Instant-Death Cultivation: Surviving in an Immortal World with Instant Kill - Chapter 20

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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 20: Secret Realm (1)

 

 

Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon.

An organization that reigns supreme at the pinnacle of Dark Gate forces. It is also one of the Three Great Sects.

 

Originally, the Dark Gate had no systematic organizational structure like the Orthodox Sect or Demonic Path.

This was natural since the Dark Gate rejected authority from the start and pursued only power.

 

Nevertheless, the Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon could subjugate the Dark Gate forces because it was an alliance of the Thirteen Venerables, the greatest masters of the Dark Gate.

The Thirteen Venerables possessed power that even the highest-level experts of the Taeul Yeokri Sect and Blood World Demon Sect were wary of, and the mere fact that they moved would greatly shake the balance of power in the Cultivation World.

 

Guyang Gyeol was the direct disciple of the Strange Faced Scholar, one of these Thirteen Venerables.

Having directly received the Six Extreme Yin Spirit True Formula created by the Strange Faced Scholar, he was skilled in techniques utilizing Yin Water.

A hundred years ago, when a dispute occurred at Yin Yin West Cool Valley, he single-handedly annihilated an entire sect.

 

The reason such a big shot like Guyang Gyeol was here was to negotiate with Dan Mok-ryeong of the Solitary Sword Sect.

 

The Solitary Sword Sect had tried to monopolize a small Secret Realm discovered on Ghost Head City’s 2nd Floor.

However, just because the Solitary Sword Sect declared it alone didn’t mean it would be recognized in the Cultivation World.

They needed recognition from other sects… especially the Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon, to finally claim monopoly rights.

 

So Guyang Gyeol came directly from the Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon to conduct negotiations.

The Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon couldn’t directly advance into Ghost Head City due to old agreements, but they could intervene in Ghost Head City’s interests through subordinate forces like the Solitary Sword Sect.

The condition was to guarantee the Solitary Sword Sect’s monopoly rights in exchange for receiving tribute of some resources that could be obtained from the Secret Realm.

 

Originally, Guyang Gyeol had planned to resume negotiations once Dan Mok-ryeong swept away all the intruders.

But now that Dan Mok-ryeong was dead, negotiations themselves had become impossible.

So he had revealed himself to check what bastards had interfered.

 

“Dan Mok-ryeong seemed to suspect you were subordinates of the Taeul Yeokri Sect, but… that’s not the case.”

 

Guyang Gyeol said while glancing around.

 

“You two seem to be from the Blue Flower Sect that was destroyed by the Taeul Yeokri Sect in the past.”

“…!”

 

Jang Ryang and Won Pil-so held their breath.

Their sect of origin had been seen through instantly.

But Guyang Gyeol no longer paid attention to them and looked at Cheon Woo-jin.

 

“You’re not from the Taeul Yeokri Sect either. You must have obtained a secret manual of the Taeul Mysterious Sword Art somewhere and cultivated it alone.”

“…”

 

Indeed, a master of the Core Formation stage.

His insight was completely different from Dan Mok-ryang, who had mistaken Cheon Woo-jin for someone from the Taeul Yeokri Sect.

 

“But that’s not what’s important. Seeing you manipulate Water Spirit Energy, you’re definitely…”

 

Boom boom boom!

Suddenly the ground exploded and fierce dust storms swirled.

In the chaos where one couldn’t distinguish even an inch ahead, Jang Ryang’s voice rang out.

 

“Scatter…!”

 

The opponent was a Core Formation stage master.

While they could capture Dan Mok-ryeong of the Foundation Establishment stage through coordinated attacks, fleeing was the best strategy against a Core Formation opponent.

 

But they couldn’t all flee together.

If they did that, they would quickly be pursued and either captured all at once or annihilated.

 

So Jang Ryang screamed to scatter.

If the three of them fled in different directions, at least two could survive. It was a realistic calculation.

 

“Let’s meet again alive!”

“Senior brother…!”

 

Jang Ryang and Won Pil-so gritted their teeth and fled in opposite directions.

Their movements were swift, befitting two people who had experienced all kinds of hardships.

 

Meanwhile, Cheon Woo-jin’s movement was a step slower.

After all, Jang Ryang and Won Pil-so were at the Foundation Establishment stage while Cheon Woo-jin was at the Qi Refining stage.

In terms of pure speed alone, Cheon Woo-jin was bound to fall behind.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Guyang Gyeol’s snake-like eyes captured Cheon Woo-jin, who moved a step slower.

Even if he had moved faster than the other two, his gaze would have turned to Cheon Woo-jin anyway.

