The Chaotic Immortal Wood Sect: Immortal Cultivation War - Chapter 45

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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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45. In Deok Disappears

Rumble rumble rumble! Rumble!

“Huh? What? What’s that?”

“It seems the Old Monster is trying to activate a formation technique.”

“Formation technique?”

“The formation technique here probably serves as the center of a massive formation technique.”

“Then what about the other formation techniques? Don’t tell me it’s a formation technique that covers the entire ruins?”

“That could be possible.”

“Hehe, these young ones are quite clever. Yes, that’s exactly right. This is a formation technique that connects thirteen Soul-Binding Pillars into one.”

At that moment, the Blood Tree Manor monk, who seemed to have just awakened, joined the conversation.

Kang Hyeon and In Deok’s gazes naturally turned toward the Old Monster sitting in the center of the formation technique.

“Hehe. Soon, among those who have entered these ruins, all who are not disciples of this manor will become offerings for the Soul-Binding Pillars. Well, some of the manor’s disciples might get caught up in it too, but that can’t be helped.”

“How vicious. To sacrifice even your own disciples.”

Hearing the Old Monster’s words, Kang Hyeon frowned and criticized him.

Then the Blood Extreme Mountain Villa’s Old Monster looked at Kang Hyeon with a serious expression and replied.

“It’s a small sacrifice for the greater cause. If I become stronger, this manor’s prestige will also grow, so as disciples belonging to the manor, making sacrifices is something that can happen.”

Kang Hyeon felt strong resistance to the words about small sacrifices for the greater cause, and on top of that, he didn’t like the attitude that took disciples’ sacrifices for their affiliated sect for granted.

“Hearing those words makes me think I must absolutely avoid entering a sect and getting soul engraved. How can a cultivator who dreams of Defying Heaven for Immortal Eternal Life sacrifice himself for a sect? Isn’t that contradictory?”

“Hahaha. Right, you’re right. But are you saying someone like you will go against the great tide? At best, you’ll just flutter and disappear like a grain of sand caught in a typhoon. What could you possibly do?”

“Even so, it would be better than putting shackles on myself through soul engraving.”

“Haha. Child, soul engraving is said to be great, but that only applies to lower realms. Once you achieve a spirit body, soul engraving becomes nothing to worry about. If soul engraving were still alive, how could I sacrifice this manor’s disciples for my own benefit? Even if it’s a small sacrifice for the greater cause, if soul engraving were alive, it would never be an easy decision.”

“Are you saying that reaching the Spirit Body Stage allows you to escape soul engraving?”

“Even if not completely, the restrictions almost disappear. And yet you can continue receiving the sect’s support, so how could this not be delightful? Hahaha.”

“It seems you have something good happening? You’re responding to my words so enthusiastically.”

While conversing with the Old Monster, Kang Hyeon suddenly felt that his attitude was very different from before and asked.

“Didn’t I already tell you? The formation technique will soon be complete.”

“Is that so remarkable?”

“By binding thirteen Soul-Binding Pillars together, I’ll completely control the interior of these ruins. When that happens, all the life force inside the ruins will be sucked into the Soul-Binding Pillars, and that life force will again gather and condense above this formation technique.”

“You mean to take that massive life force?”

“Even though I’ve achieved a spirit body, I can’t accept it directly. I’ll use that life force for pill refining.”

“Pill refining…”

Kang Hyeon thought of the pill core at the mention of pill refining and closed his mouth.

“Hehe. Does thinking of your fate make you feel hopeless?”

The Old Monster mocked Kang Hyeon.

But since those words were true, Kang Hyeon couldn’t reply otherwise.

“What do you mean by fate?”

At that moment, In Deok asked Kang Hyeon as if frustrated by not understanding the conversation.

“He means to use us as materials for pill refining.”

“Well, I knew we’d face something terrible from the moment we got caught by that Old Monster. It’s nothing new.”

