Chapter 687: Spy (1)
It was the third night since Myoran had dashed out, used a talisman, and vanished in an instant.
The sun had fully set, and faint moonlight was seeping in through the window, dyeing the room a pale white.
Since Myoran seemed way too late, I called Mongyeong and asked where Myoran was.
"Myoran should be back by now. Why is there still no word?"
That one was late without even checking in.
I distinctly remembered Myoran saying that during the morning check-in, Myoran would be back by evening, but the sun had already set and time was sliding into night.
A round moon hung in the sky outside the window, and its light was softly illuminating the empty yard, adding to the quiet atmosphere.
At my question, Mongyeong frowned and answered.
-Shiik. 『Myoran said this morning it seemed like Myoran would be back by evening, but it’s strange. Up until yesterday, Myoran kept talking through the talisman several times a day, to the point it was annoying.』
"Really?"
-Shiiiii. 『Yes, asking if you were doing well, Elder. Whenever you give Myoran a task, Myoran always does that. Sigh.』
Myoran was probably the type of leader who, if you assign work, keeps checking on it over and over.
In other words, one of those annoying boss types.
The kind who keeps interrupting in the middle to check and push you.
The kind who doesn’t even realize that all that checking is what’s slowing the work down.
I asked in a sympathetic voice.
"You must’ve had a really hard time all this while, huh?"
-Shii. 『Yes, Elder.』
"Don’t worry anymore. While we’re at it, should I put Myoran under you?"
-Shiik! 『Really?』
Those round eyes sparkled. I could see the tail lift slightly.
"Of course. To me, you look more capable."
Honestly, Mongyeong was capable, but if I’m being honest, there was also a bit of calculation mixed in, like, if the reptile brother is under a mammal, and a poop-cat at that, then the dignity of this Spicy Fabre doesn’t really stand.
It was an offer made for that reason, but then Mongyeong’s complexion darkened.
It was probably because the realm was lower.
After all, Myoran was a cultivator one stage higher than Mongyeong.
In this cultivation world, strength was everything.
Strength came before blood ties, local ties, academic ties, even racial ties.
-Shiiik. 『But the realm...』
"Then raise it."
-Shiiiiiik. 『Sob... Elder.』
"Good grief, you must’ve had it that bad."
I was comforting Mongyeong and patting that glossy head when—
Myoran hopped in through the window, not the door.
Landing lightly while bathed in moonlight.
-Nyaaong. 『Elder, have you been well?』
The moment Myoran came in, Myoran asked if I’d been okay first, basically asking again what Myoran had already kept confirming with Mongyeong through the communication talisman.
Mongyeong had kept reporting, but that seemed to be treated as a separate matter.
That was just the trait of that leader type who keeps checking work.
At the end, they have to see it with their own eyes to believe it.
-Shi. 『Hik.』
Since Mongyeong and I had been enthusiastically trash-talking, Mongyeong flinched at Myoran’s sudden appearance.
When Mongyeong was pointlessly fidgeting, I answered with a small smile.
"Yeah. Mongyeong took good care of me, so I’ve been fine."
-Nyaong. 『That’s a relief. I was worried... I couldn’t focus on anything. Mongyeong is diligent, but not very good at handling unexpected situations...』
At those words, Mongyeong made a dumbfounded face.
That "unexpected situation" was definitely something Myoran created.
I snickered and asked whether the information had been confirmed.
"Anyway, did you confirm the information?"
-Miyawng. 『Of course, Elder! I brought you the information.』
Myoran pulled out a single sheet of paper from somewhere and brought it to me in Myoran’s mouth.
-Miyang. 『Here, Elder. I gathered all the information on fierce poison sea wraiths that ascended to the Nine Heavens over the last hundred years.』
"Oh-ho. Good job."
I looked over what was written on the paper.
The oldest one was ninety years ago.
It was recorded that this fierce poison sea wraith was caught by another spirit creature and turned into a spirit pellet.
The second was fifty years ago.
Died in a fight with human cultivators.
‘Come on...’
And the last was ten years ago.
