Instant-Death Cultivation: Surviving in an Immortal World with Instant Kill - Chapter 11

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 11: Recruitment (1)

 

 

[Jin Cheong]

* Race: Human

* Age: 84 years old

* Realm: Qi Refining Realm Great Perfection

* Constitution: Wood-Metal Spirit Root

* Faction: Orthodox Sect

* Affiliation: Taeul Yeokri Gate

* Destiny: Authority

 

Cheon Woo-jin checked the status window of the cultivator who had suddenly appeared.

As he had expected from his appearance, this was indeed a character he had encountered in the game.

 

Unlike the ordinary NPCs that were randomly generated each time the game started, this was a named character who always existed in the game world and was involved in the story.

 

‘As expected, it’s Jin Cheong from Taeul Yeokri Gate.’

 

He was holding a Crane Feather Fan made from crane feathers and wearing a blue Daoist Robe.

His appearance was identical to Jin Cheong, the cultivator from Taeul Yeokri Gate who appeared in the game.

 

‘Qi Refining Realm Great Perfection… A cultivator at a higher level than me.’

 

Great Perfection was the final stage of the Qi Refining Realm.

While one could exert power surpassing the late stage of Qi Refining Realm, it was also a stage where one faced a much greater wall than before.

 

Therefore, many people would remain stagnant at Great Perfection for a long time before meeting their lifespan.

Only a very few cultivators who broke through the wall and entered the Foundation Building Realm could continue walking the path of cultivation.

 

What was needed at such times was precisely the Foundation Building Pill.

The Foundation Building Pill was an elixir made by combining special Spirit Materials, and by taking it and performing a ritual, one could attempt to reach the Foundation Building Realm.

 

‘Generally, one can receive Foundation Building Pills by entering a Capital Sect and achieving merit.’

 

The problem was that the number of Foundation Building Pills was woefully insufficient.

Only a very few cultivators who achieved superior results compared to others could receive these Foundation Building Pills.

 

Therefore, cultivators at Qi Refining Realm Great Perfection became impatient.

They would move around more busily than their juniors below Great Perfection, trying to accumulate achievements.

 

‘That bastard Jin Cheong is in that state too.’

 

He could have sent his juniors, but Jin Cheong had personally flown to the site himself.

Because only then could he monopolize the achievements.

 

“So you are Senior Jin Cheong from Taeul Yeokri Gate.”

 

Recalling the game settings in his mind, Cheon Woo-jin clasped his hands together.

 

“It is an honor to meet the renowned Senior Jin in a place like this.”

“Hmm?”

 

Jin Cheong’s eyes widened slightly.

 

“You know my name?”

“Of course. Aren’t you the one who subjugated the Bear Soul Ghost in the far north?”

“Huh…”

 

The Bear Soul Ghost was a demon that had caused trouble in the northern part of Wei Jin Kingdom.

Subjugating that creature single-handedly was Jin Cheong’s pride.

 

“How does a rogue cultivator know that story?”

“Though I am merely a rootless rogue cultivator, I have always admired the seniors of Taeul Yeokri Gate.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin spoke calmly with his hands clasped together.

 

“I often had conversations with Fellow Daoist Ghost Shadow as well. About wanting to become a cultivator like Senior Jin.”

“Ghost Shadow… Right, this was where that fellow lived.”

 

Recalling Ghost Shadow, who had once attempted to enter Taeul Yeokri Gate, Jin Cheong nodded.

 

“But where did Ghost Shadow go?”

“He couldn’t survive the winter and passed away.”

“He met his lifespan.”

 

Jin Cheong nodded while fluttering his Crane Feather Fan.

 

“He wasn’t someone who had walked the path of cultivation from the beginning, but a fellow who lived as a martial artist and only became a cultivator after growing old. It was about time for him to go.”

“That’s right.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin pointed to the corpses around them.

 

“I have been staying here while organizing Ghost Shadow’s belongings. But these martial artists suddenly came, and blood had to be shed.”

“What exactly happened to cause this?”

“Because I discovered that they were mocking cultivators… no, mocking Taeul Yeokri Gate.”

“What? What do you mean by that?”

 

One of Jin Cheong’s eyebrows rose.

 

“I only learned of this today for the first time, but that one-eyed man lying dead over there was finding disciples from the Won Family Estate who seemed to have spirit roots and handing them over to Ghost Shadow.”

“Disciples who seemed to have spirit roots?”

“Yes, he selected disciples who often saw illusions, so that Ghost Shadow could make them into elixirs and consume them.”

