I Possessed a Cultivator Destined to Die at the Hands of the Protagonist - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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11.
As Eun Hui-gyeom avoided my gaze, I wondered if I’d said something unnecessary.
Even though the Three-Named Ghost that killed his parents and family had vanished, the wounds left in young Eun Hui-gyeom’s heart would not fade easily.
They would haunt him for a lifetime.
…Just as they haunt me.
“Cultivation techniques are like spells that must be learned to become a cultivator. For now…”
Broadly speaking, they were divided into body-refinement techniques that could strengthen the physical form, and consciousness techniques that developed the spirit and mind.
The Azure Serenity Technique that had nearly killed Eun Hui-gyeom was one such consciousness technique.
From that day forward, I explained to Eun Hui-gyeom everything I knew about what it meant to be a cultivator and the nature of celestial energy.
It was exactly the same as how Baek Un-jin had patiently explained things to me when I knew nothing.
And there was one fact I discovered through my conversations with Eun Hui-gyeom.
“I understand.”
“You understand it all?”
“It’s not that difficult of a topic, is it?”
…
It took me over half a year to grasp immortal cultivation, yet this boy grasped it quickly after just a few of my explanations and some independent reading.
‘So this is what a true genius looks like.’
Baek Un-jin often said I too could be called a genius in terms of magical power reserves and consciousness realm, but it never felt real to me—it sounded like flattery.
But with Eun Hui-gyeom, it seemed genuinely true.
As I taught Eun Hui-gyeom and transcribed the Celestial Energy Compendium, my pace slowed as I progressed, but I managed to complete the transcription without incident.
And as if waiting for me to finish, Baek Un-jin returned exactly one week later.
“In two years, the Chingwoo Immortal Sect will hold a sectarian tournament.”
Since the Chingwoo Immortal Sect was a major cultivation faction, its internal regulations were strict.
A cultivator who did not participate in the sectarian tournament could not become a formal disciple of the Chingwoo Immortal Sect.
This applied equally to outer disciples who had masters within the sect.
“Since the sectarian tournament is held only once every ten years, you must participate and become inner disciples. Understood? By then, Yeon-seo must reach the third stage of the Yeon-gi realm, and Hui-gyeom must reach the second stage.”
“Yes, I understand… Wait? The third stage?”
After four years of study, I was barely approaching the second stage—there’s no way I could reach the third stage in just two years!
My eyes widened in disbelief, and Baek Un-jin smiled softly.
“Don’t worry. I’ve arranged for you to take no missions until the sectarian tournament. From now on, I will teach you personally.”
“I’m asking just in case, but what happens if I don’t reach the third stage?”
“The sectarian tournament will be postponed.”
In other words, I would have to live as an outer disciple for the next ten years until the following sectarian tournament.
Despite his youthful appearance, my master was already over eighty years old.
Baek Un-jin might think ten years is nothing with his long life ahead, but I cannot afford to think that way.
“If you dislike that prospect, then reach the third stage no matter what. Well, since you’re my disciples, failure shouldn’t be an option.”
Eun Hui-gyeom, who had not yet experienced Baek Un-jin’s true teaching methods, had question marks floating above his head.
Only I felt the anxiety and dread.
‘The sectarian tournament in two years…’
It was undoubtedly the time when Baek Un-jin would lose Eun Hui-gyeom and cease taking new disciples.
In truth, for those with a master within Cheong Woo Seon Mun, the sect tournament was akin to a rite of passage.
The evaluation committee already knew who was whose disciple, and it was a test that could be passed easily with just a 1-star Yeon-gi-gi rating.
Baek Un-jin’s instruction for me to reach 3-star in Yeon-gi-gi rather than 2-star within two years was not simply about passing the sect tournament.
Though he hadn’t stated it outright, it was a position where one could expect a ranking of second place or higher.
‘At least, I should work hard to save Eun Hui-gyeom as well.’
When we first met, he was shorter than me, but now he grew by the day, and before long he was nearly my height.
As we spent time together, I must have developed some affection between master and disciple, because I thought I would be sad if Eun Hui-gyeom died.
Under Baek Un-jin’s guidance, our hellish special training began.
“Now then, lightly run up that mountain and return. Whoever arrives late gets no dinner.”
“The cloud-shrouded mountain? That’s absurd… No, wait! Sister, where are you going!”
