I Possessed a Cultivator Destined to Die at the Hands of the Protagonist - Chapter 90

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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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90.
Ssshhh.
A thin, labored breath emanated from the opposite side of the Forest.
It was unmistakably an alien wind sound.
Dark shapes were stirring beneath the tree shadows at the edge of the Clearing.
“Damn.”
Yang Ja-han drew his blade first.
What began to manifest around the dark point was none other than a malevolent spirit.
It had not yet reached the level of a vengeful ghost, but it appeared to be a wraith.
Malevolent spirits were remnants born from the coalescence of resentment and malice.
The more a location had witnessed slaughter, and the more an aged Monastery disciple had died there, the higher the likelihood of malevolent spirits manifesting.
The lingering essence within the Monastery disciples who could not ascend due to Unbyek Rim’s aura had transformed into malice, becoming malevolent spirits.
Im So-ha formed a seal, her lips pressed tightly together.
As she lifted her hand into the void, petals of Chwiyok-gokrim scattered and enveloped us.
There were ten malevolent spirits in total.
Wraiths continued to be born between the tree shadows.
A black hand rose from the shadow beneath my feet.
As I retreated, Eun Hui-gyeom swiftly wielded his blade in a sweeping arc.
From where the sword struck, the wraith’s body froze solid in azure essence.
“This aura—these are no ordinary wraiths.”
“The spiritual essence of the dead Chwiyok-gokrim disciples lingers within them.”
Finding the blade less effective than expected, Eun Hui-gyeom shook out his wrist.
Im So-ha shifted her seal and formed the hand signs of Chwiyok Hoesaeng Formation.
The petals of Chwiyok-gokrim converged and pierced through the wraith’s chest.
It was sucked into the verdant light without even a cry.
I released my flying blade and formed the hand signs.
[Bongnae Chwiyun]
Eight azure lotus blossoms bloomed in the void.
The flowers burst open, their petals spreading outward.
The wraiths rushing toward me were swept up in the azure wave and scattered in all directions.
I turned my head to aid Eun Hui-gyeom.
“Hey! Don’t drive them toward me!”
The malevolent spirits still retained their murderous intent.
Unlike Baek Un-jin’s overwhelming strength, Eun Hui-gyeom’s blade and techniques were not particularly effective against the malevolent spirits.
Eun Hui-gyeom swung his flying blade repeatedly at the malevolent spirit being driven toward him.
“You’re the one who messed up by standing there getting cornered.”
“You bastard?!”
Yang Ja-han formed a seal from behind the malevolent spirit targeting Eun Hui-gyeom.
The wraith’s body, unable to overcome gravity, burst apart.
He had now become a Monastery disciple of the second rank in Gyeoldan-gi.
Not only that, I cleanly disposed of the malevolent spirit lurking behind with the Void Blade.
It was a fight without a single wasted movement.
‘A protagonist is a protagonist, after all.’
I suppose you could call it impressive in a different sense—in any case, that’s what it was.
The last remaining vengeful spirit lunged at Kang Jin-heon.
The moment Kang Jin-heon unfurled the steel wire and swung it.
“….”
The steel wire stopped mid-swing.
Startled, I reversed the Void Blade and severed the vengeful spirit’s body.
“Kang Jin-heon! Are you alright?”
Kang Jin-heon remained frozen, the steel wire held halfway up.
His eyes faced forward, but his gaze was fixed elsewhere.
Just to be safe, I looked in the direction Kang Jin-heon was staring, but I saw nothing.
Eun Hui-gyeom tapped Kang Jin-heon on the shoulder.
“Hey.”
“Ah, my apologies. My mind wandered for a moment.”
“I’m worried this might be another case of bewitchment like last time.”
“That won’t happen.”
Though Kang Jin-heon insisted there was nothing to worry about, Eun Hui-gyeom and I remained deeply uneasy.
By then, the sun had set and darkness was falling.
“I think it would be best if we rested here for the night. Would that be acceptable to you, sir?”
“Very well.”
We decided to stay the night at the Clearing.
Baek Un-jin erected a protective barrier using his techniques to keep vengeful spirits at bay.
Im So-ha created a massive flower using the Chwiyok-gakeum.
It was similar to the flower that had caught me when I fell from Heugam Jae.
“It’s like a bed!”
As I bounced into the petals, my body sprang up and down.
The starlight visible through the slightly closed petals was extraordinarily beautiful.
With just a gentle night breeze, this would be paradise itself, I thought.
A blue light seeped in through the petals.
Poking my head out, I saw Im So-ha gathering the belongings of the young disciples and performing a memorial rite.
Unlike a formal requiem, it held no particular ceremonial significance, yet I could feel her sincere desire to properly send off the children.
I emerged from the petals and joined her in prayer.