“Haha, so they were carrying out such acts?”

 

Jin Cheong glared at Won Hang’s corpse lying on the ground.

 

“He must have known that our Taeul Yeokri Gate regularly takes such children, yet he diverted them in that manner?”

 

Ghost Shadow wasn’t the only one who wanted children with spirit roots.

The Taeul Yeokri Gate also took children who saw such illusions and taught them cultivation methods.

 

“I pointed that out as well. I said it was an act of deceiving the Taeul Yeokri Gate. Then he flew into a rage and brazenly turned the tables on me… which led to this situation.”

“Tsk, so that’s what happened.”

 

Jin Cheong clicked his tongue.

 

“How dare mere mortals show anger toward a cultivator – they deserved to die.”

 

Thud!

When Jin Cheong waved his hand, the corpses lying around were torn to shreds.

He had used his spiritual power to vent his anger on the bodies.

 

“I’m angry at Ghost Shadow for intercepting children who should have come to the Taeul Yeokri Gate… but since he’s already dead, there’s nothing to be done.”

 

There was a considerable difference between his attitude toward the warriors and his attitude toward Ghost Shadow.

 

Originally, cultivators don’t treat mortals without spiritual roots as human beings.

They think of them as slaves or livestock that must show absolute obedience.

Such beings had dared to steal away resources that should have gone to the Taeul Yeokri Gate.

From Jin Cheong’s perspective, this was unforgivable.

 

“In any case…”

 

Swoosh.

After completely grinding the warriors’ corpses into powder, Jin Cheong looked at Cheon Woo-jin again.

 

“While punishing those insolent mortals is praiseworthy, it was wrong of you to execute them on your own without bringing them to our Taeul Yeokri Gate. You should reflect on this.”

“I apologize. Since I had no connection with the Taeul Yeokri Gate, I didn’t think of that method.”

“Hmm…”

 

Watching Cheon Woo-jin speak politely, Jin Cheong fluttered his Crane Feather Fan.

 

“Isn’t there a branch office of our Taeul Yeokri Gate in this area as well? You could have knocked on their door.”

 

A branch office refers to a subsidiary of a sect or martial faction.

The Taeul Yeokri Gate also had branch offices throughout the Wei Jin Kingdom.

 

“I had no way of knowing how to find that branch office…”

“How pathetic. You really are a rogue cultivator with no connections whatsoever.”

 

Jin Cheong clicked his tongue and turned his head.

 

“Fine. I won’t say anything more about it.”

“Thank you for showing such magnanimity, senior.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin clasped his hands together and spoke respectfully.

 

“But did you come here today because of the Black Mist Dragon?”

“Hm?”

“You mentioned something like that earlier.”

“Ah, that’s right.”

 

Jin Cheong nodded and said.

 

“Yes, I came to investigate in detail because the Black Mist Dragon’s presence disappeared. Do you know anything about it?”

“The Black Mist Dragon seems to be dead.”

“What did you say?”

“I didn’t witness it directly myself… but Ghost Shadow said he saw the Black Mist Dragon suddenly spitting blood and falling from the sky one day.”

 

Of course, this was a lie.

It wasn’t something Ghost Shadow had told him, but something Cheon Woo-jin had witnessed directly.

Moreover, Cheon Woo-jin was the one who had made the Black Mist Dragon end up that way.

 

“Is that really true?”

“Ghost Shadow didn’t seem to be talking nonsense.”

“The Black Mist Dragon spitting blood and falling…”

 

Jin Cheong’s expression became serious.

 

“Who on earth could have defeated a dragon that reached the Origin Spirit realm?”

“Wouldn’t it be a cultivator of the same Origin Spirit realm? Or it could have been a cultivator of the Avatar realm.”

“Why would someone who reached the Avatar realm bother to defeat the Black Mist Dragon? Such beings don’t involve themselves in worldly affairs.”

 

The Avatar realm is a higher level than the Origin Spirit realm.

It can be said to be the highest realm in the human world, and upon reaching the Avatar realm, one aims to transcend the human world and ascend to a higher dimension.

 

“Didn’t you hear anything else from Ghost Shadow?”

“He said that when he later entered Goeyu Mountain, there was no corpse but bloodstains remained. The bloodstains had a disgusting smell like that from a snake’s corpse.”

“The corpse must have been taken by whoever defeated the Black Mist Dragon. A dragon’s corpse has many uses.”

 

Jin Cheong was barking up the wrong tree.

