Chapter 11
This is the fifth-floor safety zone.
But this is a little overwhelming.
Of course, I expected there to be more people around, but...
Did that woman I gave a gift to go blabbing about me everywhere?
Well, I never told her not to.
Besides, it wasn't so bad at first.
I kept getting food.
And I got all kinds of things, so I was happy at first!
But you can only enjoy that for a day or two.
At this rate, I could live off what's piled up in my storage pouch for another year.
I felt bad just taking things, so I gave them Bigu Pills. It seems that rumor spread, too.
Thanks to that, these days I'm practically forced to make Bigu Pills every day.
But people's reactions are weird!
No, they're suspicious!
"Hello again, GOAT-chan!"
A man came up and greeted me like he was happy to see an old friend.
'Who is he?'
I don't know him.
And what's with that feeling?
He seems fake.
I awkwardly waved back, but...
Why were people suddenly acting like this?
And what was that about?
He greeted me but didn't even tell me what he wanted!
Then he went to a corner and stared at his smartphone while calculating something.
'What on earth is he doing?'
Before I could figure it out, another man came over.
"Hello, GOAT-chan!"
Why was this guy coming over to greet me now?
Hadn't he already greeted me?
"Why are you back again?"
The man looked disappointed as he walked away, smacking himself on the head...
'What on earth is going on?'
There wasn't just one or two people like that.
The safety zone was packed so tightly there wasn't room to move.
And nine out of ten hunters either greeted me or gave me a gift.
Just then, the masters who'd been watching took an interest.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: What does 'GOAT-chan' mean?
ㄴFive Azure Demon King: It means greatest of all time, you ignorant bastard.
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: Ho. These mortals have a surprisingly good eye for people.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Do not be swayed by what the mortals of the lower realm revere. You must always continue to strive forward.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: Judging by their reaction, it seems true that there are no cultivators there. This really is the lower realm.
I didn't know why they were acting like that, but it was making me uncomfortable.
Then Blood River Patriarch, who'd been watching, said something weird again.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Little one, want me to teach you how to turn an entire region into human pills? Your cultivation will rise in no time.
There he goes again.
It seemed Blood River Patriarch saw people as food.
Whenever he saw someone, all he could talk about was human pills.
"I'm not making human pills! And you should stop making them and start living a good life, Blood River Patriarch!"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: You think washing the blood away now will erase its stench?
"Ever heard of turning over a new leaf? Just do enough good deeds to make up for it!"
ㄴFive Azure Demon King: As expected of the GOAT. I told you I know a good person when I see one.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: The child has a good heart.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Quiet!
"And I think they're all acting like this because of the Bigu Pills."
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: Bigu Pills?
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: They're clinging to you like that just to get a single Bigu Pill?
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: It seems cultivation is progressing quite slowly in this world.
Well, she'd said they were basic spirit medicines, so to the masters, they were probably the junk of all junk.
The hunters seemed to like them, though.
I'd overheard them talking about the fiftieth floor or something.
Did they need them for something there?
Just then, another hunter came over.
"Hello, GOAT-chan."
He greeted me warmly, then casually held out an envelope.
'What's that smell?'
I took a quick peek inside the envelope. It was jokbal.
'I'm not that fond of jokbal.'
Samgyeopsal tastes better.
It's not my favorite.
But it's not like I can't eat it.
I accepted the jokbal and gave him a Bigu Pill in return.
"Here. Eat this."
"Thanks, GOAT-chan!"
He held the Bigu Pill in both hands like it was a treasure, then carefully placed it in an airtight container.
Then he took out his smartphone, too, and started tapping away like crazy.
No, this made no sense!
I could understand if high-level hunters came over to ask for them, but why was everyone flocking here?
Were they already preparing for the fiftieth floor?
And they all did the same thing!
Greeting—gift—smartphone.
Wasn't it starting to feel like they were the NPCs, not me?
Blood River Patriarch took an interest in the jokbal.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: This looks similar to a dish from my world. Send it to me.
"Did you finish the spicy chicken feet I sent yesterday?"
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: I did. I liked that the bones had been removed. Though it is a shame it had no spiritual energy at all...
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: It is a shame it has no spiritual energy, but that ice cream? It was sweeter than spirit fruit.
ㄴFive Azure Demon King: I didn't get it from looking at the pictures, but the pizza was pretty good.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: I liked the... sushi? The thing with fish laid on top of rice was quite to my taste.
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: I liked the raw beef. For a dish from the lower realm, it was quite well prepared.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: I tried chocolate, and it was quite good. After the sweetness lingered on my tongue, I felt a slight rush and a boost to my vitality.
ㄴFive Azure Demon King: Did you bang our kid again?
ㄴFive Azure Demon King: Why aren't you saying anything? You did, didn't you?
Good grief, they picked a fight over the smallest thing.
I thought sending them food might help them get along.
Well, it didn't matter much since there was plenty of food in my storage pouch anyway.