Sorry.
I don’t want to go hungry.
I bolted toward the mountain with wide eyes, and Eun Hui-gyeom hurried after me.
“How underhanded!”
“Underhanded? You’ve grown taller than me in just a few months!”
There was no way I could win otherwise.
On the first day, I won by using a shortcut.
Feeling slightly guilty, we amicably split the evening meal in half.
The next day was sword sparring.
Unlike before, Eun Hui-gyeom had also received the Sudō Sect cultivation method from Baek Un-jin, so there were no restrictions.
“I lost, I actually lost?! How?!”
“Well, because you’re full of openings, Sister?”
“Again, let’s go again!”
Eun Hui-gyeom possessed not only exceptional memory but also genius-level talent in swordsmanship.
According to him, while helping his parents with their work, he would often learn the sword from warriors he encountered wandering the streets in his spare time…
‘Is this really the level one reaches from learning the sword?!’
In terms of sword technique alone, he was already skilled enough to easily subdue most adults.
But there was something I excelled at more.
“Ahhhhh! A snake, a snake! Sister, please help me! Ahhh!”
“…”
“How are you concentrating at a time like this?!”
“Clear your mind, and the snake will not come.”
I had forgotten that Eun Hui-gyeom was making a fuss, lost in a state of perfect focus.
While Eun Hui-gyeom was superior in physical ability and memory, I held the advantage in consciousness cultivation and magical power.
Baek Un-jin, true to his word, did not go on missions and taught us every day.
Sitting in lotus position, I prepared for the 3-star Yeon-gi-gi advancement.
‘The heavens are beautiful.’
Indeed, the weather was perfect for advancement.
“If any problems arise, I will assist you, so do not give up until the end.”
“Yes!”
Baek Un-jin unfurled a protective formation around me, with Eun Hui-gyeom assisting him.
As the protective formation spread, my ears felt muffled, as if sound from the outside world had been cut off.
“Exhale.”
Normally, when ascending from the 2nd stage to the 3rd stage, one would consume a Spirit Pill to enhance one’s magical power.
Since I possessed more magical power than others, Spirit Pills were poison until I reached a certain level of cultivation.
I closed my eyes slightly, focused on my dantian, and began circulating the energy within.
As I concentrated my consciousness, with each exhale, the heavenly and earthly spiritual energy from my surroundings slowly pressed into my body.
Simultaneously, ancient impurities and turbid energy rose from within my dantian.
I slowly began to purify them.
Spiritual energy flowed from my body in a whirlwind, and my dantian began to vibrate.
A brilliant flash erupted.
In that instant, the clouds vanished and light poured down over my head—for just a moment, I could feel my dantian shining with golden radiance.
The protective formation rippled, and as I slowly opened my eyes, the world appeared subtly different.
“Success.”
I rose unsteadily and nodded.
After a year and a half, I had successfully entered the 3rd stage of Spiritual Cultivation.
Not long after I entered the 3rd stage, Eun Hui-gyeom also advanced to the 2nd stage of Spiritual Cultivation.
***
The Immortal Sect Tournament.
It was an event held once every ten years by the Chingwoo Immortal Sect to recruit inner disciples.
The conditions for participating in the Immortal Sect Tournament were as follows.
Under 30 years of age and a possessor of a Spirit Root.
Meeting the conditions did not guarantee one could participate in the Immortal Sect Tournament.
“I, I am a Spirit Root possessor! Why am I disqualified!”
“A low-quality common Spirit Root? How dare you try to participate? Go seek out other cultivation sects!”
True to its reputation as a prestigious cultivation sect, the process of verifying Spirit Roots was conducted meticulously.
Eun Hui-gyeom and I did not undergo separate Spirit Root examinations because we had Baek Un-jin’s recommendation.
“You also possess a special Spirit Root?”
“Yes. I’m not entirely sure what kind it is, but I was told it specializes in the Water attribute.”
According to Baek Un-jin, if one only considered my talent with Spirit Roots regarding water-based energy, it would surpass even his own.
“That’s impressive.”
I looked up at Eun Hui-gyeom.
In just two years, Eun Hui-gyeom had grown at an absurd rate, now towering over me.
What was even more shocking was that he continued to grow.
‘He’s not bamboo—how much taller will he get?’

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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