Instant-Death Cultivation: Surviving in an Immortal World with Instant Kill - Chapter 17

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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 17: Assault (2)

 

 

“It’s already been well into the Hour of the Ox.”

 

Jang Ryang took out his Time Plate.

 

In the Cultivation World, when conducting various rituals, knowing the current time is also important.

This is because the nature of yin-yang and the five elements changes according to the time period.

That’s why many cultivators carry Time Plates, which are Dharma Artifacts for measuring time.

 

Currently, the character for Ox on Jang Ryang’s Time Plate was almost completely faded.

Soon the character for Tiger would appear, transitioning into the Hour of the Tiger.

 

“We need to launch the assault as soon as the Hour of the Tiger begins… Why isn’t this bastard coming?”

 

They had promised to assemble during the Hour of the Ox.

But the newcomer that Seo Seol-ryeong had secured last was still nowhere to be seen.

 

“Senior brother, could he have run away?”

 

Won Pil-so frowned.

 

“Maybe he sided with the Solitary Sword Sect…”

“That’s absolutely impossible.”

 

Jang Ryang spoke firmly.

 

“That woman would never tolerate such betrayal. If he did something like that, he’d be found dead the very next day.”

“That’s true, but…”

 

All the intermediaries doing brokerage business in this area have backing.

So if they leak commission details or such, they can’t survive in Ghost Head City.

 

“Senior brother, it’ll be troublesome if he doesn’t show up anyway.”

“That’s true…”

 

Jang Ryang looked around at the Foundation Establishment cultivators waiting nearby.

They had planned the assault strategy for a total of nine people, including the newcomer.

But if the newcomer doesn’t come, they’ll have to assault with eight people.

 

“We can’t postpone the assault, can we? The longer time passes, the more solid their formation will become.”

“That’s right…”

 

The Solitary Sword Sect’s Temporary Quarters still didn’t have proper Defensive Formations installed.

The Solitary Sword Sect was already a sect weak in Formation Deployment among the Four Immortal Arts, so formation installation was bound to be slow.

But if they drag out time, defensive preparations would eventually be completed, so they needed to strike as quickly as possible.

 

“There’s no choice. At this rate, we’ll have to cover that bastard’s share too…”

 

Just as Jang Ryang was saying that,

he sensed a presence from behind.

 

“…!”

 

Startled, he turned around to see a man in a Black Daoist Robe standing there.

Jang Ryang immediately recognized that this man was the newcomer who was supposed to join them.

 

“Why are you so late?”

 

When he asked that, the man answered in a cold voice.

 

“I believe you said to arrive within the Hour of the Ox.”

“Still, as a newcomer, shouldn’t you have come a bit earlier!”

 

Jang Ryang’s anger exploded at the attitude that showed no sense of wrongdoing.

 

* * *

 

Cheon Woo-jin hadn’t arrived at this time because he was slacking off either.

Until just a moment ago, he had been making preliminary preparations for the operation.

Since this was much more difficult work than before, he wanted to enter battle in the most prepared state possible.

 

‘If they wanted me to come early, they should have specified an exact time. Like come at the exact Hour of the Ox.’

 

The Hour of the Ox means from 1 AM to 3 AM.

So saying to come during the Hour of the Ox roughly means to come between 1 AM and 3 AM.

Originally in the East, this was the general way to make time appointments.

For Cheon Woo-jin, accustomed to modern society where exact hours and minutes are specified, this was a part he really didn’t like.

 

Anyway, since they said to come during the Hour of the Ox, he thought arriving before 3 AM would be fine… but from the perspective of the Foundation Establishment cultivators leading this operation, it seemed like the newcomer was late.

 

[Jang Ryang]

* Race: Human Race

* Age: 164 years

* Realm: Foundation Establishment (Late Stage)

* Constitution: Earth Spiritual Root

* Alignment: Orthodox Sect

* Affiliation: Ghost Head City

* Heavenly Mandate: Self-Cultivation

 

[Won Pil-so]

* Race: Human Race

* Age: 141 years

* Realm: Foundation Establishment (Middle Stage)

* Constitution: Fire-Earth Spiritual Root

* Alignment: Orthodox Sect

* Affiliation: Ghost Head City

* Heavenly Mandate: Family Harmony

 

Jang Ryang and Won Pil-so.

They were Foundation Establishment cultivators that Seo Seol-ryeong had informed him would be commanding this operation.

Originally, they were cultivators belonging to a proper Orthodox Sect, but after their sect was destroyed, he heard they had been living a hermit’s life in Ghost Head City.

 

‘Perhaps because they’re from an Orthodox Sect background… their aura is upright.’