'At this rate, I really won't be able to go outside...'
I wanted to go out, but it felt like someone was stopping me.
At this rate, I really would become an NPC.
An NPC who made pills, at that.
I knew exactly what they wanted.
And they weren't demanding anything; they were giving me gifts.
I didn't want to make Bigu Pills, so I gave them one each—or two if it was food I liked!
No matter how many I made, the end was nowhere in sight.
'I need to change my image somehow.'
And Bigu Pills weren't the only thing I made!
Grandma Ice Empress kept adding new orders, so I'd built up a decent stock of other pills, too.
What I had now were Qi-Replenishing Pills, Clear Heart Pills, Hemostasis Pills, Detoxification Pills, and Internal Injury Recovery Pills.
Qi-Replenishing Pills immediately restored spent spiritual energy.
Clear Heart Pills suppressed inner demons.
Hemostasis Pills treated external injuries.
Detoxification Pills did exactly what their name said: purified toxins.
Internal Injury Recovery Pills healed internal injuries.
According to Grandma Ice Empress, they were the five basic spirit medicines for cultivators.
Of course, her ultimate goal was for me to make Marrow-Cleansing Pills and Qi-Gathering Pills to help people advance their cultivation, but I didn't need those, did I?
More than that, the problem was the yield.
I could get close to a hundred Bigu Pills each time I ran the pill-refining furnace, so they weren't too bad, but the other spirit medicines came out in small quantities.
Ten at best?
Making Bigu Pills was already a hassle, and if people found out about those other pills, I really didn't think I'd be able to handle it.
'I absolutely cannot let people find out about these.'
No, more astonishing was the fact that it usually took around thirty years to advance from Qi Refining to Foundation Establishment.
Thirty years... That was ridiculous.
The masters said it took thirty years in their world.
And that was only for cultivators who received abundant support. Poor cultivators might never make it, even if they trained their whole lives.
When I asked how they trained, they said they spent all day in a cave, eating spirit medicine, sitting cross-legged, and reciting cultivation manuals.
They did that for thirty years? All day long?
Was it worth it if that was how they extended their lifespans?
If you spent all day doing nothing but training, living longer didn't make you happy, did it?
You should play games, watch movies and dramas, read comics, and read web novels, too.
Isn't that what makes life fun?
They said I'd advanced so quickly because this tower was a spirit realm of immeasurable rank.
I'd barely lasted a fortnight, and they were talking about thirty years.
If it had taken thirty years, I never would've become a cultivator.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Are you not nearly out of Bigu Pills? Let us prepare more.
"Again? Stirring it is hard."
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: Shall I send our little one a puppet? It can stir the pill furnace for you.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Absolutely not! You must become accustomed to doing it yourself if you wish to avoid mistakes! You must not seek the easy way out so soon!
Ugh... I was tempted for a second there...
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Do you think reaching mastery is easy? Stop complaining and get ready!
She's so strict.
Of course, I knew she wasn't being mean to me.
But even if I knew that, it was tiring. I wished she'd speak a little more gently.
Still, maybe there was no other way right now.
The viewers wanted it, and the hunters did, too. If I said I didn't want to, they'd all be disappointed.
"All right. I'll find somewhere quiet."
I'd figure out a solution later, and left the safety zone.
But...
Why was everyone following me?!
I looked back and saw the hunters from the safety zone trailing after me.
I wasn't the Pied Piper!
"Ah! Seriously!"
This is such a hassle!
It was like a famous celebrity dragging a pack of paparazzi around!
At this rate, I'd end up making pills right in front of all the hunters!
I had no choice but to reach for my storage pouch.
ㅡ Flash
A cheer went up as the Reverse Blood Sword appeared in my hand.
"Did you see that just now? It's definitely an NPC."
"How can that tiny body even lift it?"
"One graze and you're dead, right?"
I could hear everyone making a fuss from here.
Ignoring their chatter, I floated the Reverse Blood Sword with spiritual energy and climbed on top of it.
"Heave-ho!"
Then I flew off just like that.
'They can't follow me now.'
They were shouting something, but they were too far away to hear over the noise.
'I need to figure something out soon.'
I sped up and flew toward the rocky mountain ahead.
And half a day passed.
1.
"Hngh! Hngh!"
As usual, I was working hard, stirring the pill-refining furnace.
The chat was quiet, too.
I'd finally gotten used to streaming while I stirred!
What wicked viewers, leaving a streamer to do backbreaking work while they went AFK!
I was wondering when I'd be finished as I stirred the pill-refining furnace.
Suddenly, rainbow-colored steam began to gather around it.
It was a sight I'd never seen before.
"What is this? Is it going to explode?"
The thought of it blowing up like last time made me panic.
"Ice Empress! Something's wrong!"
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: How many times have I told you that a cultivator must always remain calm? asdfghjkl
Did she drop her keyboard?
