Instant-Death Cultivation: Surviving in an Immortal World with Instant Kill - Chapter 24

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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 24: Talisman Treasure (2)

 

 

After hearing the specific details from Seo Seol-ryeong, Cheon Woo-jin returned to the 1st Layer.

 

Before entering the Cave Dwelling, he peered into Jo Hyu’s shop and saw only a young girl sitting there eating snacks.

He wondered where the old man had gone, leaving his granddaughter alone in such a dangerous place, but upon closer inspection, he noticed several talismans placed around the girl.

If anyone tried to approach with harmful intent, the talismans would automatically activate and teach them a lesson.

 

“Did you come to see Grandfather?”

 

Just then, the girl looked up at Cheon Woo-jin.

Her attitude was more polite than expected. Perhaps Jo Hyu had educated his granddaughter well.

 

“I just came to say hello while passing by.”

“Grandfather will be back around the first watch.”

“Then I’ll greet him next time.”

“Wait a moment.”

 

The girl picked up a snack with her hand.

 

“Please have a mahua.”

“….”

 

Mahua was a snack made by twisting wheat flour dough like a pretzel.

In some regions, it was also eaten as a charm to ward off evil spirits and misfortune.

Originally, twisted ropes like straw ropes or hemp cords were symbols that blocked impure things.

Since mahua was similarly made by twisting, it seemed to have the meaning of warding off evil.

 

“It’s delicious.”

 

The girl extended her hand outside the effective range of the talismans and offered him a mahua.

Cheon Woo-jin nodded and expressed his gratitude.

 

“Thank you. I’ll enjoy it.”

 

After leaving the shop, Cheon Woo-jin walked toward the Cave Dwelling and took a bite of the mahua.

Unlike the twisted bread he used to eat in Korea, this was a hard snack.

As he walked through the back alley, crunching on it, the mahua quickly disappeared.

 

“Since I received a snack.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin muttered as he entered the Cave Dwelling.

 

“Next time I should buy her some snacks.”

 

Even in the ruthless Murim World.

He couldn’t just take food from a child and wipe his mouth clean.

 

* * *

 

Four days later.

Cheon Woo-jin prepared himself and left the Cave Dwelling.

Walking through the alley, he saw neatly dressed men carrying surveying tools around.

It seemed the Dong Ryu Trading Company, which planned to demolish this area, was conducting land surveys.

 

Several residents were watching this scene with anxious expressions.

Among them, he could see Jo Hyu and his granddaughter.

 

However, Cheon Woo-jin left without acknowledging them.

 

“….”

 

After passing through complex paths to reach the 2nd Layer, he headed toward ruins in a secluded area.

Passing through the devastatingly destroyed halls and climbing to higher ground, an area shrouded in thick gray fog appeared.

This was the 3rd Layer, accessible only from the Spirit Condensation stage.

 

‘The air is heavy.’

 

Cheon Woo-jin circulated his spiritual energy to purify the toxic air in the fog.

Without doing so, he felt like he would immediately cough up blood and collapse.

 

Still, once he got used to it, it became somewhat bearable.

He even felt a sense of fullness in his stomach with each breath.

The fact that the air was this toxic also meant it contained dense energy.

If he could remove the toxicity and absorb it into his body, it would greatly help in accumulating spiritual power.

 

This was one of the reasons cultivators tried to live on higher layers whenever possible.

While cultivating in mountains with good air and water was nice, training in harsh environments was certainly an effective method too.

 

‘About half are at Spirit Condensation stage… and the other half at Energy Accumulation stage?’

 

While the 1st and 2nd Layers had cultivators who looked like vagrants, such people were hard to find once he reached the 3rd Layer.

From the 3rd Layer onward, it was truly an area only those with real skill could reach.

 

“You came early.”

 

Just then.

A voice came from above Cheon Woo-jin’s head.

A black cat was sitting on the roof of a nearby abandoned house, and that cat had spoken to Cheon Woo-jin.

 

“Act as if nothing’s wrong and keep walking. Only you will hear my voice.”

“….”

 

Cheon Woo-jin nodded slightly and began walking down the path.

The cat then followed him, walking along the wall.

 

“You’ve probably already heard from that woman, but let me explain the current situation.”

 

The cat whispered in a voice only Cheon Woo-jin could hear.

 

“In three days, Dong Ryu Trading Company is scheduled to meet with the sect leader of Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate to form an agreement.”

 

Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate.

A Dark Gate-affiliated force operating within Ghost Head City.

