I Possessed a Cultivator Destined to Die at the Hands of the Protagonist - Chapter 13

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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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13.
Eun Hui-gyeom cried out in frustration, but Kang Jin-heon simply looked at him with an expression that seemed to ask, “Why bother?”
Those eyes, devoid of any malice, only served to ignite Eun Hui-gyeom’s irritation.
Eun Hui-gyeom was taken aback by Kang Jin-heon’s unexpected temperament.
“Sister, is this person perhaps lacking something or deficient in some way?”
“Not at all. He’s just not very talkative, that’s all.”
Kang Jin-heon was not the type to indulge in unnecessary chatter.
Even at Cheonmyeong Suseonggi, whenever his combat scenes appeared, his dialogue would drastically diminish.
Still, there was a marked difference between knowing something intellectually and witnessing it firsthand.
The three of us registered for the examination and were assigned test number 17.
“Test number 17! Come forward!”
At the examiner’s command, the three of us entered the Cheongryeong Daejin, which encircled the area around Cheongryeong Mountain.
“Alright then, let’s split up from here and search. I’ll take the front, sister takes the left, and hey you, tall one! You take the right!”
“No, we’re not doing that.”
As Eun Hui-gyeom assumed the role of leader and issued his orders, I shook my head and stopped him.
‘How could I know what’s about to happen?’
I hadn’t chosen to be in the same group as Kang Jin-heon simply out of a desire to grow closer to him.
In the original story, although Eun Hui-gyeom does meet with a fatal accident, the examination itself proceeds as scheduled.
Kang Jin-heon was the one who achieved the top score in that examination.
Kang Jin-heon had only asked us what our cultivation levels were, but he never revealed his own.
‘Probably because he found it tedious.’
Kang Jin-heon was at the 4th stage of Yeon-gi cultivation.
There was no doubt that he possessed the most outstanding abilities among all participants in the Seonmun Tournament.
Moreover, at present, Kang Jin-heon was the only one who had achieved perfect scores in both the written and martial examinations.
“Pardon? What do you mean by that, sister?”
“We’re all going to search for the formation stones together.”
“But time is important in the examination, isn’t it?”
“I know, but it still can’t be done that way.”
Baek Un-jin had likely subjected me and Eun Hui-gyeom to rigorous training in hopes that we would at least achieve second place.
Yet, considering his state of mind after Eun Hui-gyeom’s death—how he never took another disciple—it was clear that Baek Un-jin’s love for us as his disciples was genuine.
‘I’m sorry, Master. It seems I won’t be able to achieve first or second place.’
But how could I, as a fellow disciple, allow my senior brother to perish?
For me, saving Eun Hui-gyeom was far more important than any score.
“What on earth? Why are you suddenly acting this way?”
“I know it’s frustrating, but this is how it has to be.”
“Sigh, I understand. But it doesn’t matter for me… Shouldn’t you also ask for the opinion of that Kang practitioner?”
Eun Hui-gyeom subtly drew Kang Jin-heon into the conversation.
Kang Jin-heon, who had been surveying the mist-shrouded Cheongryeong Mountain, turned his silent gaze upon us both.
His eyes seemed to regard us with pity, as if asking, “Why are you two quarreling over something so pointless?”
….
“Give me your thoughts!”
At Eun Hui-gyeom’s urging, Kang Jin-heon simply nodded slightly instead of answering.
‘He really doesn’t talk much.’
I’d known this about him for certain, but it was still frustrating even for me.
“Sigh, I suppose there’s no helping it.”
“Thank you for indulging such an unreasonable request.”
“What can I do? I’m your junior disciple.”
Eun Hui-gyeom spoke of our master-disciple relationship, but I wasn’t unaware that he always held back when facing me.
‘Wait. If you don’t die, then next time I’ll give you plenty of leeway.’
Just as I had given Yoo Yeon-seo a future by possessing her body.
I wanted to show Eun Hui-gyeom a different future too—one that wasn’t death.
“Found it.”
“Already?”
The mist enveloping Cheongryeong Mountain was no ordinary fog.
Within it, one’s senses dulled, making it possible to overlook things that should be easily found.
‘For a 4-star cultivator like Kang Jin-heon, it means nothing.’
A single star difference seemed trivial, yet in reality it created a gap this vast.
Grrrrrowwwl.
Around the first boundary stone, three or four phantom beasts and vengeful spirits materialized.
“Good.”
Eun Hui-gyeom was about to draw his sword and strike when—
Kang Jin-heon, moving with precise footwork at blinding speed, drew an iron thread from his robes and unleashed it.
The spiritual force leaking from the thread carved through the ground, and in a single instant, it severed the phantom beasts and spirits.
Snap.
As he lightly folded the iron thread and turned, the boundary stone was already in his hand.
