novelraw Chapter 40
Chapter 40
Episode 40: Planting the Dragon Spirit Tree in the Mysterious Heavenly Blessed Land
Inside the Golden Restriction Formation, a single pavilion stood in solitude.
The pavilion was so large that even a giant serpent could coil up inside, and an old, elegant signboard hung from its upper beams.
Changryong Hall.
Jang So-cheon, gazing up at the signboard, suddenly stopped in his tracks.
The calligraphy seemed to come alive, as if the characters themselves would soar into the sky at any moment.
Feeling the truth of the saying “words come alive,” Jang So-cheon cautiously entered the pavilion, keeping his guard up.
The interior was completely empty, devoid of any furnishings.
At the very end of the hall, however, a single massive tree was planted.
Hundreds of fist-sized fruits hung from its branches.
Realizing the fruits were not yet ripe, Jang So-cheon approached the tree.
He reached out and touched the trunk, and his special ability immediately conveyed information about the tree.
[Age: 32,000 years.]
[Effect: Eating the fruit strengthens vital energy and hardens the body.]
‘Eating the fruit hardens the body?’
Startled, Jang So-cheon looked around.
Now that he thought about it, this vast pavilion housed nothing alive except this tree.
It almost felt as if the entire building had been constructed solely to protect it.
Sensing that this was no ordinary tree, Jang So-cheon carefully uprooted it and entered the Mysterious Heavenly Blessed Land.
It had been a while since he’d visited, and he noticed that many new shoots had sprouted from the World Tree.
Some had even turned into leaves…
Jang So-cheon smiled in satisfaction, sensing that the innate spirit of the herbs planted beneath the World Tree had grown much denser than before.
He then planted the tree he’d brought a little distance away from the World Tree.
After finishing, he exited the Mysterious Heavenly Blessed Land and picked up the black stone he’d set on the ground.
At that moment—
Boom!
Crash!
A tremendous roar echoed as the Golden Restriction Formation shattered.
Sensing that the Demon Clan had broken into the formation, Jang So-cheon hurriedly activated a secret technique from the Heavenly Record, which he’d obtained from a Black Phoenix Tribe expert.
He created a pocket of space in midair and hid himself within it.
But he was uneasy.
He’d only practiced the Heavenly Record for a short time and could barely imitate its techniques for now.
With no other choice, Jang So-cheon stuck the Invisibility Talisman that Makjang had given him onto his body and activated it.
He could only hope the Demon Clan would leave within the talisman’s one-hour time limit.
Bang!
The Demon Clan members who entered the pavilion were visibly excited.
Even though three of them were experts in Formation Techniques, it had taken them this long to break through.
That was how formidable the formation here was.
Some even claimed it was an ancient formation left by the Dragon Clan.
Having finally broken through, the Demon Clan members were left speechless in shock.
The serpent they’d been chasing had turned to ashes and died right in front of the formation.
Blaming the serpent’s death on a human, the Demon Clan swept the Golden Restriction Formation with Divine Sight.
But strangely, there was no sign of any human.
Could he have escaped during the chaos?
Impossible.
The human’s cultivation, as they’d seen while chasing the serpent, was only at the late Qi Refining Stage…
If that was true, it would be nearly impossible for him to slip out unnoticed.
Still, not entirely impossible, which only heightened the anxiety and impatience of the Demon Clan’s leader, the Red Rooster Lord.
That anxiety was quickly passed down to his subordinate, Chaos.
"Chaos! Never mind the human—where is the Dragon Spirit Tree that was supposed to be inside the Golden Restriction Formation?"
“W-well… My men are searching for it right now.”
Chaos, sweating profusely, reported to the Red Rooster Lord, sensing his master’s rage was about to explode.
Just then—
One of Chaos’s subordinates, who had entered the main hall with him, reported something unusual.
"Master Chaos! It looks like someone just dug up the Dragon Spirit Tree and took it from here."
"What?!"
The feathers on the Red Rooster Lord’s neck stood straight up in fury.