Unlike the Solitary Sword Sect that walks the path of sword cultivation alone, this is a sect specialized in arts like Talisman Arts and Alchemy Art.

 

There’s talk that one-third of the talismans and elixirs circulated in the lower levels of Ghost Head City are made by this Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate.

It’s an influential force to that extent, and they were currently trying to join hands with Dong Ryu Trading Company.

 

“If they receive Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate’s recognition, Dong Ryu Trading Company will be able to conduct business freely in the lower levels of Ghost Head City. Moreover, since Dong Ryu Trading Company is a trading company under the influence of Taeul Yeokri Gate, it would indirectly support Taeul Yeokri Gate’s expansion into Ghost Head City.”

“….”

“This is an undesirable situation.”

 

The cat’s voice gained strength.

 

“Therefore, the agreement must be thwarted. By eliminating the talisman treasure that Dong Ryu Trading Company prepared for Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate.”

 

Dong Ryu Trading Company had prepared a talisman treasure that stored the power of the Red Child True Fire Spear, a powerful magical treasure.

If that disappeared, Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate would have no reason to allow Dong Ryu Trading Company’s expansion into Ghost Head City.

 

“Any method is fine, so eliminate the talisman treasure. If you succeed, I’ll provide you with one Foundation Spirit Beast.”

“….”

 

Cheon Woo-jin briefly shifted his gaze to stare at the cat on the wall.

A status window was displayed above the cat’s head.

 

[Song Pyo]

* Race: Human Race

* Age: 165 years

* Realm: Foundation Establishment (Late Stage)

* Constitution: Earth Spirit Root

* Faction: Dark Gate

* Affiliation: Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate

* Destiny: Emotional Alliance

 

This cat was the transformed appearance of a Foundation Establishment cultivator from Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate.

It was a situation where someone from Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate was asking him to eliminate a gift meant for Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate.

 

What was going on here?

 

‘There are two factions within Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate.’

 

There’s a faction that wants to accept the treasure and allow Dong Ryu Trading Company’s expansion.

And there’s a faction that believes Dong Ryu Trading Company’s expansion should never be allowed.

 

Currently, the faction favoring Dong Ryu Trading Company’s expansion seemed to have the upper hand.

The faction Song Pyo belonged to opposed Dong Ryu Trading Company’s expansion, but had already lost the initiative.

 

So as a last resort, they were trying to eliminate the talisman treasure.

 

However, if Song Pyo acted directly or mobilized his subordinates, he could be caught.

So he decided to use an outsider, and Cheon Woo-jin was recruited through Seo Seol-ryeong.

 

‘Even if I fail tonight, Song Pyo won’t act directly. He’ll find and deploy a new person.’

 

After finishing his explanation, the cat leaped onto the roof of a nearby building.

Then it swished its tail back and forth as if telling him to follow.

Cheon Woo-jin pretended to just walk down the street while following behind.

 

The cat descended to a deserted back alley and went down into the underground waterway through a collapsed hole in the ground.

Cheon Woo-jin also confirmed there were no other people around and threw himself underground.

 

“This way.”

 

The cat led the way, guiding Cheon Woo-jin.

The explanation resumed in the underground waterway where Rat Spawn scurried about.

 

“Currently, Dong Ryu Trading Company’s negotiation representatives are staying by renting out an entire pleasure house called Changhua Pavilion. The meeting with Yellow Pillar Spirit Gate is also scheduled to take place there.”

“….”

“And the talisman treasure that’s our target is also inside Changhua Pavilion.”

 

The cat’s footsteps stopped.

Looking up, there was a large hole with water droplets dripping down.

 

“It’s a hole connected to the interior of Changhua Pavilion. If you go up there, you can infiltrate inside while ignoring the cultivators in charge of external security.”

“….”

“The talisman treasure is on the 3rd floor. You’ll have to check directly where exactly on the 3rd floor it is.”

 

After explaining while looking up at the hole, the cat looked at Cheon Woo-jin again.

 

“But there’s one guy you need to be careful of.”

 

When Cheon Woo-jin asked who with his eyes, the cat answered in a stiff voice.

 

“A Foundation Establishment cultivator who knows Transformation Art like me.”

“….”

“He’s said to be a troubleshooter for Dong Ryu Trading Company, and apparently his skills are remarkable. His specialty is catching opponents off guard with Transformation Art.”

 

Even after hearing this, Cheon Woo-jin showed no change in expression.

The cat tilted its head in puzzlement.