"Blue Fierce Poison Sea Wraith. A spirit creature that grew rapidly, ascended after reaching the Qi Refining Stage, then in just ten years reached the Core Formation Stage and headed for the Eight Heavens. Said it would soon reach the Golden Core Stage, enter the Primordial Infant Stage, and ascend to the Middle Heavens."
In the cultivation world, ten years was a relatively short time.
But it seemed it had already gone up to the Eight Heavens.
If someone in this Nine Heavens was at the point of looking toward the Golden Core Stage, it felt like an outstanding cultivator.
If it had reached the Core Formation Stage, that meant it was one stage below me, and if it achieved that in ten years, then looking toward the Golden Core Stage, the Life-and-Death Realm, wasn’t some impossible thing.
Because it had entered the Profound Realm.
The Profound Realm was the road leading to the Life-and-Death Realm.
Unless something unusual happened, it had the qualifications to rise to the Life-and-Death Realm.
Because honestly, the Transformation Realm is the hard part. Going from the Profound Realm to the Life-and-Death Realm isn’t that hard.
When you go from the peak to the Profound Realm, a complete body-reconstruction happens, and that’s the hardest part.
They say it’s because the body gets fully rebuilt, but going from the Profound Realm to the Life-and-Death Realm is about the difficulty of going from a master’s to a doctorate.
If you build the general background for the doctorate and write your dissertation—meaning, if you gain your enlightenment well—then it’s smooth sailing, you could say.
Of course, that’s assuming the professor doesn’t throw a tantrum.
Anyway, it looked like it had aimed for the Middle Heavens and left this Nine Heavens newbie protection zone to go higher.
Entering the Primordial Infant Stage wasn’t easy, so there was a high chance it still hadn’t reached the Middle Heavens yet, but either way, it meant there wasn’t a single fierce poison sea wraith left in this Nine Heavens.
I asked Myoran.
"Is this all?"
-Nyaong. 『Yes, Elder.』
Unless it was an innate spirit creature like Cheonhae, turning from an ordinary creature into a spirit creature in the first place wouldn’t be easy.
And it wasn’t an intelligent mammal, either. It was a jellyfish, which people said had almost no intelligence, so ascension seemed to happen only once in a blue moon.
The head has to awaken first, and just in that process alone, the odds would be drastically lower than for mammals.
"Hm. Then there’s only one way."
The reason I needed a fierce poison sea wraith was for Senior Sister’s treatment.
But if that was the case, there was only one way.
Strictly speaking, there were two, but one was hard to use.
The one I was setting aside was using Cheonhae.
It would mean repeatedly forcing Cheonhae through growth cycles until Senior Sister recovered.
But if I did it wrong, Cheonhae could get seriously hurt, so I didn’t want to use it.
Going back to a baby meant Cheonhae’s body had taken a serious wound, and I’d be repeating that.
So that left one option.
Finding that fierce poison sea wraith mentioned in the document and going up to the Eight Heavens.
With Senior Sister.
Because this Nine Heavens was a newbie protection area.
I’d heard that once you went up to the Eight Heavens, you couldn’t come back down.
So if I wanted to treat Senior Sister, Senior Sister had to go up with me.
"First, I’ll need to talk it over with Senior Sister."
This wasn’t something I could decide on my own.
It wouldn’t have reached the Primordial Infant Stage and climbed to the Middle Heavens in just ten years, but once you went up, you couldn’t come back down.
Senior Sister led Blood Market Tower, but wasn’t Senior Sister also the lord of White Night City?
Senior Sister would have to abandon all of that, so we needed to discuss it.
I took out the talisman Senior Sister had given me when we separated at Dotseom Island.
-Fwoosh.
When I poured energy into it, the talisman burned red.
Then the talisman’s color shifted to blue, which was a signal that the other side had accepted the contact.
-Fwoosh.
[Junior Brother!]
[Senior Sister!]
[Junior Brother! Nothing happened, right? You’re doing well, right?]
Senior Sister’s voice came through like Senior Sister had been waiting.
In that voice, joy and hurt feelings were mixed together at the same time.
[Yes, I’m doing well, so don’t worry.]
Just as expected, Senior Sister spoke in a sulky tone.
