Chapter 99: Lotus (7)

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 artisan's 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 he's 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."

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 it's 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?'

It's 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. Where's 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!

It's 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 Azure Tiger Saint, it makes sense. Well, I also owe Azure Tiger Saint, 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...]

Song Jin takes the spirit stones and climbs near the steering wheel of the Nether Crossing Ship.

Kugugugugu!

As Song Jin grabs the steering wheel, the spirit energy stored in the thousands of spirit stones begins to flow out.

Paaaaat!

The spirit energy is sucked into the Nether Crossing Ship, turning into ghostly energy and filling the ship's reserves.

The Nether Crossing Ship rattles and begins to gather yin wind around it.

Enveloped in the yin wind, the giant ruined ship slowly rises into the air.

Cheongmun Jung-jin and Cheongmun Ryeong watches the ship rise from the bow with amazement, while Buk Hyang-hwa looks at every corner of the Nether Crossing Ship with curiosity.

[We're going.]

Paaaaat!

The Nether Crossing Ship is engulfed in the wind and enters the space between, moving into the void.

Swoooosh!

After a while in the void, we re-emerge into reality, transported above the western mountain ranges of Shengzi.

Spatial transmission through space!

[Let's see, the coordinates for Serving Command Palace are around here...]

Song Jin holds the helm of the Nether Crossing Ship, looks around, and once again enters between the void

Paaaaat!

We re-enter the outskirts of space!

There, floating in the void, we can see a massive cylindrical palace.

[We have arrived at Serving Command Palace!]

"So soon..."

"Is this the power of the Nether Crossing Ship..."

Cheongmun Jung-jin and Cheongmun Ryeong look amazed by the speed of the Nether Crossing Ship.

"I, I want to see more..."

Buk Hyang-hwa looks disappointed that she couldn't explore more of the Nether Crossing Ship.

"Let's enter the Serving Command Palace now."

"Sigh... It's a shame, but what can we do."

Her face, initially filled with disappointment, lits up with excitement again upon seeing Serving Command Palace.

[Then, I will anchor the Nether Crossing Ship next to Serving Command Palace for four days. If you don't return within that time, I'll leave without you, so manage your time well.]

"Understood."

Cheongmun Jung-jin nods solemnly, and I take out the scroll.

Paaaat!

The golden prohibition of Serving Command Palace's outer wall shatters.

Cheongmun Jung-jin immediately raises his fist and strikes the outer wall of Serving Command Palace.

Kooowooong!

Green light flashes, and the outer wall of Serving Command Palace breaks open.

We enter Serving Command Palace through the newly created passage.

"Wow..."

As soon as we enter Serving Command Palace, Buk hyangh-wa exclaims in awe.

'What is it?'

The inside of Serving Command Palace's outer wall is just a corridor.

Though it is impressively large due to spatial compression, it looks just like a plain corridor.

Yet, something different seems to catch her eye.

"It's beautiful..."

Chiiiiii

She touches the decorations of Serving Command Palace, the golden patterns flowing there, and the finely detailed spiritual energy circuits, with a mesmerized look in her eyes.

"This is the one made by the legendary artisan..."

She caresses the walls of Serving Command Palace.

After watching her for a moment, Cheongmun Ryeong, Cheongmun Jung-jin, and I discuss.

"Can you lead us to where the Longevity Fruit is said to be?"

"Yes, I will do so."

I lead the group to the botanical garden on the first floor of Serving Command Palace.

Whiiiiiiiii

In the green-lit interior of the arboretum, at its center, stands a young Longevity Tree, with a nearly ripe Longevity Fruit hanging on it.

"Oh, so this is the Longevity Fruit..."

"Don't pick it, clan head. A fruit in this state won't extend life for even a year, let alone a hundred."

"I know, Cheongmun Ryeong. I was just tempted..."

Cheongmun Jung-jin, who was mesmerized by the Longevity Fruit, then notices several flowers on the tree and asks.

"If the formation you mentioned is completed, not only this Longevity Fruit but also the other flowers could bloom and bear Longevity Fruits, correct?"

"If the formation is perfectly completed, it might be possible."

"Good. Then, during these four days, Cheongmun Ryeong and Cultivator Seo will investigate Serving Command Palace's environment and draft a formation layout, while the artifact artisan will plan the formation artifacts.

I'll explore the upper floors of Serving Command Palace since I'm here."

Saying this, he flies towards the door leading to the second floor of Serving Command Palace.

"Hmm, I'll center my research around the Longevity Fruit and Longevity Tree, studying the nearby dragon veins and drafting a formation layout. Daoist Seo, please survey the outside of the arboretum and plan the external part of the formation."

"Understood."

"Then, I will also roam around and study Serving Command Palace."

Cheongmun Ryeong starts measuring around the Longevity Tree and drafting the formation layout, while I roam the outskirts of the first floor of Serving Command Palace, planning an external formation to complement Cheongmun Ryeong's inner one.

Buk Hyang-hwa follows me around, observing different parts of Serving Command Palace.

"Ah, this is truly magnificent. Thank you for allowing me such a wonderful experience."

She takes out a small tool from her artifact box and starts to analyze the walls of Serving Command Palace and their inner spiritual energy circuits.

Jjalgrak Jjalgrak...

The wall is quickly dismantled, revealing the spiritual energy circuits within.

Buk Hyang-hwa pulls out various unknown devices and begins disassembling and studying the circuits.

"It's nothing. It's all thanks to yourself. And... didn't you give water to me and my companion before?"

At my words, she pauses and looks at me.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I've offered water to so many desert travelers... I couldn't quite remember who you were."

"Haha, that's alright. We were really saved by your kindness. You've always been kind-hearted."

I continue planning the formation while observing the dragon veins of Serving Command Palace's outskirts, and Buk Hyang-hwa continues recording in her notebook as she examines different parts of Serving Command Palace.

The walls she dismantles will self-repair after a while, so there's no need to fix them.

Buk Hyang-hwa also meticulously records the self-repairing process in her notebook.

It's when we entere a different area.

Jolt!

Buk Hang-hwa suddenly twitches.

In her line of sight are the remnants of Mad Lord's puppets.

"C-could these be..."

She approaches the remains, trembling.

They are all ruined scraps, but they don't appear as such in her eyes.

"Th-the Mad Lord's puppets..!"

She hurriedly ran to the debris with her eyes rolling, fiddling with, and tearing apart the remains, then began to recklessly stuff them into her magic artifact bag.

'What a tremendous reaction...'

After all, to artifact artisans, the Mad Lord essentially stands at the pinnacle of their profession.

'Besides, a One-Pattern Extraordinary Pattern Law Talent. Someone even more talented than Buk Hyang-hwa...'

It isn't strange that she's drooling over this.

"Are the Mad Lord's puppets proving to be of great help to you?"

"Are you kidding? Of course! Even his scraps are precious artifacts worth studying!"

"Hmm..."

Buk Hyang-hwa has earlier been using her equipment to tear apart and dissect the Mad Lord's puppets.

But suddenly, she sighs.

"It's a pity many parts are too damaged. It's helpful to be taking as many remnants as possible, but if there was even a slightly intact puppet remaining..."

"Are you talking about intact remains?"

I suddenly recall a puppet from the Mad Lord that I had found when wandering the Serving Command Palace.

'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.

It's relatively intact.

Buk Hyang-hwa's hands tremble slightly.

I can guess her feelings.

"This is..."

She doesn't 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."

"..."

I'm 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...'

I'm 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.

There's 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.