It happened so swiftly that Eun Hui-gyeom had no chance to intervene.
“Who… who are you really?”
“…”
“Damn it! I’m the fool for asking.”
Eun Hui-gyeom huffed irritably and sheathed his sword.
I formed a hand seal and pressed my palm against the ground.
Spiritual force flowing from my fingertips traveled along the earth and up the trees, probing the surroundings.
“It’s that way!”
I brushed the dirt from my hand and pointed, sending Eun Hui-gyeom rushing beyond the mist.
As his figure faded into the haze, a sudden unease gripped me.
“Wait…!”
Realizing I couldn’t leave him alone, I hurried after Eun Hui-gyeom.
“Hui-gyeom…!”
Shhwaaaack.
Eun Hui-gyeom slashed through a malevolent spirit and immediately charged at the vengeful soul.
“Stop staring and help me!”
“Oh, sorry.”
Snapping back to attention, I drew my sword and unleashed Lotus Shadow Flame toward the vengeful spirit Eun Hui-gyeom was facing.
A single flame flickered from the blade’s tip before extending like a thread, cleaving the vengeful spirit in two.
While Eun Hui-gyeom and I engaged the vengeful spirit, Kang Jin-heon held back the phantom beast.
The house-sized phantom beast charged toward us, swinging the horn protruding from its forehead.
Pap, pap, pat.
Azure Breath Method – Penglai Cloud Ascension
Cultivators up to the sixth star of Breath Technique are conventionally classified as lower-tier practitioners.
Typically, even mastering a single technique is considered exceptional for lower-tier practitioners.
I had already perfected both Lotus Shadow Flame and the Azure Breath Method.
The heavenly and earthly spiritual energy trembled, and azure lotus flowers bloomed in all directions, clinging thickly to the phantom beast.
I released my twisted fingers.
Boom, boom, boom, boom, boom.
The lotus flowers burst apart, shredding the phantom beast into fragments.
‘Phew, this still consumes quite a bit of spiritual power.’
No matter how many times I practiced, I couldn’t adapt to this strange sensation of spiritual power being depleted all at once.
“Hui-gyeom, where’s the second boundary stone?”
“Right here.”
Eun Hui-gyeom held up the boundary stone proudly.
I had worried when he disappeared from sight for a moment, but seeing him safe put my mind at ease.
‘But this isn’t it either? When exactly does it happen?’
Kang Jin-heon discovered the third boundary stone, and I engaged the battle with heightened vigilance.
However, defeating the phantom beast surrounding the third boundary stone proved surprisingly effortless.
“I thought it would take longer, but we’re moving faster than expected.”
“Right.”
“Sister, your expression doesn’t look good. Are you alright?”
“Ah. Yes. I’m just a bit tired, I think.”
“Well, that’s what happens when you use techniques so recklessly. No matter how much spiritual power you have, you shouldn’t do that.”
Despite Eun Hui-gyeom’s concern, I could only nod blankly.
This wasn’t the time to worry about such things.
‘It’s true that Eun Hui-gyeom died during the Seonmun Tournament. Now I just need to stabilize the formation by bringing the boundary stone to the center, and it’ll be over. But exactly where does it happen….’
Ah, I see.
I realized precisely where Eun Hui-gyeom met his end.
‘It’s when stabilizing the formation with the boundary stone.’
Under normal circumstances, the moment the boundary stone is placed, the Cheongseong Great Formation would dissolve and the trial would end.
There was no doubt a mechanism had been set up the instant the boundary stone was placed.
Everyone would lower their guard, thinking everything was finished.
“Hui-gyeom.”
“Yes?”
“Give me the boundary stone. I’ll handle the last one.”
“Are you sure? This is usually something you’d assign to the youngest member like me….”
“I said that’s enough.”
I practically snatched the boundary stone from Eun Hui-gyeom’s hands.
Kang Jin-heon simply watched the two of us in silence.
Before long, we arrived at the summit of Cheongryeong Mountain.
There was a designated place on the altar at the summit to set the boundary stones.
I placed the boundary stones one by one onto the altar.
It was the moment I placed the final boundary stone.
Crack!
Instead of the blue light that should have emanated, a sudden torrent of black energy erupted from the boundary stone.
‘I knew this would happen!’
The center of the altar turned crimson, and abruptly a massive black hand—larger than my own body—lunged toward me.
Cheongyeon Technique – Bongrae Chwiun
Since I had been preparing from the moment I placed the boundary stone, I was able to swiftly deploy the Cheongyeon Technique.
Dozens of blue lotus flowers materialized before me, blocking the enormous hand that sought to strike me down.
Crash!
The hand tore through the lotus flowers, shredding them to pieces as it pressed toward me.
‘I’ll pour every ounce of my spiritual power into this!’

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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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