Jade-Cold Ice Empress suddenly started typing faster.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Child! You must maintain the current state!
"Huh? What state?"
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Do not neglect the flames, spiritual energy, or the medicine! Keep doing exactly what you are doing!
I followed Jade-Cold Ice Empress's instructions and kept stirring with all my focus.
The Bigu Pills, which had been sloshing around, were turning into a thick porridge.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Now! Put the lid on!
As soon as I covered it, the rainbow-colored steam grew denser, then slowly disappeared.
'Did I fail?'
Suddenly, it was like amethyst... No, an aurora?
Violet steam like an aurora billowed out.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Well done, little one! You must not waver even a hair's breadth now!
I could feel the excitement through the chat.
It seemed like failing wasn't an option.
I checked the flames blazing with spiritual energy once again.
At that moment.
The violet steam seemed to gather together...
ㅡ Rooooar!
A gigantic dragon surged skyward from the pill furnace.
"Whoa..."
I couldn't help letting out a gasp.
Maybe the sound drew them in, because the viewers who'd gone AFK started appearing one by one.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: Ho ho! For a dragon to ascend to heaven over a mere Bigu Pill! Our little one must be a genius!
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: That's strange. No matter how far the pill-refining skill has advanced, you shouldn't be able to see that from a mere Bigu Pill.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: I believe it is because of the pill furnace, not the child's talent.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: The Pavilion Master is right. I gave the child the Hongmeng Purple Dragon Furnace.
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: Ho ho. You were so harsh, yet you gave the child quite a fine magical artifact.
From what they were saying, Grandma had given me some kind of good item.
Was she a tsundere?
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Did you not all receive the bodies of the demon beasts the child sent you? If you receive something, you should send something in return.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: It was certainly good enough for me to put to use.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: It makes no sense. How could a demon beast from the lower realm yield materials from the Immortal Realm?
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: Indeed. I was surprised when I received mine, too.
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: As Blood River Patriarch said, this cultivation world truly deserves to be called a paradise.
So, in short, the monsters on Earth were insanely strong?
I'd caught a few extra while I was at it and sent them over, and they seemed really happy.
'I've gotten all kinds of things from my viewers. Sending them a few things isn't hard.'
While they were talking, I finished refining the pills and opened the lid.
Inside, they looked different from before, with a sort of sparkling sheen.
It seemed like something had changed.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Hurry and shape them into pills!
Following her instructions, I rolled them into pills.
After I finished, I spread them out in the shade to dry and took a short break.
After a few hours of eating and chatting, Jade-Cold Ice Empress gave me another order.
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Pick up one of the Bigu Pills and examine it closely.
As she instructed, I examined one closely and noticed strange cracks on the surface, almost like symbols.
"There's a strange pattern on the surface."
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Those are pill inscriptions. They are proof that it has reached the lowest tier of supreme quality.
Supreme quality? That meant it was good, right?
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Now, infuse your eyes with spiritual energy and examine the pill.
It felt unfamiliar, but I focused spiritual energy in my eyes and looked at the Bigu Pill.
Then I thought I saw a faint ring around it.
Like Saturn's rings.
"Uh... I can see something like a ring."
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: That is a pill halo. It means the pill has reached the middle tier of supreme quality.
A pill halo? Mid-tier, so it had leveled up?
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Lastly, smell it.
I brought the Bigu Pill to the tip of my nose.
Then I caught a sweet fragrance.
How should I put it? It was hard to compare it to anything, but my brain was telling me it smelled sweet.
"It smells fragrant."
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: That is the pill fragrance, which signifies the highest tier of supreme quality. You have now attained master-level skill in making Bigu Pills.
ㄴTaehyun Zhenren: Our little one is amazing!
=Thank you, Taehyun Zhenren, for 10,000 low-grade spirit stones.=
ㄴTaebaek Sword Lord: Why not take this chance to learn another skill?
=Thank you, Taebaek Sword Lord, for 10,000 low-grade spirit stones.=
ㄴHeavenly Secrets Pavilion Master: If you need a particular jade slip, let me know and I will look for it.
ㄴBlood River Patriarch: You're making such a fuss over one Bigu Pill.
=Thank you, Blood River Patriarch, for 10,000 low-grade spirit stones.=
Hmm... Blood River Patriarch was a tsundere, too.
Still, judging by the mood, did this mean I didn't have to make Bigu Pills anymore?
Did I just need to deal with the hunters?
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Remember this. I did not mention it before because you were unfamiliar with the process, but from now on, high-grade pills may appear among your usual batches.
"They can get mixed in?"
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: That is right. So store them separately from the low-quality ones.
"Why?"
ㄴJade-Cold Ice Empress: Supreme-quality pills have medicinal power far beyond that of low-quality ones, and they can fetch a higher price when sold.
"..."
It's a hassle, so I'll just sell them.
Maybe it'll be fun, like gacha?
'Anyway... what am I supposed to do with these?'