 

“Did you not understand what I said? If that guy transforms into a courtesan and ambushes you…”

“It doesn’t matter.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin spoke for the first time.

 

“No matter how varied the transformations, the essence doesn’t change.”

“…!”

 

Cheon Woo-jin has the ability to see status windows.

No matter how that Axis Qi Realm cultivator transforms, he can recognize him instantly.

 

“Is that all the information?”

“Uh, um, that’s right.”

“Understood.”

 

If he continued talking here, his voice might echo and those guys could notice.

Cheon Woo-jin immediately prepared to go up.

 

“Go, good luck!”

 

Hearing the cat’s final words, Cheon Woo-jin shot upward.

 

The place where the hole was connected was the kitchen on the 1st floor of Changhua Pavilion.

It was a hole for dumping various waste into the underground waterway.

It was a structure that gave no thought to water pollution, but thanks to that, he could easily infiltrate inside Changhua Pavilion.

 

‘The Concealment Talisman is working properly.’

 

Right now, Cheon Woo-jin was using a talisman.

It was a talisman from Guyang Gyeol’s storage bag, a Concealment Talisman that allowed him to hide his body like a concealment art.

 

Of course, it was different from the shabby Concealment Talismans sold in the Ghost Head City 1st Layer or 2nd Layer Market.

Since it was a Concealment Talisman with proper performance that Guyang Gyeol, who was at the Resolution Realm, would carry around, the Smoke Qi Realm cultivators wouldn’t be able to see through it.

 

“You want us to bring more food to the 2nd floor?”

“Yes, they said the side dishes are insufficient.”

 

In the kitchen, cooks were having a conversation.

Cheon Woo-jin slipped past them. But they didn’t notice at all.

 

After leaving the kitchen, he saw a man pestering a courtesan in the corridor.

In fact, all the courtesans here had learned dual cultivation techniques that gained power through the yin-yang union of men and women.

He could carelessly have his spiritual power stolen, yet the sight of him working hard to try to seduce her seemed impressive.

 

Cheon Woo-jin moved while sticking close to the wall to avoid bumping into them.

As he passed by and checked their status windows, the courtesan had a higher realm.

Probably that man would have everything sucked out by the courtesan and be left as just an empty shell.

Even relationships between men and women required risking one’s life in this Murim World.

 

“….”

 

Cheon Woo-jin left them behind and headed for the stairs.

 

There was no problem going up to the 2nd floor.

When he swept through the 2nd floor, he could hear laughter from here and there.

Earlier in the kitchen, they had also talked about bringing more snacks to the 2nd floor.

It seemed the trading company cultivators were having a drinking party on the 2nd floor.

 

‘How peaceful. Are they trusting the outside guards?’

 

However, from the 3rd floor it would be different.

Cheon Woo-jin placed his foot on the stairs and looked up.

In the middle of the stairs going up to the 3rd floor, there was one cultivator with a sturdy build.

 

[Wi Pae-ryeong]

* Race: Human Race

* Age: 78 years old

* Realm: Smoke Qi Realm Greater Circle

* Constitution: Wood-Fire Spiritual Root

* Faction: Orthodox Sect

* Affiliation: Dong Ryu Trading Company

* Destiny: Sincerity

 

His eyes were wide open and his back was straight.

He could feel the will to not let any bastard pass.

It didn’t seem easy to slip past that guy.

 

“….”

 

Cheon Woo-jin grabbed the railing and climbed the stairs one by one.

When he had climbed about one-third of the stairs, the guy opened his eyes wide.

 

Something was there.

Noticing this, the guy thrust his head forward.

He put strength into his eyes and concentrated on the front to figure out what exactly was there.

Right after that.

 

Swoosh!

A black blade extending from the shadows of the stair railing pierced through the guy’s neck from the side.

 

“Uh, ah….”

 

He tried to somehow make a sound to alert his comrades of the emergency.

But his vocal cords had already been pierced, and his voice didn’t reach anyone, buried under the laughter echoing from the 2nd floor.

In the end, he collapsed powerlessly.

 

“….”

 

Cheon Woo-jin took out another Concealment Talisman.

This one wasn’t of very good quality.

Still, it was sufficient to temporarily hide a corpse lying motionless.

After placing the Concealment Talisman on the corpse, Cheon Woo-jin climbed the rest of the stairs.

 

And the moment he succeeded in setting foot on the 3rd floor without anyone stopping him.

He felt a fierce energy wave like a volcano from ahead.

—————
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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