I Possessed a Cultivator Destined to Die at the Hands of the Protagonist - Chapter 19

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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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19.
“S-Senior Brother?”
Kang Jin-heon seized Cheongrim by the nape of his neck as he collapsed, pulling him back.
Clang!
It was Eun Hui-gyeom who slipped into the gap and deflected Cheongun’s assault.
“This is….”
Eun Hui-gyeom stared at Cheongun.
Though he wore the tattered robes of the Mudan Sect, his condition was utterly ghastly.
Old wounds festered across his body, and his skin was blackened as though scorched.
The whites of his eyes had turned dark, and from his wounds flowed black ichor mingled with blood.
His appearance was so grotesque that it was nearly impossible to believe he remained among the living.
“Grrrrgh.”
Cheongun, emitting a bestial cry, unfurled the Taiji Sword Technique and lunged at Eun Hui-gyeom.
In that instant, black demonic energy rippled around Cheongun’s blade, spreading outward in all directions.
Plants touched by the demonic energy withered rapidly as their life force was drained away.
“S-Senior Brother Cheongun!”
“You can’t go!”
I quickly restrained Cheongrim as he rushed forward, unfurling the Azure Lotus Technique.
Blooming azure lotus flowers materialized, blocking the advance of Cheongun’s demonic energy.
Yet the demonic energy prevented me from drawing any closer.
“Hui-gyeom!”
“This much is manageable.”
Eun Hui-gyeom, having parried Cheongun’s blade, adjusted his grip.
In a flash, he seized the initiative and unleashed the opening stance of the Seven Stars Meteor Sword.
A torrent of sword energy severed Cheongun’s arm.
“Hah.”
As the arm holding the blade fell away, Eun Hui-gyeom caught his breath.
But that respite was short-lived.
“Gaaahhhhh!”
Cheongun, indifferent to the loss of his arm, pressed his assault.
Eun Hui-gyeom swiftly brought his blade close to his body, blocking the attack.
Crack.
In the blink of an eye, Cheongun’s severed arm had regrown.
“No, no, no—this can’t be right!”
Eun Hui-gyeom retreated and rapidly deployed the Water Spirit Technique.
A massive surge of water rose beneath his feet, separating him from Cheongun.
“W-We have to save Senior Brother!”
“It’s too late. That cannot be undone.”
Kang Jin-heon, having examined Cheongun’s condition carefully, spoke with finality.
Even a martial master possessed of superhuman strength remains fundamentally human.
If the demonic energy had corrupted him to that extent, there was no way to restore him to his original state.
Kang Jin-heon withdrew an iron wire from his robes and swung it in the direction where Cheongun stood.
A massive whirlwind erupted around Cheongun, spiraling outward with tremendous force.
Along with the wind, the demonic energy coiled around his body scattered and shot upward.
Kang Jin-heon glanced toward me. I quickly drew upon my spiritual power even more intensely.
Cheongyeon Technique – Bongrae Chwiun
The lotus flowers spread wider and wider, soon ensnaring the space around Cheongun.
The lotus flowers suppressed the demonic energy emanating from his body.
At the same moment, I realized the demonic energy was leaking from a talisman affixed to his chest.
“Target the talisman on his chest!”
At my cry, Eun Hui-gyeom lowered his stance with sword in hand and delivered a massive downward slash.
The ascending blade passed through his body alongside the talisman affixed to his chest.
As the talisman vanished, the demonic energy drained from Cheongun’s body.
“Senior Brother, Senior Brother!”
Cheongrim, who had regained his senses too late, rushed toward Cheongun.
Cheongun, kneeling and coughing blood, turned his head slowly.
“Forgive me… Cheongrim.”
Before he could finish speaking, Cheongun’s body collapsed forward and crumbled into ash.
“No, nooooo! Senior Brother!”
Before the rushing Cheongrim lay only ash and a single severed talisman.
We mourned Cheongun’s death in silence.
Not long after, Cheongrim steadied himself and rose unsteadily.
“I’m sorry to have caused this trouble.”
“It’s not your fault. Anyone could see your senior brother was not in a normal state.”
Upon reflection after my mind had cleared, it was remarkable he had survived at all—his condition had been utterly dire.
Cheongrim retrieved the torn talisman that had been left where Cheongun died.
“This talisman must be the reason my senior brother ended up like this, right?”
“Most likely.”
“I cannot discern its nature myself, so if the opportunity arises, I would appreciate it if you could investigate the talisman.”
I accepted the talisman that Kang Jin-heon handed to Cheongrim.
“I will do so.”
