The Chaotic Immortal Wood Sect: Immortal Cultivation War - Chapter 19
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————
19. Receiving a Request from Elder Eung Ryeong of Blue Wood Academy
“I see. I should start by saying thank you, but let’s handle the urgent matter first.”
Elder Eung Ryeong said this and waved his sleeve, sending small branches flying to embed in the surrounding trees.
The embedded branches immediately took root and began growing, and seeing this, Kang Hyeon asked.
“Could that be Yin Spirit Wood?”
“Oh my, quite impressive. How did you know? It’s not common.”
“I was born with Wood Spiritual Root and have been cultivating in that direction.”
“Really? Hmm, I’m not in perfect condition so I failed to recognize such talent before me. You both possess Heaven Spiritual Roots.”
Eung Ryeong now realized that the two young cultivators before him were once-in-a-millennium prodigies.
Among them, the one called Kang Hyeon was a talent with pure Wood Spiritual Root that even Blue Wood Academy didn’t possess.
Naturally, desire began seeping into his heart.
“Since you recognized the Yin Spirit Wood, can you read the current changes as well?”
Eung Ryeong threw out a question to Kang Hyeon with the feeling of teaching a disciple.
In response, Kang Hyeon examined the Yin Spirit Wood taking root and growing in the surrounding trees, striving to read the true meaning contained within as he spoke.
“Transformation, Assimilation, and Concealment. It’s responding with already established formations to increase their effects while simultaneously creating naturalness over a wider range. I’m not sure if I’ve seen it correctly.”
“Originally, Yin Spirit Wood possesses powerful yin-attribute spiritual energy, making it an excellent spiritual tree for driving away or defending against ghosts. However, it cannot generate Wood Spiritual Energy on its own and must always live as a parasite, which creates the problem that if allowed to grow freely, both the forest and the Yin Spirit Wood will perish together. Therefore, spiritual botanists like us must always be careful when handling Yin Spirit Wood.”
A spiritual botanist refers to a cultivator who grows plants and herbs, and Eung Ryeong was introducing himself as such.
“I’m grateful for your teaching.”
“What I accomplished with the Yin Spirit Wood has several more effects beyond what you discovered, but they’re at a level difficult for your realm to perceive. In any case, thanks to this, there’s no longer any need to worry about pursuers. As long as we don’t leave this place.”
“So you were indeed being pursued?”
“Yes. My situation was truly dire. But thanks to your help, I’ve managed to preserve my life and can look forward to tomorrow, so this life-saving grace is immeasurable and immeasurable again.”
After finishing the urgent matter, Eung Ryeong stood up and bowed toward Kang Hyeon and In Deok with cupped hands.
“How can you do this? This is not the etiquette of the Cultivation World. How can an elder make us youngsters so flustered!”
Kang Hyeon was startled and waved his hands, while In Deok hurriedly dodged and hid behind a nearby tree.
And rightly so, as Eung Ryeong’s realm was at a level that Kang Hyeon and In Deok couldn’t fathom, certainly above Core Formation.
That was the minimum estimate for Core Formation realm, yet such a tremendous cultivator was bowing.
Not only Kang Hyeon and In Deok, but any other Qi Refinement cultivator would find such a situation difficult to handle.
“It’s merely a greeting for life-saving grace, so don’t be so surprised. While my actions certainly go against the order of the Cultivation World, if we look at it from the perspective of human morality rather than the immortal path, it’s also natural. And this concludes my greeting from human morality, so don’t be afraid and come forward to take your seats.”
Eung Ryeong finished his greeting and called Kang Hyeon and In Deok forward.
Then he gazed at them intently before asking.
“You must have a sect, right?”
Eung Ryeong asked as if it were obvious.
To this, Kang Hyeon replied.
“We have registered our names with Cheonroemun of Hyeopju Continent.”
“Hmm, I see. But from what I can tell, you haven’t performed the initiation ceremony?”
“We were supposed to register our names in the Name Registry first, then go through the initiation procedures later.”
“What do you mean ‘were supposed to’?”
“Since we don’t know when we’ll be able to return to Hyeopju Continent, there’s no promise for that day.”
“I see. Then there’s still room for you to become disciples of our Blue Wood Academy. Hahaha.”
Eung Ryeong said this and couldn’t help but burst into delighted laughter.
“Are you saying you would take us as disciples into your sect?”
Kang Hyeon looked at Eung Ryeong with surprised eyes and asked.
“If once-in-a-millennium prodigies like you haven’t performed initiation ceremonies yet, it’s natural to covet you.”
“But we are…”
It was when Kang Hyeon was about to show his intention to refuse, thinking of his connection with Cheonroemun.
“Registering names in the Name Registry isn’t that important. What’s important is the Soul Engraving ceremony.”
“Soul Engraving?”
“??”
Kang Hyeon and In Deok looked at Eung Ryeong with puzzled expressions as it was their first time hearing this term.
