talismans and other items before leaving the Eastern Region of Ghost Blood Valley.
Smack.
With no choice, he decided he’d have to meditate without Elixir Pills for a few days. Suddenly, a memory flashed through his mind—the Mystic Flask swallowing up his Yellow Essence Pills.
Annoyed, Jang So-cheon took out the flask and looked at the painting on it. Today, a white fox had awakened from its slumber and was staring at him, its nine tails fanned out, one swaying gently from side to side.
‘Hmph! What’s with the tail wagging? Trying to pull something? You little thief…’
Jang So-cheon shot the fox a glare and tapped the bottom of the flask.
And then—
Clink.
A single Elixir Pill rolled out of the Mystic Flask.
It was a Yellow Essence Pill.
Jang So-cheon snatched it up before it hit the ground, immediately taking back every bad thought he’d had about the fox.
It wasn’t a thief after all.
He smiled gratefully at the beautiful woman painted on the flask and put it back in the Heaven and Earth Pouch.
Then, using his Special Ability, he examined the Yellow Essence Pill and was shocked.
This wasn’t the same pill he’d put in the flask.
The ones he made were never this pure or potent.
But the pill before him was flawless—no impurities, and its medicinal power was beyond measure.
A supreme elixir.
No, it was nearly divine.
It was astonishing, but there was no reason not to take it.
After the aftereffects of the Blood Explosion Pill, his body was still craving new energy.
Gulp.
After swallowing the Yellow Essence Pill from the flask, Jang So-cheon began his Qi Circulation Meditation and was nearly overwhelmed by the immense Spiritual Energy flowing from the pill.
The pure, clean energy surged into his lower dantian, rushed through his meridians, and spread throughout his Four Limbs and Hundred Seas.
His meridians widened, his dantian expanded, and his capacity to store Spiritual Energy increased rapidly.
Yet the flow from the pill didn’t diminish.
As he fully recovered from the Blood Explosion Pill’s aftereffects and continued to increase his Spiritual Energy and Law Power, his cultivation, which had been at the late fourth stage, soared to the fifth stage in an instant.
Then, passing through the mid-stage, he reached the late stage...
Thud.
Only upon reaching the sixth stage of the Qi Refining Stage did the energy finally begin to stabilize.
A truly meteoric Realm Advancement.
Even after such a breakthrough, Jang So-cheon remained deep in meditation.
He had entered the State of No-Self.
For nearly two days, he wandered freely in that pure, tranquil state before finally awakening from his meditation.
"Mmm."
Having finished his meditation, Jang So-cheon didn’t even have time to check his new level—he was too busy pinching his nose and rushing to the bath to wash off the stench pouring from his body.
Swoosh!
Scrub, scrub!
After nearly half a shichen wrestling with water, he was finally free from the foul odor.
After bathing and changing into fresh clothes, Jang So-cheon could finally sense the extent of his advancement.
He could hardly believe it.
Mid-stage, sixth level of the Qi Refining Stage.
Such rapid progress was unheard of, even in the Extreme Heaven Sect.
Not even Han Yeo-ok, with her Four-Yin Muscle Body Type, or the legendary Mucheon Sage with his Heavenly Shadow Muscle Body, could have advanced so quickly.
If others saw him, they’d probably look at him as if he were a monster...
Whether that was good or bad, he couldn’t say, but it certainly wasn’t all bad.
Hadn’t his master always said?
In the cultivation world, Realm Advancement is ‘Absolute Goodness’...
Jang So-cheon enjoyed a leisurely day.
The next day, he began training his Divine Power at a more relaxed pace.
While practicing splitting his Divine Power from his Law Power during Qi Circulation Meditation, he was amazed at how much easier it was to control his Spiritual Energy than before his breakthrough.
At the fifth stage of the Qi Refining Stage, he could split his consciousness to perform two tasks at once.
At the sixth stage, he could do so even more skillfully...
Thanks to this, Jang So-cheon found that further training his Spiritual Energy was pointless.
With that thought, he picked up the Primordial Divine Sword and began practicing the Carefree Sword Technique.
He soon discovered that his swordsmanship had also improved greatly.