“Thank you.”
We departed Jaya Mountain and returned directly to Muyang County.
Cheongun decided to return to Mudang Mountain to report Cheongrim’s death.
“Regarding the matter of the talisman…”
“Don’t worry—I won’t speak of it. Even if I did, no one would believe me anyway.”
Had it not been for Kang Jin-heon, Cheongun himself would have dismissed all talk of monasteries and cultivation as mere fantasy.
Knowing his own skepticism, he understood all too well that no one would believe him if he spoke of it.
“No matter how long it takes, I will not let the one who created this talisman go unpunished. I swear it.”
Cheongun answered only with a slight nod of his head.
After Cheongun left, we began preparing to head back as well.
“Say, that talisman. I’d like to examine it more closely too, if you don’t mind?”
“Of course.”
Kang Jin-heon retrieved the talisman he’d stored in his robe.
The moment he did, demonic energy erupted violently from it.
Crack.
Kang Jin-heon suppressed it with his cultivation power, but faint burn marks appeared on his fingertips.
“Wow, what kind of talisman is this…?”
“Are you alright?”
“This much is nothing.”
Kang Jin-heon held out the talisman, its demonic energy now suppressed.
Kang Jin-heon had merely accepted the talisman without examining it closely.
I flipped the talisman over.
“This is…”
“Huh?”
Upon seeing the back of the talisman, we couldn’t help but start in surprise.
A familiar seal was carved into the talisman’s reverse side.
On a hunch, I tried fitting together the torn pieces.
“Wait, Sister. Isn’t this the seal of Hyeonganmun?!”
“It does seem to be.”
…
Hyeonganmun was one of the Jeongmun Paldae, just like Chingwoo Immortal Sect—a major monastic sect.
“Why would Hyeonganmun’s seal appear here? Could it be that Hyeonganmun is behind this?”
“It could be, or it might not be.”
“What do you mean?”
Kang Jin-heon pointed to the edge of Hyeonganmun’s seal on the talisman.
“It’s certainly Hyeonganmun’s seal, but the design differs subtly from their current seal.”
“You’re right about that…”
“Perhaps someone is impersonating Hyeonganmun.”
“That seems serious in its own way…”
Eun Hui-gyeom muttered that, all things considered, impersonation was preferable to Hyeonganmun actually being behind it.
But the moment I saw Hyeonganmun’s old seal, I was certain.
‘It’s Paecheonmun.’
The reason Hyeonganmun’s seal appeared slightly different was because Paecheonmun was using the seal from when they were active.
In the original story, Paecheonmun appeared in the middle chapters and caused tremendous damage to not only the sects but the Lower Realm as well.
But thanks to Cheongun’s request, I’d obtained evidence that Paecheonmun was moving earlier than expected.
However, without concrete proof, I couldn’t mention Paecheonmun’s name to these two.
“For now, I think we should keep this between ourselves.”
“We won’t report it?”
“Would they believe us if we did? We’re talking about suspecting one of the Jeongmun Paldae, and besides, Master isn’t even here right now.”
“Ah, yes, that’s true.”
Baek Un-jin instructed me to produce thirty thousand points before excusing himself, saying he had matters to attend to.
Had Baek Un-jin remained, the situation might have unfolded differently, but speaking without proper evidence in the current circumstances was hardly a wise choice.
Especially when the other party was Hyeonganmun, one of the Jeongmun Paldae.
Even if I reported it with our relationship with Hyeonganmun in mind, the matter would likely be suppressed.
“I think so too.”
“And one more thing—it would be best to seal that talisman.”
Demonic energy continued to seep faintly from the talisman.
Kang Jin-heon’s spiritual power alone couldn’t suppress it indefinitely.
“That’s a good idea. But, Sister.”
“Hmm?”
“Who will perform the sealing?”
At Eun Hui-gyeom’s words, I looked toward Kang Jin-heon, and Kang Jin-heon looked back at Eun Hui-gyeom.
Ah, well.
“You can’t perform sealing techniques?”
“I haven’t learned them.”
In the original work, it seemed as though sealing occurred simply by channeling spiritual power, but reality proved far less forgiving.
None of the three of us possessed knowledge of sealing techniques.
‘Using the Lotus Binding Formation for this…’
That would be like using a blade meant for slaughtering cattle to kill a chicken.
“Fine, let’s think of it as experience and give it a try!”
“You’ll do it, Sister?”
“No, you will.”
“Why me!”
“Because you’re Master’s disciple, having learned his exclusive cultivation method. Surely you’ll handle sealing well too?”

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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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