Instant-Death Cultivation: Surviving in an Immortal World with Instant Kill - Chapter 27

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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 27: Alchemy (2)

 

 

Standing before the pitch-black pill furnace that appeared before his eyes, Cheon Woo-jin was momentarily at a loss for words.

This was certainly a pill furnace that looked quite high-performance.

 

“This must be quite expensive.”

“I’m not giving it to you outright. I’m saying I’ll install it in your cave dwelling so you can use it as you please.”

 

Jo Hyu said with his arms crossed.

 

“It’s better than installing some shoddy pill furnace and turning my entire cave dwelling into ash.”

“If that’s the case, I’ll gratefully use it.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin clasped his hands together to express his gratitude.

There was no reason to refuse when Jo Hyu was even offering to install it himself.

 

“Of course, it won’t be completely free.”

 

Then Jo Hyu spoke in a calm voice.

 

“I’ll need to modify the formation array so the smoke and heat can escape properly.”

“That makes sense. Would a few more spirit stones per month be sufficient?”

 

Cheon Woo-jin was prepared to accept a rent increase anyway.

But Jo Hyu smiled and shook his head.

 

“Just bring me a bag of snacks occasionally.”

 

The bag of snacks had already been completely emptied.

 

* * *

 

Jo Hyu quickly installed the pill furnace.

 

He had worried that the room might become too cramped since the pill furnace was quite large, but it was a needless concern.

When Jo Hyu placed his hand on one wall and chanted an incantation, a door appeared in the wall connecting to another room.

The space had instantly doubled in size.

 

“I really should pay more rent for this.”

“Forget it. It’s a room I wasn’t using anyway.”

 

In truth, Jo Hyu probably had his own calculating thoughts.

Building a friendship with Cheon Woo-jin, who didn’t seem like an ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator, would be reassuring in many ways.

Moreover, Jo Hyu had a precious granddaughter. It would be grateful just to have Cheon Woo-jin check on her occasionally as he passed by.

 

“Let’s try lighting it once.”

 

Jo Hyu extended his hand toward the bottom of the pill furnace.

Though there was no fuel, he lit a fire using spiritual power.

 

“Do you happen to have any spirit herbs? I thought I’d show you how to make medicine.”

“I have these kinds…”

 

When Cheon Woo-jin showed the spirit herbs he had obtained as spoils of war, Jo Hyu nodded.

 

“I can make a few Blood Circulation Pills for treating wounds.”

 

Clang!

When Jo Hyu flicked his left hand, the pill furnace lid opened by itself.

Then he waved his right hand, and spirit herbs like Revival Salvia, Ghost Safflower, Red Heaven Bow Herb, and Blood Peony flew through the air and were inserted into the pill furnace one by one.

 

Cheon Woo-jin inwardly admired Jo Hyu’s flashy hand movements.

 

“If you put them in directly by hand, you could get burned, so insert them with spiritual power like this.”

“Understood.”

 

When Jo Hyu flicked his left hand once more, the pill furnace lid closed.

 

“Next, you need to inject spiritual power so that alchemy proceeds according to the Eight Trigrams.”

 

When Jo Hyu extended both hands forward and released spiritual power, the Eight Trigrams patterns drawn on the pill furnace began to emit a mysterious light.

 

“For simple elixirs, you can do it evenly like this, but if you delve deeper, you need to control each of the Eight Trigrams individually.”

 

While explaining, Jo Hyu infused spiritual power into each of the Eight Trigrams.

Each time he did so, the light of each trigram would grow stronger or weaker.

 

“Qian has the strongest yang energy and can melt even metals. Conversely, Kun has strong yin energy that suppresses flames to stabilize them evenly. Zhen is like lightning, a fire that bursts instantly, good for heating in a short time, and Xun is like wind, good for gentle heating. Kan is water, so it can dissolve energy like brewing herbal medicine, and Li is pure fire that removes moisture and concentrates. Gen is like an unshakeable mountain that maintains the center so the medicine coalesces well, and Dui gently refines like a quietly rippling lake.”

 

It was a lecture that provided both foundation and substance.

He was especially grateful for the demonstration of directly injecting spiritual power into the Eight Trigrams.

 

Actually, these were explanations that had appeared in the game too.

But in the game, everything proceeded automatically with just a mouse click, so this process of learning by watching directly with his eyes was necessary.

 

“Hmm, I should open the lid soon.”

 

When Jo Hyu flicked his left hand, the lid opened and a large amount of heat and smoke burst out.

But that heat and smoke were quickly expelled through the hole in the ceiling.

 

Then when Jo Hyu extended his right hand, red medicinal pills rose up from inside the pill furnace.

Though he had only put ingredients in and heated them, the pill formation was completed in round form through the action of the Eight Trigrams.

 

“Blood Circulation Pills. These are about grade 3.”

