I Possessed a Cultivator Destined to Die at the Hands of the Protagonist - Chapter 4

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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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04.
“How long will it take?”
“We did request assistance from the nearby Sudō Sect, but… I suspect it won’t be resolved within this week.”
“I see. Where did the malevolent spirit appear?”
“Pardon?”
“I’ll go eliminate it myself. That should resolve the matter without complications.”
“No, please. I’ve heard it’s not a particularly powerful malevolent spirit, and I cannot trouble someone as busy as you.”
The Fabric Shop Owner, who knew who Baek Un-jin was, waved his hands in protest.
But Baek Un-jin remained resolute.
“Waiting seems like a greater waste of time.”
“Is… is that so?”
“My beloved disciple needs a winged garment. Since it doesn’t seem like a difficult task, I’ll handle it quickly.”
The Fabric Shop Owner glanced at Yoo Yeon-seo, who was examining the silks hanging in the shop.
This shop was Baek Un-jin’s regular fabric store, and though they had conducted business for quite some time, he had never heard mention of him taking a disciple until now.
“I understand. If you safely retrieve the Thousand-Thread Silk, I will craft it with great care.”
“Where did the malevolent spirit appear?”
“At Cheongseok Gorge.”
Cheongseok Gorge was a place one would reach after traveling west from Hyeonbaek for about a day.
Using Baek Un-jin’s flying artifact, we would arrive in less than half an hour.
“I’ll return shortly.”
“Master!”
Having overheard their conversation, I brightened my eyes before Baek Un-jin.
“Can I come too?”
“Stay here.”
“But…”
“…”
“You said it’s not even a dangerous malevolent spirit, right? I’ll stay quiet beside you. Can’t you let me come along?”
Since this was a rare outing, I wanted to see as many places as possible.
As I pouted and clung to him, Baek Un-jin reluctantly relented.
“Promise me you won’t do anything dangerous.”
“Of course.”
Besides, even if I wanted to do something, there was little a novice cultivator like me could accomplish.
We boarded the flying artifact once more and arrived at Cheongseok Gorge.
The gorge was quite deep, and though the sky was clear, a faint mist hung around the surroundings.
My jaw dropped at the sight of terrain I had never seen before in my previous life.
So this kind of natural landscape could actually exist in reality.
Unlike me, who gazed around in awe, Baek Un-jin’s expression was far from pleased.
“Something feels off.”
“Pardon? Now that you mention it, I don’t see the merchant group.”
“It’s not just that.”
What’s wrong?
I tried reading the celestial energy, just in case.
“There seems to be something murky mixed in there…”
What is this?
As I closed my eyes slightly and tried to delve deeper, Baek Un-jin placed a hand on my shoulder.
Instantly, my mind snapped back into focus.
“Don’t probe too deeply.”
“Ah, yes.”
A cold sweat broke out at the touch of that unidentifiable energy.
After steadying my breathing, I glanced at Baek Un-jin.
“Hmm, it seems I need to step away for a moment.”
“Should I come with you?”
“…You stay here quietly.”
“Wouldn’t that be more dangerous?”
I was safest when I was by Baek Un-jin’s side.
He couldn’t possibly not know that.
“That’s true, but… tsk, there’s something I don’t want to show you.”
“Pardon?”
“Never mind.”
Baek Un-jin, muttering to himself, suddenly formed a hand seal.
Then a water droplet rippled at his fingertips before bursting with a soft pop.
Water mist rose from the burst droplet, and within it appeared something like a small cloud.
“Leave this here. I’ll notice immediately if anything happens.”
“Yes!”
Before I could even finish speaking, Baek Un-jin’s figure vanished.
I stared blankly at the cloud he’d left behind.
When I poked it gently, it seemed to respond, trembling slightly.
“It’s kind of cute, like a living piece of cotton candy.”
Should I eat it?
Whether it read my thoughts or sensed mortal danger, the cloud quickly distanced itself.
I was just joking.
I thought he was leaving behind something incredible, but to leave only this tiny cloud behind…
“He really does things that don’t quite fit his image.”
But that’s also part of my master’s charm.
Though not during training, of course.
The gorge nestled deep within the mountains was so quiet that not a trace of human presence could be felt.