 

“No matter how much a frog jumps, it will eventually be devoured by a snake.”

 

Guyang Gyeol sneered.

 

“You’re struggling in vain.”

 

Swoosh.

Guyang Gyeol rose into the air.

Soaring high into the sky, he could see Cheon Woo-jin fleeing in the distance.

 

He raised his hand toward that retreating figure. Hundreds of black throwing stars appeared in the void.

Guyang Gyeol lightly flicked his fingers and sent all the throwing stars flying toward Cheon Woo-jin.

 

Hundreds of throwing stars pouring down like rain.

But not a single one reached Cheon Woo-jin.

As if he had already anticipated it, Cheon Woo-jin twisted his body greatly while deploying sword qi. It was perfect defense.

 

“Hmm.”

 

Guyang Gyeol nodded and launched his next attack.

Using his Water Spirit Energy, he sent flying blades and projectiles.

He used Water Spirit Energy to deploy ice attribute magic arts, trying to freeze Cheon Woo-jin’s legs.

 

However, Cheon Woo-jin blocked all attacks and continued to flee.

Observing this with snake-like eyes, Guyang Gyeol kept nodding his head. He was becoming increasingly interested.

 

“I see, so that’s what it was.”

 

The corners of Guyang Gyeol’s mouth turned up. It was a sinister smile.

 

In truth, Guyang Gyeol had not been attacking with full force.

He was deliberately controlling his spiritual power to suppress the attacks’ potency.

 

Guyang Gyeol’s purpose was to analyze Cheon Woo-jin’s spiritual energy.

Each time Cheon Woo-jin responded to an attack, Guyang Gyeol meticulously analyzed it, trying to understand its essence.

 

As a result, he was able to see through Cheon Woo-jin’s true identity.

 

“So you’re the one who gained power from the Black Mist Dragon of Goeyu Mountain.”

 

Black Mist Dragon.

A dragon of the Origin Spirit Realm that had made Goeyu Mountain in Wei Jin Kingdom its stronghold.

 

Beings like the Black Mist Dragon who had reached the Origin Spirit Realm reigned as absolute powerhouses that virtually no one could touch.

This was because beings of the Incarnation Realm, which was higher than the Origin Spirit Realm, rarely involved themselves directly in worldly affairs.

 

But at some point, the Black Mist Dragon had disappeared from sight.

While it was possible he was in secluded cultivation somewhere, even the Black Mist Dragon’s miasma energy that had always been felt from Goeyu Mountain had vanished.

Moreover, incidents occurred where warriors from the Won Family Clan and inner disciples from the Taeul Yeokri Sect who had tried to investigate Goeyu Mountain were killed.

 

When the Taeul Yeokri Sect conducted a full investigation, they found traces of the Black Mist Dragon having shed massive amounts of blood and died.

However, no corpse was found anywhere.

 

Who could have killed the Black Mist Dragon?

Many cultivators in the Cultivation World were curious, but there were still no clues.

 

But now… Guyang Gyeol had found a decisive clue.

 

“The Black Mist Dragon had the Manifest True Life Body. And that bastard also operates spiritual power with the power of the Manifest True Life Body.”

 

The Manifest True Life Body was a quality that humans could not acquire innately.

He didn’t know what method was used, but it was certain that the quality the Black Mist Dragon possessed had been stolen.

 

“That bastard probably didn’t kill the Black Mist Dragon directly, but… if I torture him, I’ll be able to learn the detailed circumstances.”

 

Who could be behind this?

 

Perhaps it was a demonic force like the Blood World Demon Sect.

Those most evil bastards in the Cultivation World might have perfected a method to transplant dragon qualities into human bodies through repeated human experimentation.

 

Or it could be the Taeul Yeokri Sect, the leader of the Orthodox Sect forces.

The Taeul Yeokri Sect was currently putting effort into investigating, claiming there might be a connection to the culprit who killed their inner disciples, but it could be a deception operation to fool other forces.

It was entirely possible for those most hypocritical bastards in the Cultivation World.

 

Of course… the Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon could be behind it too.

 

“Either way, torturing that bastard will surely reveal interesting facts.”

 

Guyang Gyeol planned to capture and personally torture him.

Depending on the information obtained, he might monopolize it without informing the Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon.

 

After all, what mattered to Guyang Gyeol was his own benefit.

 

“If things go well, I might be able to make his Manifest True Life Body my own.”

 

If he could acquire a special quality like the Manifest True Life Body, it would become possible to challenge the Origin Spirit Realm beyond the Resolution Realm.