Even at Kang Hyeon’s words about becoming materials for pill refining, In Deok showed an indifferent reaction.

He seemed completely unconcerned, as if he had already prepared for death.

Even Kang Hyeon couldn’t help but be surprised by In Deok’s attitude.

“Are you okay? Even though you’ll be ground up by that Old Monster to become pill refining material?”

“Well, if that’s fate, there’s nothing I can do about it.”

In Deok replied like that to Kang Hyeon’s surprised question.

But when Kang Hyeon looked closely, there was firmness in his eyes.

Those were definitely not the eyes of someone who had prepared for death.

A belief that they could definitely escape this crisis – that was what resided deep in In Deok’s eyes.

‘Why?’

Kang Hyeon felt puzzled by In Deok’s gaze.

But the next moment, he realized the reason from the look In Deok was giving him.

‘This guy is just trusting me. That I’ll somehow take care of it.’

The words he had said to In Deok before about having some kind of plan.

Kang Hyeon realized that had become hope, firmly holding In Deok’s resolve together.

‘Sigh, this bastard is putting pressure on me.’

Kang Hyeon inwardly let out a small sigh and turned his gaze to look at the Old Monster.

Now it was time to look for the Old Monster’s weakness again.

“Hehe. But your fate might not necessarily turn out so harsh, so have some hope.”

But the Old Monster caught Kang Hyeon and In Deok’s attention with unexpected words.

“What do you mean by that? Our fate might not be harsh?”

Kang Hyeon asked with an urgent expression.

Though he didn’t have high expectations, he outwardly acted hopeful, intending to make the Old Monster let his guard down.

“Didn’t I tell you? Cheonroemun from Hyeop Province is looking for you. So if they give me greater benefit, naturally I should hand you over to them.”

“Cheonroemun.”

“Since Cheonroemun values you highly, naturally your future will be bright, so how could it compare to the fate of becoming material for my spirit pills? From your perspective, it would be the best possible outcome.”

“That would be true. Then how can we know that result?”

“Hehe, are you finally getting anxious? But don’t worry. I’ve already sent a reply to Cheonroemun regarding the Great Alliance’s commission, so we just need to wait for an answer.”

“By reply to the Great Alliance’s commission, do you mean that golden paper you used before?”

“Yes, that’s right. That’s the proof you can obtain when you receive a commission from the Great Alliance. You write the completion or changes to the commission on it and send it, then the client receives it and makes a judgment.”

“So you’re saying you wrote about In Deok and me on that paper and sent it?”

“Would that be all? I’m planning to use you two as materials for my pill refining, so I also asked if they could offer greater benefits than that.”

“You wrote such content as well?”

“I cannot include lies in a request to the Great Alliance, so it was only natural.”

“Then when will Cheonroemun receive that paper, review it, and give an answer? Can such a thing be accomplished in just a day or two?”

Hyeop Province and this place, Nok Province, are separated by an immense distance.

So how could they possibly negotiate across such a vast distance?

It might be possible through the mysteries of the Great Alliance, but Kang Hyeon couldn’t even begin to fathom any part of it.

“Since I sent the request document to the Great Alliance, they will send another request document from there to Cheonroemun in Hyeop Province. After that, it’s a matter of how quickly Cheonroemun responds, but since I said using you two as pill refining materials was urgent, Cheonroemun will also hurry their reply.”

“If that answer is delayed…”

“What is there to say? You two will both have to become the pill cores of the spirit pills I’ll refine. Kekeke.”

“How much time is left? The red energy in the sky is growing so thick, it seems the Life Chain Curse’s spell technique has already ripened completely.”

“Keke, you seem quite anxious. But there’s no need to worry so desperately right now. Even when all the life energy condenses in the Life Chain Curse, I won’t immediately put you into the pill furnace.”

“Then…”

“Pill cores go in during the final process of pill refining. So I just need to add the pill core materials when the pill refining nears completion. So if there’s no answer from Cheonroemun by then, or if there is an answer before that but it’s insufficient, that’s when I’ll put you into the pill furnace.”

