I Possessed a Cultivator Destined to Die at the Hands of the Protagonist - Chapter 5

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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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05.
It was fortunate, in a sense—the wound was not as deep as it could have been.
Gureum had been positioned directly where Yang Ja-han thrust his blade.
“Gureum!”
Thanks to Gureum, whom Baek Un-jin had left behind, taking the strike in my stead, I suffered only a shallow laceration across my skin rather than a grievous injury.
But Gureum’s body bore a deep gash from the blade.
I staggered to my feet, cradling Gureum against my chest.
Yang Ja-han, belatedly recognizing Gureum, raised his head while gripping the blood-stained dagger.
“Tsk, so you had a guardian spirit.”
Though not truly mine.
There was no time for such explanations.
I hastily tucked the limp Gureum inside my robes, then gripped my sword with both hands.
Despite Gureum’s intervention, blood continued to seep from the wound in my abdomen where Yang Ja-han’s blade had pierced me.
“Why did you stab me? We were childhood companions!”
The two of us had been orphans from the streets who entered the Honghua Sect together as children.
Even the memories of Yoo Yeon-seo that remained within me confirmed this truth.
‘But why on earth?’
The confusion was as acute as the wound burning in my abdomen.
Yang Ja-han sheathed his dagger and placed his hand upon the sword at his waist.
“How are you still alive?”
“What?”
“You are not supposed to be alive.”
Yang Ja-han’s voice carried a chilling composure.
His words sent a cascade of chills down my spine.
‘Has he realized I’m not Yoo Yeon-seo?’
No.
There was no indication of such awareness.
“How can you say such a thing? Between you and me….”
“That’s precisely why I’m saying it.”
“Why shouldn’t I be alive?”
“Because you should be dead.”
My grip tightened around the sword’s hilt.
Whose death was he speaking of?
“So you’re trying to kill me because of that?”
“If you remain alive, many others will die.”
“On what grounds do you make such a claim?”
“You can speak such words only because you know nothing.”
Yang Ja-han adjusted his grip on his sword and closed the distance between us in an instant.
‘Incredible speed!’
In the blink of an eye, Yang Ja-han’s shadow loomed directly before me.
It was my first real combat.
I quickly drew upon my inner energy as I had been taught.
Azure currents wrapped around my blade, deflecting Yang Ja-han’s relentless assault.
Clang.
But the gap in skill and raw power was devastatingly apparent.
“Ugh!”
My wrist twisted under the force of Yang Ja-han’s powerful strike.
I nearly dropped my sword.
‘He’s already this strong?’
Even for the protagonist, this was absurd!
I drew my blade closer to my body and focused entirely on defense.
Yang Ja-han pushed off the ground and closed in, then suddenly lowered his stance and rotated his body upward from below.
I quickly executed a footwork technique to create distance.
In that instant, Yang Ja-han wove a hand seal with his free hand with remarkable speed.
Heavenly Ascension Technique.
My feet should have found purchase in the air, but instead my body plummeted downward as if gravity itself had intensified.
In the early stages, Yang Ja-han had primarily cultivated gravity-based techniques within Wuji Xuanmen.
I had remained vigilant just in case, but I never expected him to deploy it at this moment.
As my body fell, my balance shattered completely.
Yang Ja-han’s blade descended to match my height, closing in toward my heart.
Whoosh.
Chingwoo Technique.
With my hand concealed in my sleeve, I swiftly wove a seal and unleashed the Chingwoo Technique.
Azure energy erupted from my body, forcefully repelling Yang Ja-han’s attack.
But because the distance had been so close, my own body was hurled backward in recoil.
Screech.
I dragged my blade across the ground and barely managed to land on my feet.
As expected, Yang Ja-han’s eyes widened dramatically upon witnessing the Chingwoo Technique.
“How do you know the cultivation method of Chingwoo Immortal Sect?”
Yang Ja-han had no knowledge that I had become a disciple of Chingwoo Immortal Sect.
This was precisely why I had wanted to avoid using their cultivation techniques.
“A disciple of Chingwoo Immortal Sect saved me and allowed me to survive.”
“That’s impossible.”
“What’s impossible about it? I’m standing right here alive!”
Yang Ja-han’s tone made it sound as though I was supposed to be dead.
Yang Ja-han adjusted his stance and closed the distance in an instant.
The moment our blades clashed, I felt my body sinking downward under the weight of his gravity technique.
I managed to endure by maintaining the Chingwoo Technique, but even this had its limits.