 

Currently, Cheon Woo-jin had reached the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining.

Not only were the twelve primary meridians, eight extraordinary meridians, and connecting meridians circulating spiritual energy, but it was also flowing through his five organs, six viscera, skin, hair, flesh, muscles, and bones, and he could now perceive the spiritual domain of his Manifest True Life Body.

As a result, Cheon Woo-jin’s senses had become sharper than before.

 

Just by facing them like this, he could sense how the person before him had been cultivating all this time.

 

‘Orthodox Sects cultivate slowly but have solid foundations that don’t easily crumble, while Dark Gates and Demonic Paths can grow quickly but have many weak points.’

 

What had only been explained through text in the game was something the current Cheon Woo-jin could actually perceive.

 

“Hey, newcomer.”

 

Then Won Pil-so stepped forward.

 

“Just looking at your appearance, you reek of being a greenhorn.”

 

Won Pil-so, Jang Ryang’s junior, was a man with a rough attitude.

He glared with an atmosphere as if he might grab Cheon Woo-jin by the collar at any moment.

 

“If you’re a greenhorn, shouldn’t you bow your head to your seniors like a proper greenhorn?”

“How curious.”

“Curious?”

“I came here to work.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin replied in a cold voice.

 

“I didn’t come here to establish senior-junior relationships.”

“This bastard…!”

 

Originally, in sects and such, senior-junior relationships are strictly observed.

Since one’s current cultivation level can be distinguished by clothing and such, one can tell at first glance whether someone is a superior or subordinate, and must act accordingly.

However, the lower levels of Ghost Head City were a place where everyone lived mixed together regardless of cultivation level, and since it was difficult to discern each other’s cultivation at a glance, it wasn’t an atmosphere where senior-junior relationships were strictly maintained.

 

“Hey! Even so…!”

“But is it alright to cause such a commotion?”

“…!”

 

Both Jang Ryang and Won Pil-so flinched.

Today was the day to raid the Solitary Sword Sect’s Temporary Quarters.

Although they were at a considerable distance from the Temporary Quarters, causing excessive commotion was not advisable.

 

Moreover, Cheon Woo-jin was someone specially introduced by Seo Seol-ryeong.

If they imposed sanctions for acting arrogantly, they might face disadvantages from Seo Seol-ryeong later.

 

“Ahem, let’s talk about the operation first.”

 

The first to regain composure was senior Jang Ryang.

As long as Cheon Woo-jin had Seo Seol-ryeong as backing, it was difficult to say anything more here.

 

“I heard some rumors – is it true you’ve learned a Sword Cultivation Method?”

“You could say that.”

 

At Cheon Woo-jin’s answer, Jang Ryang nodded.

 

“Then we’ll treat you as a sword cultivator. You’ll need to take the vanguard position.”

 

Saying that, Jang Ryang gathered the Qi Refining cultivators who had been waiting around.

Then he began drawing a formation diagram on the ground and explaining the operation.

 

“Eight people excluding me will form the Eight Star Formation and charge in. Won Pil-so here will hold the center of the formation, so move around Won Pil-so as the center.”

“…”

“I’ll face Dan Mok-ryeong. I’m the only one here who can handle Dan Mok-ryeong.”

 

The most skilled person here was Jang Ryang, who was at late Foundation Establishment.

It was most rational for Jang Ryang to take on Dan Mok-ryeong while the other eight dealt with Dan Mok-ryeong’s subordinates.

 

“Of course, I’m not confident I can finish off Dan Mok-ryeong alone either. I hope you’ll join me immediately after dealing with the small fry.”

 

After finishing the discussion down to specific details, the group headed together toward the Solitary Sword Sect’s Temporary Quarters.

 

The Temporary Quarters was built as if blocking the entrance to the Secret Realm.

After securing the Secret Realm entrance, it was a hastily constructed building made from materials torn from nearby ruined buildings.

 

Therefore, its outward appearance was very shabby.

But in the Cultivation World, having a shabby outward appearance isn’t particularly important.

Even a building like a crumbling ruin can display fortress-like defensive power if powerful formations are installed.

 

“Looking at it up close… they’ve made the defensive formation better than expected.”

 

Jang Ryang muttered while crouching low.

 

“Still, well… it’s not to the degree we can’t break through.”

 

Muttering thus, Jang Ryang took out a talisman from his chest.

When he recited an incantation, the talisman transformed into an owl.

 

“We’ll use this to destroy the vital points of the defensive formation. The moment the formation collapses, we charge in.”

 

The owl flew up into the night sky.

Since there were dense forests inside Ghost Head City, an owl flying around wasn’t strange.