[You could’ve contacted me more often...]
With an apologetic face, I scratched my head and apologized.
It wasn’t that things here were busy so much as I was out of my mind thinking about finding spirit creatures and didn’t think of it.
[Sorry. Things on my side have been busy.]
I couldn’t say that, so I answered that I’d been busy, and Senior Sister asked,
[So. Is the work going well?]
[Um... About that. There’s something I need to tell you...]
I was about to explain the situation and ask what we should do when—
[Wait a moment, Junior Brother. Let me speak first.]
Senior Sister sounded like there was something to say first.
When I waited, Senior Sister spoke in a serious voice.
[Junior Brother, if it’s dangerous, come back. After I sent you off, my heart wasn’t at ease. I’m fine, so come back. And if possible, would you ascend with me?
With Father’s life and death unknown, I thought staying in the Nine Heavens only for my own safety wasn’t the right thing for me to do. I want to fulfill my duty as a child.]
Senior Sister really was a good person.
No—Senior Sister was a good spirit creature.
Senior Sister was telling me that if it was dangerous, I should stop and come back because Senior Sister was worried about me, and Senior Sister wanted to go up personally to find Father.
This was going to be easy.
If Senior Sister made that decision, it meant Senior Sister had already decided what to do about White Night City and Blood Market Tower.
I smiled and said to Senior Sister,
[Thank you for worrying about me, Senior Sister.]
[No. This is what I should’ve done...]
[And about what you said, that you want me to take you up...]
I was about to continue and explain the current situation, but Senior Sister cut me off and pleaded earnestly.
[Junior Brother, please. Of course Father didn’t want me to ascend, but that was when I was frail. And thanks to Junior Brother’s treatment, I have the possibility of growing now, don’t I?
So it’s right that I go up myself, find Father’s traces, and let Father rest in peace. Please, let me fulfill my duty as a child.]
Senior Sister probably thought I would refuse, but I shook my head and answered.
[Ah, you misunderstand, Senior Sister. I’ll grant your request, so please listen.]
[Huh? Really?]
[Yes, Senior Sister. So, the thing is...]
Senior Sister sounded shocked that I would accept, and I explained the current situation.
That the most recently ascended fierce poison sea wraith was the one that ascended ten years ago, and it had already gone up to the Eight Heavens, so if I wanted to treat Senior Sister, Senior Sister would have to go up to the Eight Heavens personally.
After hearing my explanation, Senior Sister spoke in a bright voice.
That since we were going up together, it worked out even better.
[Since I already made the decision to ascend, this is even better, isn’t it?]
[Yes. Then prepare, and come up to the Eight Heavens with us. I still need to handle things here for a few more days, but once I take care of that, I’ll head over right away.]
[All right, Junior Brother.]
Senior Sister’s side was already settled, so now all I had to do was finish up the last things here, and Myoran tilted Myoran’s head and asked.
-Yaaong. 『Elder, do you still have something to deal with here?』
At that question, Mongyeong and I met eyes and smiled.
"Yeah. A traitor showed up in Black Night Palace, so we’re going to report it."
-Yang? 『A traitor in Black Night Palace!? Report it? Elder, you’re reporting it?』
Myoran’s eyes went wide in shock at the words "a traitor in Black Night Palace," then Myoran tilted Myoran’s head, not understanding what I meant by saying I was reporting it.
A laugh burst out.
"Pfft."
And of course it would.
Because the spirit creature Mongyeong was going to report, on my orders, was Myoran.
The spirit creature we needed to lure belonged to the Black Night Palace Inspection Unit.
So to lure that one, we had to report someone, and that was Myoran.
Mongyeong was planning to report to the Inspection Unit leader that Myoran seemed to be a spy from the Flying Wing Gate, an enemy organization.
Saying that Mongyeong had always respected the Inspection Unit leader and would help, so please come quietly and capture Myoran to build merit.
Then that one would come scrambling over alone, and then I’d go ahead and—cleanly—take that one.
Wasn’t it a perfect plan?
‘Gyahahaha.’
I covered my mouth and laughed while looking at Myoran—me with my hand, Mongyeong with a tail.