"Find him! He must be hiding nearby. Chaos! If you don’t find him, you’ll be held responsible."
Chaos, who looked like a pig, squealed orders at his subordinates.
He was telling them to find the human.
"Chaos! Didn’t you say this place was where the Western Sea Dragon Clan planted the Dragon Spirit Tree to strengthen their bodies and had the serpents guard it?
Yet there’s not a single treasure here, let alone the Dragon Spirit Tree. Was your information wrong?"
"That can’t be. The information from Hyunmagok has never been wrong before."
"That’s exactly why I’m asking. For now, finding the human takes priority. My guess is he’s still hiding somewhere inside."
“If he’s still inside…”
"Do you have any ideas?"
“I once obtained a talisman called the Divine Eye Talisman. If he’s hiding here, I’ll definitely find him.”
"Then what are you waiting for? Use it and find the human!"
“Yes, sir.”
Hearing the words “Divine Eye Talisman,” Jang So-cheon, hidden in midair, was startled.
If that talisman was as powerful as they claimed, his hiding place could be exposed.
Tense and barely daring to breathe, Jang So-cheon prepared to flee at any moment.
But it seemed the Divine Eye Talisman wasn’t as effective as advertised.
Even when they came right up next to him, they didn’t notice he was there.
Relieved, Jang So-cheon marveled at how incredible the Black Phoenix Tribe’s spatial technique was.
Or maybe it was the Talisman Scripture that Makjang had obtained…
But a new worry arose.
Despite all this, the Demon Clan showed no signs of giving up and leaving the Golden Restriction Formation.
They tore apart the pavilion searching for hidden treasures, even using the Earth Escape Technique to dig underground.
As the hour-long effect of the Invisibility Talisman neared its end, Jang So-cheon had to make a decision.
Should he risk it and try to hold out without the talisman?
Or should he deactivate the Heavenly Record’s technique and make a run for it?
He could use another Invisibility Talisman, but activating one would release a burst of spiritual energy and reveal his location.
“Hmmm.”
As time ran out, Jang So-cheon made up his mind.
He wouldn’t leave his fate to luck.
The only silver lining was that the highest-ranked among the Demon Clan, the Red Rooster Lord, was far from him at the moment…
Of Sanggwan Cheonse’s many traits, the one Jang So-cheon wanted to emulate most was thinking deeply and acting cautiously.
Once he’d made up his mind, he acted decisively…
Swish!
The space above the main hall rippled, and Jang So-cheon appeared.
Despite his clumsy appearance, Chaos was still an Earth Brilliance Grade expert and noticed immediately.
But with the Flying Divine Artifact equipped, Jang So-cheon moved with a speed that surpassed his cultivation.
Whoosh!
As Jang So-cheon escaped the pavilion, the Red Rooster Lord was hot on his heels.
Seeing Jang So-cheon up close, the Red Rooster Lord immediately recognized him.
"So it’s you—the one who stole the Golden Wheel Magic Spear. Perfect. I’ll catch you and settle all old scores at once."
He chased after Jang So-cheon, but even with his early Heaven Brilliance Grade cultivation, he couldn’t catch up right away.
Still, the Red Rooster Lord wasn’t worried.
Outside the Golden Restriction Formation was water.
After breaking in, he’d stationed two subordinates to keep the water out, but now there was no need.
"Open the floodgates!"
At his command, the subordinates withdrew their demonic power, and seawater came crashing into the formation like a tidal wave.
At this rate, escaping would be impossible.
Smiling with satisfaction, the Red Rooster Lord imagined catching Jang So-cheon like a rat in a jar—only for Jang So-cheon to do something reckless.
He threw himself directly into the surging floodwaters.
"Foolish brat. Do you really think you can escape with your cultivation?"
Despite his words, the Red Rooster Lord also dove after Jang So-cheon.
Just in case.
If heaven favored him, Jang So-cheon might somehow manage to escape against the current.
“What the—?”