“It’s something everyone knows but no one speaks of openly. Only those who have received permission to conduct Soul Engraving can mention it.”
“May I ask for your teaching?”
“It’s not difficult. But some background explanation is needed.”
“I will listen attentively.”
“The Cultivation World is a place where blood flows at every step. Everyone tries to surpass the lifespan set by Heaven and Earth Laws to achieve longevity, and beyond longevity to achieve immortality, so they are all heaven-defying beings.”
“…”
“The desires of cultivators are ultimately rooted in not wanting to die. So it’s natural in the logic of the Cultivation World to consider killing others to avoid death oneself as justified. Don’t you also cultivate by taking countless lives?”
“Yes, regrettably we do.”
Kang Hyeon understood that Eung Ryeong wasn’t speaking only of cultivators.
All living things kill other living things to use as stepping stones for their own survival.
Among them, cultivators are even more extreme in this regard, so it’s rare for death not to follow every step.
“Yes. Since the Cultivation World is like this, how could it not be desolate? Yet various sects flourish without being corrupted – what do you think is the reason?”
“You mean the Supreme Sects?”
“Whether sects, organizations, or gatherings. If you think about groups of a certain size or larger, is it common for them to kill each other?”
“In Hyeop Province where I was, there are countless cultivation sects, including the Twelve Sects that I’m familiar with, but I haven’t heard stories of fellow disciples killing each other within those sects.”
“Yes, that’s a good example. Why don’t the disciples of those sects fight each other? Even if they’re fellow disciples, if someone has something desirable, they could secretly kill and steal it, couldn’t they?”
“Then, is it the power of Soul Engraving that prevents such things?”
“Tsk, you’re jumping ahead quickly. Doesn’t that take the fun out of explaining?”
“I apologize.”
Kang Hyeon bowed his head deeply.
“No. Watching a clever child is also quite enjoyable. Yes, as you expected, because of soul engraving, killing among fellow disciples has almost completely disappeared from the Cultivation World.”
“A prohibition… is it?”
Kang Hyeon asked with a reluctant expression.
“You could see it that way. However, the soul engraving performed during the initiation ceremony causes no harm whatsoever to the subject. It doesn’t affect cultivation by even a hair’s breadth.”
“Then…”
“It simply prevents one from consciously harming fellow disciples, while simultaneously creating feelings of familiarity and goodwill – that is the main effect of soul engraving.”
“But not all soul engravings are of one type, right? Since the Cultivation World is vast, there must be various types of soul engraving ceremonies.”
“That’s also correct. However, the main branch of soul engraving originally came down from the high and lofty Upper Heaven through the Great Unity Hall, so the fundamentals are not different.”
“Great Unity Hall…”
“Why? Have you been to the Great Unity Hall?”
“I apologize. Our Great Unity Token is not yet complete…”
“Hmm? You’re approaching Foundation Establishment but have never been to the Great Unity Hall? How strange.”
“Our circumstances are not ordinary.”
“So there are complications. But I won’t ask about that now. Let’s just continue our previous conversation. It was about soul engraving and initiation, wasn’t it?”
“Yes, Elder.”
“So the most important thing in the initiation ceremony can be said to be soul engraving. If you haven’t yet received the soul engraving of that place called Cheonroemun, you cannot be called formal disciples. So if you enter our Blue Wood Academy and receive soul engraving, you can thereby become family of our Blue Wood Academy. This is something even Cheonroemun cannot protest.”
“But Cheonroemun is…”
“Naturally, if you receive our Blue Wood Academy’s soul engraving, your disciple connection with Cheonroemun will disappear.”
“I see.”
Kang Hyeon trailed off without hiding his hesitant gaze.
“Hahaha. That doesn’t mean I’m forcing you right now to immediately become disciples of our Blue Wood Academy. In my opinion, that would be a good way to repay the debt of saving your lives, but your thoughts might be different, so let’s take our time to see.”
“Thank you, Elder.”
“Call me Elder Eung Ryeong. I’m accustomed to that title.”
“Yes, Elder Eung Ryeong.”
“Yes, Elder.”
Kang Hyeon and In Deok called Eung Ryeong elder and bowed once more.
“By the way, you said your name was Kang Hyeon?”
Then suddenly Eung Ryeong made a serious expression and called to Kang Hyeon.
“Yes, Elder.”
Kang Hyeon answered respectfully with tension.
“Looking at you carefully now, it’s truly terrible.”
“Pardon? Terrible?”
“How did you build such a shoddy foundation? Hah. This is astounding.”
“What do you mean? A shoddy foundation?”
Kang Hyeon asked back with a puzzled expression, not understanding what Eung Ryeong was trying to say.
“You know that you’re a genius with Heavenly Spiritual Root, born with a single Wood Spiritual Root.”
“That’s correct.”
“But look at the Cultivation Method you’re learning and the spell arts and techniques attached to that lineage. If your spiritual root is the root, what you’ve learned can hardly even be called weeds.”