“Ah…!”

 

Actually, grade 3 Blood Circulation Pills weren’t particularly amazing medicine.

Even in the game, they were health recovery medicine only used in the early stages.

But seeing the process of actually creating recovery medicine like this, he couldn’t help but be amazed.

 

“What I can teach you ends here. You’ll have to study the rest on your own.”

 

Before Jo Hyu who spoke casually, Cheon Woo-jin clasped his hands together to express his gratitude.

At first, he had said he would only help with the setup, but it was no different from teaching all the basics of Alchemy Art.

 

“Thank you. You were deeply versed in Alchemy Art as well as Formation Arrays.”

“Hehe, even so, I’m just a half-cripple who couldn’t even attempt the Foundation Building stage and fled from my sect.”

 

Suddenly, Cheon Woo-jin remembered what Jo Hyu had said before.

 

“I believe you said you were from a demonic sect.”

“Mm, that’s right.”

“How did you come to turn your back on the demonic path?”

 

Being ruthless toward traitors was the same in any faction.

But the most thorough were the demonic forces.

Escaping from the demonic path truly required being prepared for death.

 

“Do you know why the demonic path is called demonic?”

“Because they use people as cultivation resources?”

“Mm, that’s right.”

 

Even in orthodox sects and dark factions, there were often cases of sacrificing other cultivators to gain power.

But only the demonic faction officially endorsed such methods.

 

The courtesans of Changhua Pavilion were cultivators who had learned Dual Cultivation Techniques from the Harmony Sect, which was also classified as a demonic force.

After all, they were those who gained power by absorbing people’s vital essence.

 

“Where I belonged, they used humans as materials when making Foundation Building Pills.”

“….”

“They would put several living people into a large pill furnace and slowly turn them into elixirs over 49 days.”

 

Jo Hyu gazed at the pill furnace with gloomy eyes.

The pill furnace before them now was too small to put people into.

The pill furnace used in the demonic sect would have been a large furnace several times bigger than this.

But now in Jo Hyu’s eyes, the image of a large pill furnace stained with blood would be flickering.

 

“It was something my mind absolutely could not endure.”

“So that’s why you gave up on the Foundation Building stage?”

“That’s right.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin realized he had been mistaken all this time.

Jo Hyu could have attempted the Foundation Building stage but had given it up himself.

To preserve what humanity remained in him.

 

“Since I’ve only cultivated demonic methods all along, I can no longer attempt the Foundation Building stage through ordinary means. I’ll remain at the Qi Refining stage like this and meet my lifespan.”

 

Saying that, Jo Hyu looked at Cheon Woo-jin.

 

“Don’t become like me.”

“….”

“The path of cultivation inevitably requires stepping on the corpses of countless competitors to climb up… but if you climb while covered in blood, you’re bound to slip somewhere.”

 

Cheon Woo-jin decided to engrave those words in his heart.

In some ways, it was more precious teaching than alchemy methods.

 

* * *

 

After that, Cheon Woo-jin shut himself in his cave dwelling alone to practice alchemy.

The basic medicinal combinations and Eight Trigrams setup methods were already in his head.

Recalling his game memories and reflecting Jo Hyu’s teachings in his alchemy, his skills improved quickly.

 

‘Should I try some proper alchemy now?’

 

Cheon Woo-jin took out several spirit herbs from his storage bag.

These were spirit herbs he had gathered along with the White Leaf Autumn Spirit Grass from the small secret realm last time.

The White Leaf Autumn Spirit Grass had to be saved for later as a Foundation Spirit Beast, but the other spirit herbs could be used now.

 

‘White Notopterygium, White Angelica, Broad Eucommia, Changbai Achyranthes, Dipsacus Root…’

 

With each movement of his hand, each spirit herb entered the pill furnace.

They were all spirit herbs that acted on muscles and bones.

 

After putting in all the materials and closing the lid, Cheon Woo-jin injected spiritual power into the pill furnace.

Then the Eight Trigrams symbols scattered in eight directions began to emit mysterious light.

 

‘Minimize Qian and Zhen which have strong fire power so the herbs don’t burn, put more power into Kun, Kan, Gen, and Dui for stable extraction, while making Xun and Li achieve proper balance…’

 

Thanks to Jo Hyu’s teachings and his practice so far, he could actually implement his game knowledge.

 

After finishing the alchemy for half a day like that, he opened the lid again with spiritual power.

Then hot heat burst out along with a metallic fishy smell.

The fishy smell was a scent corresponding to Metal in the Five Elements. Because these were spirit herbs that grew while absorbing Metal Spirit Energy, they gave off a fishy smell.

 

When Cheon Woo-jin reached out his hand, five pure white medicinal pills floated up from inside the pill furnace where hot heat still remained.

 

‘Success.’