Reaching the Origin Spirit Realm would make it no dream to claim a seat among the Thirteen Venerables when a vacancy arose in the future.

 

Then someday… he might reach the Incarnation Realm and ascend.

The Black Mist Dragon had also been challenging the Incarnation Realm by absorbing the Natural Earth Energy of Goeyu Mountain with his Manifest True Life Body.

 

“Yes, so…”

 

Guyang Gyeol slowly raised his hand.

The analysis was complete. Now it was time to truly capture him.

 

But then he realized one thing.

 

“Hmm…?”

 

Cheon Woo-jin was fleeing in a strange direction.

Instead of heading toward a path that could lead him out of this place, he was actually going into a dead end.

 

Guyang Gyeol already knew what was there.

 

“What a foolish bastard.”

 

He saw Cheon Woo-jin throw his body toward a spatial crack.

He had fled into the small-scale Secret Realm that the Solitary Sword Sect had discovered.

 

Inside the Secret Realm, a vast space spread out.

There would probably be places to hide.

But it was impossible to keep hiding from a Resolution Realm cultivator indefinitely.

Moreover, since the Secret Realm had only one entrance, he had essentially fled into a dead-end alley.

 

“To willingly become a rat in a trap – what a waste of talent!”

 

Guyang Gyeol laughed loudly as he pursued Cheon Woo-jin.

 

He planned to torture Cheon Woo-jin for information inside the Secret Realm where no one else could see… and if possible, devour Cheon Woo-jin directly.

 

* * *

 

‘So this is the Secret Realm.’

 

Cheon Woo-jin, who had leaped into the spatial rift, clicked his tongue at the scene unfolding before his eyes.

It was the complete opposite of the gloomy atmosphere outside. Inside the Secret Realm, a breathtaking landscape of beautiful rocky cliffs stretched endlessly.

Silver waterfalls poured down between the rugged rocks, and crystalline dewdrops clung to every branch of the ancient trees rooted in the cliffs.

Clouds swirled around the highest peak, making it impossible to gauge its end.

 

‘Truly an Immortal Realm itself.’

 

At the end of that peak, he would be able to obtain precious cultivation resources.

Of course, countless dangers would be waiting on the path there.

 

But right now, Cheon Woo-jin wasn’t in a situation where he could challenge that place.

 

“Foolish Mixed Cultivator!”

 

Whooom!

Guyang Gyeol, who had been pursuing Cheon Woo-jin, entered the Secret Realm.

 

“Did you think you’d be safe by fleeing into the Secret Realm? Could there be another fool this stupid…!”

 

Guyang Gyeol’s laughter echoed.

 

Immediately after, a bone-chilling cold energy erupted.

He had unleashed the true power of the Six Extreme Yin Spirit True Formula that he had been suppressing until now.

 

Then everything inside the Secret Realm began to freeze.

The ancient trees with dewdrops were instantly covered in ice, and the waterfalls pouring between the rocks became pillars of ice.

At this rate, even the clouds covering the peak seemed like they would all freeze solid.

 

“There you are!”

 

Guyang Gyeol hadn’t simply frozen the interior of the Secret Realm.

He was using the cold energy deployed around him like his own sensory organs, searching for where Cheon Woo-jin was hiding.

 

Guyang Gyeol, who had noticed that Cheon Woo-jin was hiding behind a large rock, leaped forward in one bound.

Then he destroyed the rock by driving down an Ice Spear created with magic arts.

The rock was completely shattered, and Cheon Woo-jin’s figure, who had been crouching while enduring the cold, was exposed.

 

But Cheon Woo-jin remained calm.

Even though he faced a Foundation Establishment cultivator with tremendous power in a place with nowhere left to flee, Cheon Woo-jin felt no fear whatsoever.

 

Because all of this had been part of his strategy.

Fleeing into the Secret Realm.

Revealing that he possessed the Manifest True Life Body.

Everything had been a setup to lure Guyang Gyeol.

 

Of course, it was a dangerous situation.

But Cheon Woo-jin no longer considered the danger.

 

This was the ruthless winner-takes-all world of martial heroes.

The final victor could take everything including eternal life, but for the remaining losers, it was the ultimate gambling table where nothing would remain.

So when big stakes were involved, one had to take the gamble.

 

And Cheon Woo-jin was the only gambler in this betting arena who held a guaranteed winning hand.

 

“There you are!”

 

Guyang Gyeol flew toward Cheon Woo-jin at a terrifying speed.

Amid Guyang Gyeol’s maniacal laughter echoing as he was consumed by the excitement of being able to obtain the Manifest True Life Body.

Finally, Cheon Woo-jin raised his head.

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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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