While Cheon Woo-jin had killed the Black Mist Dragon, someone else had taken the corpse.

 

“Anything else?”

“That’s all I heard. I apologize.”

“Hmm, there’s nothing to apologize for.”

 

Jin Cheong smiled.

He seemed to be in quite a good mood.

 

“I’ll have to examine the scene myself for verification, but in any case, thanks to you I was able to obtain very valuable information. I’m grateful.”

“I’m glad I could be of help.”

“Since I received help, I should give you some reward.”

“I didn’t tell you this because I wanted a reward.”

“Don’t be modest.”

 

Jin Cheong spoke with a condescending attitude.

 

“If I just let this pass, it would tarnish the honor of the Taeul Yeokri Gate. Even if you’re just a rogue cultivator, I must repay you.”

 

Taeul Yeokri Gate is an Orthodox Sect faction.

In martial arts terms, it could be said to be a sect belonging to the righteous faction.

 

Even in the original game, Orthodox Sect cultivators like Jin Cheong always repay when given help.

They think it would damage the sect’s honor to just say thanks and move on.

 

Of course, if they judge that betraying the other party would bring greater benefits, they mercilessly stab them in the back.

No matter how much they’re from the Orthodox Sect faction, they’re still selfish cultivators in the end.

 

So how would Jin Cheong try to repay him?

Actually, Cheon Woo-jin could predict what kind of reward Jin Cheong would offer.

Because there was a high possibility he had the same way of thinking as the behavioral patterns in the game.

 

“Right, this should work.”

 

Jin Cheong spoke with an arrogant attitude.

 

“I’ll recommend you to Taeul Yeokri Gate.”

“A recommendation?”

“I’m giving you the opportunity to become a disciple of Taeul Yeokri Gate.”

 

Becoming a disciple of Taeul Yeokri Gate.

That was the dream Ghost Shadow had longed for so much but ultimately couldn’t achieve.

 

“With my recommendation as an inner disciple, you can become an outer disciple immediately without an entrance exam. You’ll be able to learn true Cultivation Methods passed down through Taeul Yeokri Gate, not the Third-Rate Cultivation Methods floating around the world.”

 

Jin Cheong took out a piece of paper from his chest.

When he waved his hand in the air, letters were automatically carved onto the paper.

 

“Write your name at the bottom and drop a drop of essence blood. Then you’ll have the qualifications to enter Taeul Yeokri Gate.”

 

Jin Cheong threw the paper to Cheon Woo-jin as he spoke.

 

“This would be the greatest reward for you. Isn’t that right?”

“…”

 

Cheon Woo-jin kept his mouth shut and checked the contents written on the paper.

It stated that Jin Cheong, as a senior brother, guaranteed Cheon Woo-jin’s qualification for entry, and that Cheon Woo-jin would respect and treat Jin Cheong with courtesy as a junior brother.

 

However, Cheon Woo-jin focused on the substantial parts hidden within the verbose sentences.

If you stripped away all the formal parts, this could be called a kind of contract.

 

However, there was a major problem with the content of that contract.

 

‘This is nothing short of a slave contract.’

 

Disciples of the sect must regularly offer cultivation resources to the sect.

But according to this contract, resources must also be offered to Jin Cheong, the recommender.

 

So if he entered Taeul Yeokri Gate with this contract… he would be exploited by Jin Cheong for life.

 

‘Moreover, it’s set up for absolute obedience to Jin Cheong… this is an incredibly unfair contract.’

 

Ordinary rogue cultivators of this world would have difficulty understanding what this contract meant.

Because it used all kinds of complex expressions to hide the substantial content.

But Cheon Woo-jin could understand it immediately because he had already experienced such contracts in the game.

 

‘Once you make a contract, it was difficult to reverse.’

 

Contracts using essence blood like this have powerful binding force.

If the contract is broken, direct damage would be dealt to Cheon Woo-jin’s soul.

 

While slave contracts in the real world can at least be fought legally, slave contracts in the cultivation world are final once made.

 

“Come on, hurry up and drop your essence blood.”

 

Even while presenting such a slave contract, Jin Cheong showed no signs of feeling any pangs of conscience.

 

He was giving some nobody rogue cultivator the opportunity to enter Taeul Yeokri Gate.

Jin Cheong’s way of thinking was that conditions like this should be accepted.

 

“From now on, I’ll thoroughly guide you as your senior brother.”

 

It sounds like he’s saying he’ll thoroughly exploit me.

Cheon Woo-jin stared at Jin Cheong with cold eyes.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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