 

“I’ll conceal our presence.”

 

Jang Ryang took out a second talisman and set it on fire.

Then a strange-smelling smoke spread in all directions, and the presence of the cultivators enveloped in that smoke became faint.

 

A cultivator skilled in Talisman Arts.

As Cheon Woo-jin was thinking this, Won Pil-so pushed his back.

 

“Move.”

 

In this Eight Star Formation, Cheon Woo-jin was positioned at the very front. So he had to advance ahead of the others.

 

However, Cheon Woo-jin stopped right in front of the Temporary Quarters.

 

“Wait a moment.”

“What are you doing?”

 

Ignoring Won Pil-so’s rough voice, he turned his gaze to an owl flying through the night sky.

The owl was flying toward a corner of the Temporary Quarters’ roof.

Jang Ryang had determined that place to be a vital point of the Defensive Formation.

But that wasn’t it.

 

‘That place is indeed a vital point. But….’

 

The spiritual realm of the Manifest True Life Body.

The vast consciousness space existing within Cheon Woo-jin’s inner self.

It was giving Cheon Woo-jin an instinctive warning.

 

That there was something there.

 

“Hey! Move!”

 

Won Pil-so urged Cheon Woo-jin.

Having stopped right in front of the Temporary Quarters, Won Pil-so couldn’t help but feel his stomach turn.

Jang Ryang outside the Eight Star Formation would feel the same way.

 

But there was no time to explain.

Soon the owl would self-destruct at the roof corner and destroy the formation’s vital point.

Once the formation was destroyed, all the sleeping Poison Sword Sect Warriors would wake up, and delaying here would miss the timing for a surprise attack.

 

Therefore, Cheon Woo-jin drew his Heart Sword.

 

“…!”

 

The black spiritual realm existing within his inner self.

He manifested the Heart Sword created there into reality.

The Sword Qi generated this way was much smaller than before.

 

But its power was much stronger than before.

Having reached the Great Circle of the Mist Realm, it became possible to compress spiritual energy by increasing its density.

 

The reason Cheon Woo-jin had only arrived at the scene when the Hour of the Ox was almost over today was because he had been cultivating this all along.

 

“Hey! What are you doing…!”

 

Won Pil-so urgently tried to stop Cheon Woo-jin, but it was already too late.

Sword Qi was released by Cheon Woo-jin’s Taeul Mysterious Sword Art, which had grown one stage upon reaching the Great Circle of the Mist Realm.

 

Swoosh!

The Sword Qi flew at a much faster speed than before.

The Sword Qi hit the entrance of the Temporary Quarters precisely, shattering the tightly closed door to pieces.

 

Right after that, an unexpected event occurred.

 

Crash, bang bang!

Terrifying lightning struck with a thunderous roar.

It was Lightning Energy with power incomparable to the Sword Qi Cheon Woo-jin had just launched… powerful enough to neutralize even a Foundation Realm cultivator.

 

“There was a trap.”

“…!”

 

The Poison Sword Sect had installed a device that generated powerful Lightning Energy near the entrance.

It was a trap where, if someone neutralized the Defensive Formation and attacked the Temporary Quarters, Lightning Energy would automatically be released to annihilate the intruders.

 

“You saw through the trap?”

 

Jang Ryang muttered in a tone of disbelief.

A newcomer at the Mist Realm had seen through what he, a Foundation Realm cultivator, had failed to notice.

The others also understood this fact and were dumbfounded.

 

Without even glancing at such people, Cheon Woo-jin took the lead and moved.

 

“I’m going in.”

“…!”

 

The Defensive Formation itself had already collapsed due to the owl Jang Ryang had sent.

Though he could sense the Poison Sword Sect cultivators moving urgently inside, the surprise attack was still effective.

The other cultivators urgently followed behind Cheon Woo-jin who was taking the lead.

 

The moment Cheon Woo-jin leaped through the shattered entrance, a Poison Sword Sect Cultivator wielding a sword charged at him.

 

Originally, the Poison Sword Sect practices sword-wielding cultivation like martial artists.

Indeed, in close combat between Mist Realm cultivators, attacking this way is more effective.

But that sword couldn’t even touch Cheon Woo-jin.

 

Because a black blade that shot up from beneath his feet pierced through the cultivator’s torso.

The Black Shadow Technique combined with the Sword Qi of the Taeul Mysterious Sword Art was effective even against a Poison Sword Sect Swordsman who had cultivated the sword his entire life.

 

Without even glancing at the Poison Sword Sect Cultivator who fell spitting blood, Cheon Woo-jin moved his gaze.

From inside, sword-wielding cultivators were rushing out in droves.

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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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