My current cultivation level was Qi Condensation Stage 1—I had only just begun my journey on the path of cultivation.
In comparison, Yang Ja-han was instinctively felt to be at least one level above me.
Clang.
Yang Ja-han’s attacks came relentlessly, one after another.
The attacks themselves were formidable, but the most dangerous part was how my body grew heavier with each clash of blades.
I gritted my teeth and glared at Yang Ja-han.
After everything I’ve endured to survive,
“You think I’ll die to someone like you?!”
Childhood friend or not—none of that matters anymore.
As I pushed the Chingwoo Technique to its absolute limit, the heavenly energy around me trembled violently.
Witnessing this, Yang Ja-han’s eyes turned cold and sharp.
Yang Ja-han sheathed his sword and began forming a hand seal.
Gravity coalesced at his fingertips, manifesting as dark spherical constructs.
I could feel my power being drawn into the sphere’s center with palpable force.
Xuanmyst.
The gravity-devouring sphere crept ever closer.
The nearer it came, the more the gravitational pull rendered me immobile, as if my body were being compressed into nothingness.
Boom.
Thinking this was the end, I squeezed my eyes shut.
In that instant, the sphere before me shattered against something like a wall, instantly disintegrating into ash and scattering away.
When I opened my tightly closed eyes, the hem of Baek Un-jin’s robes flickered in my vision.
As the tension drained from me, I unconsciously lowered my sword and collapsed to the ground.
….
“Master.”
“Are you alright?”
Baek Un-jin’s gaze fell upon the wounds covering my body.
Realizing my mistake, I covered the wounds with my hand and nodded slightly.
“They’re not serious injuries.”
Instead of a response, only a short sigh returned.
From his expression, it seemed he had much to say but was holding back for now.
He turned his body to face Yang Ja-han.
Yang Ja-han quickly sheathed his sword, performed a respectful salute, and bowed his head.
“Yang Ja-han of Wuji Xuanmen greets you, Senior.”
The world of cultivators possessed a far more rigid hierarchy than I had imagined.
Yang Ja-han instinctively recognized that Baek Un-jin was a being of far greater standing, and he adjusted his conduct accordingly.
‘Why is that so irritating?’
Just moments ago, he had attacked me as if intent on my death, yet the instant my master appeared, he flipped his demeanor like turning over his palm—as if nothing had happened. It grated on me.
I nearly died because of you!
“Wuji Xuanmen, you say? You seem like a young disciple still, so why would a cultivator from Wuji Xuanmen lay hands on my disciple?”
….
“It would be wise to answer truthfully.”
Baek Un-jin’s expression turned frigid, and a palpable killing intent emanated from him.
The force behind it was so overwhelming that even I, standing under his protection, felt my skin crawl.
‘Even if Yang Ja-han were at his current strength, he couldn’t defeat Baek Un-jin.’
In a way, it was an inevitable outcome.
Still, this was the first time I’d seen Baek Un-jin angry to this degree, and I couldn’t help but feel somewhat taken aback.
At least, the expression he was showing Yang Ja-han was one I’d never witnessed directed at me before.
Yang Ja-han swallowed hard and slowly lifted his head.
“Before that, might I ask one thing?”
“….”
“You said that girl is your disciple, but I cannot understand why you would take someone who is merely a Spiritual Root holder as your disciple.”
“I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
“Yoo Yeon-seo is—!”
“Don’t make me ask twice.”
Baek Un-jin cut off Yang Ja-han’s words unilaterally.
His voice hadn’t risen, but I could see the barely suppressed fury in his eyes.
“Depending on your answer, I could kill you right here.”
Realizing he was in a hopeless position, Yang Ja-han’s expression hardened.
Whoosh.
But that moment was brief—a wind swept between Yang Ja-han and Baek Un-jin, and a middle-aged man dressed in pale amber robes materialized before us.
He appeared in the blink of an eye, as if he’d been there all along.
“Well now, you suddenly vanished mid-conversation, so I wondered what was happening. I never expected you to have a disciple.”
“So you’re the senior’s disciple.”
“Heh, that’s right. From the looks of things, it seems my disciple caused some trouble for your student.”
He chuckled heartily, hands clasped behind his back.
Baek Un-jin frowned, clearly displeased even with that.
“How will you take—”
“Ten years.”
“….”
“I’ll confine him to Pae-gwan Cave and have him reflect on his actions. I don’t know why he caused such trouble, but this time I’ll let it slide for the sake of my reputation.”
“That’s unacceptable.”

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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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