 

Grasping the white medicinal pills in his palm, Cheon Woo-jin felt satisfaction.

 

‘4th grade Muscle Strengthening Bone Pills.’

 

Muscle Strengthening Bone Pills were medicine that enhanced physical abilities.

Utilizing the nature of the Metal element that converges the energy of all things in the world to one place, it concentrated spiritual power in muscles and bones to draw out strength beyond limits.

It would allow lifting heavier objects, running at faster speeds, and withstanding greater impacts.

 

Though it had no effect on spiritual power or magic arts… it was medicine that could display decisive effects in actual combat.

 

‘The days I spent concentrating on alchemy cultivation were worthwhile.’

 

Cheon Woo-jin put the Muscle Strengthening Bone Pill inside his robes.

Since it was medicine that needed to be used quickly in emergencies, it shouldn’t be stored in his storage bag.

 

‘Should I go meet Seo Seol-ryeong now?’

 

By now, Seo Seol-ryeong would have prepared the next commission as well.

Cheon Woo-jin cleaned up the pill furnace and came out of his cave dwelling.

 

The 1st Layer, which he had emerged to after several days, was still bustling with noise.

Scattered Cultivators who had gathered from all directions trying to seize opportunities somehow, ordinary people trying to make a profit by doing business with them… and even sect disciples dispatched to Ghost Head City under orders to obtain the legacy of the Yin Soul Ghost Bone Palace.

The sight of various people living together in a mixture was the same as usual.

 

However, there was one thing that had changed from when he first set foot here.

The number of people who recognized Cheon Woo-jin had increased.

 

From the very first day in Ghost Head City, Cheon Woo-jin had killed a scattered cultivator who tried to backstab him right on the spot, and had been living boldly ever since, making him the most prominent figure on the 1st Layer.

While it wasn’t known that Cheon Woo-jin was the one who attacked the Poison Sword Sect and Dong Ryu Trading Company, it was already known that he was acting as a problem solver, handling various minor issues.

 

Therefore, not a single person picked fights with Cheon Woo-jin.

Rather, there were only people who avoided him for fear of getting into trouble with him.

 

‘However, this is limited to the 1st Layer.’

 

Just going up to the 2nd Layer changed the atmosphere.

Since everyone was at least late Qi Refining stage, even if they recognized Cheon Woo-jin, they didn’t show much wariness.

If he went up to the 3rd Layer, there would be almost no one who recognized Cheon Woo-jin at all.

 

Ghost Head City was a place where the differences grew larger as one ascended to higher layers.

On the 1st Layer, he was a skilled expert that no one dared to touch carelessly, but on the 2nd Layer, he was treated as just an ordinary cultivator, and going up to the 3rd Layer, he became a newbie that no one acknowledged.

 

This could be said to resemble the structure of the Cultivation World.

A peak Qi Refining cultivator might be the most skilled among Qi Refining cultivators, but upon leaving Qi Refining and entering the world of Foundation Building, they immediately get treated as the most inexperienced.

So this Ghost Head City could truly be said to be a place that embodied the structure of the Cultivation World as it was.

 

Of course, Cheon Woo-jin had no intention of being content with these lower layers.

He intended to continuously climb to higher places and reach a realm where no one could threaten him.

 

“Welcome, Cheon Daoist.”

 

As he entered the tent in a corner of the 2nd Floor Market, Seo Seol-ryeong greeted Cheon Woo-jin.

She was the person Cheon Woo-jin needed to cooperate with most in order to climb to higher places.

 

“Today, before we start talking about commissions, there’s something I need to tell you first.”

“What is it?”

“Last time, you asked me to inform you about the Taeul Yeokri Sect’s movements, right?”

 

Since there was bad blood with the Taeul Yeokri Sect, he had asked to be informed if any information came in.

 

“Is the Taeul Yeokri Sect perhaps re-pursuing their advance into Ghost Head City?”

“There hasn’t been any word about that yet.”

 

Seo Seol-ryeong shook her head.

 

“However, other forces have been showing suspicious movements recently.”

“Which forces?”

“Would you like to guess?”

“…”

 

Cheon Woo-jin fell into thought for a moment.

Recalling memories from the game, he tried to imagine how the political situation would be turning at this point.

 

“Last time, the Taeul Yeokri Sect tried to advance into Ghost Head City by manipulating the Dong Ryu Trading Company. Before that, the Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon had intervened with the Poison Sword Sect.”

 

The Orthodox Sect’s Taeul Yeokri Sect and the Dark Gate’s Thirteen Alliances Under the Moon.

Since they had shown themselves, the next turn was obvious.

 

“This time, Demonic Path forces are eyeing Ghost Head City, right?”

“…!”

 

Just what are you?

With an expression that seemed to want to say that, Seo Seol-ryeong opened her mouth.

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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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