“Are you saying the Cultivation Method and spell arts I learned are that worthless?”
“Hmph, what’s the point of saying it. That In Deok fellow over there has built a decent foundation on solid ground, but how are you like this?”
“Hahaha. Is it that bad? Cheonroemun originally focuses on lightning attribute spiritual energy, so I was told it’s somewhat lacking for Wood Spiritual Root.”
“Grr, even so, there should be limits. How could… But it’s also amazing that you reached your current level with just such things. That stability and solidity is truly unbelievable.”
“I’m ashamed.”
Kang Hyeon blushed and lowered his head at Eung Ryeong’s praise.
“Hmm. Yes, I should be able to do at least this much. Having received the debt of life-saving, surely the sect would understand this much. Here, take this.”
Eung Ryeong deliberately spoke his thoughts aloud, then reached into his robes, fumbled around, and held out a bundle toward Kang Hyeon.
Kang Hyeon was startled by the large bundle suddenly offered to him.
How could he not be surprised when a bundle nearly the size of an adult’s torso was presented as if taken from inside his robes?
“This is…”
“Throw away everything you have now and rebuild with this. Tsk, doesn’t it keep making my eyes squint just looking at it?”
When Kang Hyeon extended his spiritual consciousness to examine inside the bundle, he found dozens of books, six jade slips, various types of saplings and seeds filling it completely.
“With that, you should have a decent guide up to late Foundation Establishment or even Great Perfection. Especially the main Cultivation Method, the Blue Wood True Scripture, is a supreme technique that can reach the Great Perfection of Spirit Transformation stage – the qualification for ascending to the Spirit Realm – if you complete all five stages. Of course, what I’ve given you now only contains up to the third stage, Wood Spirit Main Body.”
“How can you give me such things…”
“This is the best I can manage without it being a problem even if you don’t become a disciple of our Blue Wood Academy. If you do become a disciple, I won’t hesitate to give you the complete version of the Blue Wood True Scripture.”
“You’re expecting that as I cultivate the Blue Wood True Scripture, I’ll eventually desire the fourth and fifth stages and become a disciple, aren’t you?”
Kang Hyeon asked with a knowing smile, as if he had guessed Eung Ryeong’s intention.
“Hmph, I said I don’t force anyone. And I said I take full responsibility for what I’ve given you now.”
“Yes, I understand. To treat a junior who is merely at the Qi Refinement stage so generously – I don’t know where to put myself. Actually, it would be proper etiquette to return such excessive compensation, but I cannot overcome my greed, so I will gratefully accept it.”
“Kahahaha. Yes. Yes. That’s fine. If you had refused my goodwill to the very end here, I would have been very angry. Hahaha.”
“Ugh.”
As Eung Ryeong laughed loudly, In Deok trembled.
He felt fear at the mention that Eung Ryeong would have been angry.
“Ah, come to think of it, I should give you some compensation too. Let me see.”
Then Eung Ryeong turned his gaze to In Deok and made a troubled expression as he began fumbling in his sleeve.
“No, no. In Deok and Kang Hyeon are like one body, so what Kang Hyeon received is more than enough. I absolutely have no desire for anything more. Elder Eung Ryeong, truly.”
“Well now, your friendship with each other is remarkable. But whether to give or not is for me to decide, so wait.”
But at Eung Ryeong’s following words, In Deok had no choice but to close his mouth.
And after fumbling in his sleeve for some time, Eung Ryeong finally grasped something and pulled it out.
It was a wooden box the length of a forearm that clearly looked like it was meant to seal something.
“It’s been a while since I took this out.”
Eung Ryeong muttered this, then went to sit under a nearby tree and placed the box on his thigh.
And he opened the lid.
Crack! Crackle crackle crackle!
“As expected!”
At that moment, red Lightning Energy burst powerfully out of the box.
But Eung Ryeong, as if he had already anticipated this, waved his hand to make Silver Grass grow from the surrounding ground.
Then the red Lightning Energy couldn’t penetrate through that Silver Grass and remained only around Eung Ryeong.
“Now, behold this. It is a branch of Purple Thunder Wood.”
Eung Ryeong said this as he took out a tree branch from the box, which was red in color just like its name suggested.
“The Lightning Energy is incredible.”
In Deok looked at it and became excited, his voice rising.
Without thinking too deeply about it, he could guess that what was now in Eung Ryeong’s hands would come to him.
“Hahahaha. Yes, so it’s a perfect item for you.”
Eung Ryeong said this as he put the Purple Thunder Wood branch back in the box, closed the lid, and threw it to In Deok.
Whoosh!
“Whoa!”
In Deok was startled and hastily caught the box that Eung Ryeong had thrown.
“It’s yours. How you use it is up to you to figure out. Of course, if you become a disciple of Blue Wood Academy, you’ll be able to receive proper teachings on how to use it. Hahahaha.”
Eung Ryeong said this and continued his pleased laughter for quite a while.
—————
This chapter was translated by Lunox Team. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
—————