“I’m certain the senior disciples will understand your heart, Senior Sister.”
The death of disciples is not rebirth.
A disciple who dies without ascending escapes the cycle of rebirth, scattering into the celestial essence of heaven and earth to become part of nature and the Way.
So while they may not be reborn, I believed they would surely be watching over us from somewhere in nature.
“Thank you.”
“I haven’t done anything worthy of thanks.”
“No, really… I owe so much to you. Dae-su, Gyeong-un, and so many others. I don’t even know how I could ever repay it all.”
“Whenever I face difficulties in the future, I’ll be grateful if you help me then, Senior!”
“Ha ha, alright.”
After that brief exchange with Im So-ha, I returned to the flower bed.
“….”
The night was profoundly silent.
The stars were beautiful, but without wind to carry sound, the forest felt utterly absent from this place.
The rustling of my movements atop the flower bed seemed unnaturally loud.
Sleep eluded me entirely in this discordant atmosphere.
I gently pushed aside the petals and stepped outside, where cool air brushed against my cheeks.
“Why is he sleeping like that?”
Unlike the others who had settled into the flowers, Eun Hui-gyeom sat with his back against a wooden post, arms crossed, eyes closed.
In the center of the clearing lay the campfire we had kindled before sleep.
I thought it had died out, but it continued burning quietly, unconsumed.
Yang Ja-han stood before the flickering flames.
“Not sleeping?”
I approached and spoke to him, but received no answer.
I crouched down beside Yang Ja-han without permission.
“It’s irritating.”
“Who told you not to answer?”
If he’d said from the start that he wasn’t sleeping, I wouldn’t have come.
I gazed intently at the campfire.
“…The fire won’t go out.”
Without wind, the flames didn’t flicker, and the sound of burning wood was oddly muted.
“….”
“….”
Silence flowed between Yang Ja-han and me.
Unable to find words, I simply stared at the fire for a long time.
Then I spoke first.
“Tell me. Do you still think I’m the root cause of everything?”
Yang Ja-han paused, the twig in his hand suspended mid-motion to stoke the flames.
The firelight cast shadows across his handsome face.
“Fate doesn’t change. It can only be delayed.”
“…Delayed?”
“You can’t cover the sky with your hand.”
The unidentified moss I consumed at Saryeong Jigok, the ritual of Mucheon Eunmyeong, Baek Un-jin’s aid.
Through those means, I had evaded the fate that should have claimed me.
Whether Yang Ja-han knew this or not, he seemed to be telling me that whatever I did was merely a temporary measure.
‘In the original work, there was calamity, but nothing about the Seven Luminous Roots.’
The fact that Yang Ja-han knew about the Seven Luminous Roots didn’t exist in the original work either.
That’s why I wanted to know more.
What exactly was the difference?
The person who knew the most about the Seven-Life Spirit Root right now was Yang Ja-han.
“What exactly is the Seven-Life Spirit Root?”
“You’re asking quite directly.”
“There’s no point in beating around the bush. It doesn’t suit your nature anyway.”
Yang Ja-han, who had been poking at the ashes with a twig, turned his head.
“Is it just my imagination, or are you speaking as if you know me well?”
“We were childhood friends, sort of.”
“Are you talking about ancient history?”
Perceptive bastard, as always.
I deliberately didn’t answer Yang Ja-han’s words.
After a long moment, Yang Ja-han threw the twig into the fire and answered.
“A spirit root that exists yet does not exist. In any era, those with the Seven-Life Spirit Root are born under the fate of a short life.”
“Without exception?”
“If there’s an exception, it’s right in front of you.”
Yang Ja-han muttered, questioning whether that even counted as a question.
“What, so it’s not like you’re necessarily born under a short life fate.”
“You’re wrong.”
“What?”
“The death of a Seven-Life Spirit Root bearer is tragic.”
Yang Ja-han spoke with absolute certainty.
“The more you reject your fate, the more pain returns to you. You and Jin Susa—the process differs, but the end is the same.”
“So you’re saying it’s better to die quickly and early to suffer less?”
“It seems you want to die in agony.”
“You speak as if you’re certain I’ll die.”
Yang Ja-han shrugged lightly.
In that instant, energy unfolded around Yang Ja-han and me.
“I know the end of those who reject their fate.”
….
“And I am certain of this, Yoo Yeon-seo. You will lose what you love most and die in the way you fear.”
Certainty resonated in Yang Ja-han’s tone.
….
I was stunned, never expecting to hear such words spoken directly to my face.
Eun Hui-gyeom, who had been sleeping against a tree, approached us.
“Hey, are you cursing my sister right now?”
“I didn’t know you had the hobby of eavesdropping on others’ conversations like a rat.”
“What did you say?”
Eun Hui-gyeom raised his fist toward Yang Ja-han.

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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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