To his shock, Jang So-cheon summoned a spiritual avatar shaped like a white horse and broke through the torrent.
A technique like that?!
There was no time to be amazed.
With Heaven Brilliance Grade demonic power, the Red Rooster Lord forced the water aside and spat out a Dharma Treasure—a Demonic Fork that could be launched like a dark energy weapon.
Whoosh!
The Demonic Fork instantly grew to the size of a palm fan, slicing through the water and piercing Jang So-cheon just as the Red Rooster Lord intended.
Yet the Red Rooster Lord’s expression did not brighten.
Blood—
There was no human blood.
As he sent his alchemical saint sense to retrieve the Demonic Fork, his Divine Sight shot upward like lightning.
Shhhk.
Jang So-cheon’s form appeared in the sky as if by magic.
It was as if he’d leapt through space itself…
The Heavenly Record, obtained from the Heaven and Earth Pouch of the Black Phoenix Tribe elder.
The teleportation technique recorded within had saved Jang So-cheon’s life.
Dodging the Red Rooster Lord’s Dharma Treasure attack, Jang So-cheon soared upward with all his might.
His speed was nearly on par with a Heaven Brilliance Grade demon.
Whoosh!
Jang So-cheon was immensely grateful that the white horse had gained innate spirit and increased his speed, allowing him to finally break free of the water.
He then absorbed the white horse into his core, spread his wings wide, and shot into the sky.
The Red Rooster Lord, late to the chase, unleashed a chain hundreds of feet long into the air.
Clatter!
The chain stretched endlessly.
But even this flying magic device couldn’t catch up to the Flying Divine Artifact.
Having failed with the chain, the Red Rooster Lord stopped in midair, admitting he couldn’t keep up with Jang So-cheon’s flight.
Whoosh!
The Chang-eung Tribe members who had followed overtook him.
"Go after him! Don’t let him escape!"
Shouting furiously, the Red Rooster Lord pulled out a flying magic device from the Heaven and Earth Pouch, expanded it with law power, and loaded up the Demon Clan members emerging from the water to pursue the Chang-eung Tribe at full speed.
Having shaken off the Red Rooster Lord, Jang So-cheon flew toward where his senior brothers were.
He couldn’t leave them here in danger.
Whoosh!
Landing from the sky, Jang So-cheon shouted to the team leader.
"Captain! The enemy is on our tail—we need to get out of here, now!"
“What? Enemy? Who do you mean?”
"The Demon Clan—Heaven Brilliance Grade!"
At the mention of Heaven Brilliance Grade demons, Gwak Mu-jin’s face turned pale.
He immediately pulled out a flying magic device, loaded the team, and took to the sky—just as the Chang-eung Tribe experts appeared in the distance.
Vroooom.
Sanggwan Cheonse, at the controls, adjusted the mechanism to channel as much spiritual energy from the spirit stones into the flying magic device as possible.
Then he turned back along the path they’d come, flying at full speed.
"Captain! We need to take out those winged demons first. Makjang! How many Thunder Strike Talismans do we have left?"
“We’ve still got plenty.”
Guessing Jang So-cheon’s intentions, Makjang handed him a bundle of Thunder Strike Talismans.
They were talismans infused with Makjang’s own blood and sweat.
Whoosh!
Cloaked in the Invisibility Talisman, Jang So-cheon hid in midair, waiting for the Chang-eung Tribe experts to approach.
As they passed by, he dropped his concealment and unleashed the Thunder Strike Talismans at them.
Rumble! Flash!
Boom!
Screams!
Two demons were struck directly by thunderbolts and plunged into the water below.
The last one barely dodged but was still badly scorched.
Crackle!
Sending a cold killing intent toward the distant Chang-eung Tribe, Jang So-cheon flashed the Flying Divine Artifact and returned to the captain.
He’d given the Chang-eung Tribe investigators a harsh lesson, but the distance between them and the Red Rooster Lord’s flying magic device was shrinking by the minute.
At this rate, they’d be caught in less than an hour.