With my eyes closed, there was only the occasional whisper of wind, the sound of animals moving, the prick of leaves against my nose, and the scent of water rising from the mist.
“This feels reassuring.”
Despite being in an unfamiliar place, simply being surrounded by nature brought considerable peace of mind.
How much time had passed like this?
Sigh…
“I’m bored.”
Baek Un-jin, who said he’d be back soon, hadn’t returned even after an hour had passed.
Ah, this is why cultivators have such a terrible sense of time!
No matter who I was, sitting still for an hour made my skin crawl with restlessness.
“As long as I don’t go far, it should be fine.”
I had Yun-goo with me anyway.
After deliberating, I wandered around the gorge, exploring here and there.
The gorge was filled with flowers and plants I’d never seen before, and occasionally I could spot small animals scattered about.
“A rabbit!”
Delighted by what looked unmistakably like a rabbit, I unconsciously chased after it.
The moment my foot stepped into the brush where the rabbit disappeared, the flow of heavenly energy twisted.
“Huh?”
Realizing something was wrong, I hurriedly looked around in alarm.
The sharp scent of blood pricking my nose drove me instinctively deeper into the undergrowth.
“A corpse?”
There were three or four bodies lying there.
Judging by the fact that the blood hadn’t dried, they hadn’t been dead for long.
Drawing closer to examine them, I realized they were merchants belonging to the caravan that had been transporting the Heavenly Silk.
Why were merchants’ corpses here?
Rustle.
“Who’s there!”
Tense from seeing the bodies, I reacted to a faint sound I normally wouldn’t have caught, placing my hand on my sword.
Steadying my breath, I slowly drew my blade and pointed it toward the source of the sound.
The swirling mist dissipated, and a figure emerged from beyond the brush.
The moment I saw his face, my grip on the sword weakened.
“You…”
“Hey, Yang Ja-han?”
He’d grown taller in the time since we’d last met, and he wore the murky orange-tinged robes of Moo Geuk Hyeon Mun, but there was no mistaking him—it was Yang Ja-han.
I could never forget the face of Yang Ja-han that was etched into Yoo Yeon-seo’s memories.
‘Right, of course. By now, Yang Ja-han would have just become a disciple of Moo Geuk Hyeon Mun.’
It wasn’t particularly strange that he was a disciple of the sect.
The problem was encountering Yang Ja-han in a place I’d never anticipated.
Yang Ja-han looked equally startled, his expression turning awkward.
“Yoo Yeon-seo?”
“”
“How are you… how are you still alive?”
Yang Ja-han stepped forward.
Yang Ja-han and I had been childhood friends since our days at Hong Hwa Mun.
But that was…
‘That was before I possessed this body.’
We had only known each other before my possession—Yang Ja-han was hardly a childhood friend to me now, but rather an awkward stranger.
Especially now that I knew Yang Ja-han was the protagonist of the 【Thousand Fates Manual】.
“That’s… haha.”
I still wasn’t a formal disciple of the Chingwoo Immortal Sect.
Therefore, Yang Ja-han had no idea that I had become Baek Un-jin’s temporary disciple.
I didn’t think I could keep it secret forever, but I had no desire to reveal it now.
I scratched my cheek and averted my gaze.
“It just… happened by luck, I guess. That’s how it turned out.”
“I see. I was worried.”
“Huh?”
“I really was. I was so afraid you’d die like that.”
Yang Ja-han stepped closer to me.
I could see his eyes growing redder by the moment.
‘Ah, that’s right. It was Yoo Yeon-seo’s death that turned Yang Ja-han into an ascetic without blood or tears.’
Learning that such a childhood friend was alive—his reaction was perhaps only natural.
Yang Ja-han quickened his pace and suddenly embraced me.
“Yeon-seo. I missed you so much.”
“Ah, yeah.”
I understood his feelings, but it was excessive—or perhaps startling.
I was about to push him away when it happened.
Squelch.
“What?”
I felt something sharp pierce through my body.
As Yang Ja-han twisted his hand, blood spilled through the widening gap.
I reflexively swung the sword I was holding with all my strength.
Yang Ja-han staggered backward, and I too retreated, clutching my abdomen as I dropped to one knee.
Drip, drip, drip.
Crimson blood seeped from the gaping wound.

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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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