“Hmm.”

At the Old Monster’s words, Kang Hyeon let out a groan and closed his mouth.

Now that he somewhat understood the situation that would unfold ahead, he needed to determine the moment he would make his move based on that.

“I can see that you, young child, are still scheming to escape from my grasp.”

But toward such Kang Hyeon, the Old Monster spoke as if he knew everything.

Kang Hyeon raised his head and looked at him with quiet eyes.

“You weren’t obedient from the beginning, and you don’t seem to be the type to give up easily or despair. So how could I not guess your inner thoughts? But you know it’s useless no matter what, right? No matter how hard you try, it would be impossible to break the blood binding I’ve cast with my blood. Kekeke.”

The Old Monster laughed as if mocking Kang Hyeon, then closed his eyes again and didn’t move at all.

But even with the Old Monster in such a state, Kang Hyeon could do nothing.

Right now the Old Monster had his eyes closed, but he would be clearly observing Kang Hyeon and In Deok’s every move.

Even Kang Hyeon and In Deok, who were merely at the Qi Accumulation stage, had almost no restrictions in surveying their surroundings whether their eyes were closed or open, so what more could be said of a Spirit Body Stage Monk.

‘I need to target when that bastard is doing pill refining. If he reaches the peak of pill refining, there will naturally be moments when he’s greatly concentrated and can’t pay attention to other things. I need to target that moment to absorb that bastard’s blood that entered my body, summon Trent, and open the Mystic Realm. I need to execute everything in an instant so that bastard can’t respond, otherwise In Deok and I will truly have no choice but to leave our fate to luck.’

There was no telling what kind of answer Cheonroemun would give.

If lucky, he might be able to go to Cheonroemun in Hyeop Province with the Old Monster’s help, but if not, the fate of becoming medicinal pill ingredients awaited.

‘Now, the blood energy in the sky is growing thicker, so it seems the Life Chain Curse’s spell technique is getting stronger. Old man, isn’t it time you should start pill refining? Don’t tell me you’re delaying pill refining while waiting for Cheonroemun’s answer?’

Kang Hyeon’s thoughts were complicated as he looked at the Old Monster.

An opportunity would only arise once pill refining began, but the Old Monster sat with his eyes closed without budging, making him gradually anxious.

Zzuuung! Uuung!

Just then, a small movement occurred in front of the Old Monster who had his eyes closed.

It was a spatial distortion similar to the one where the golden paper had been thrown in before, so Kang Hyeon somewhat anticipated what would happen next.

And just as he expected, the spatial distortion stabilized and formed a passage, from which the golden paper revealed itself again.

“Keheh, the answer has finally come.”

When the golden paper appeared, the Old Monster who had been sitting motionless opened his eyes and reached out to pull the paper toward him.

The Old Monster then held the paper and injected spiritual energy to check its contents.

“Hmm? They’re doing it this way?”

But as the Old Monster examined the paper, he muttered with a surprised expression and glanced at Kang Hyeon and In Deok.

“Hyeon, what do you think the contents are?”

At the Old Monster’s reaction, In Deok approached and sat next to Kang Hyeon with an anxious expression.

“Who knows? Seeing that Old Monster surprised, it seems there’s an answer he didn’t expect, but I can’t guess at all.”

“If the answer from Cheonroemun was about paying a generous price to take us back, he wouldn’t have made such an expression, right?”

In Deok asked this, seemingly having similar thoughts to Kang Hyeon, and Kang Hyeon nodded slightly to show his agreement.

“Keke, yes. If we do it this way, it would be a trade I could be fully satisfied with too. Indeed. Kahahaha. Good, very good. It’s an unexpected proposal, but not bad. Not bad at all.”

Just then, the Old Monster seemed to have finished reading the paper and muttered with a pleased expression while laughing loudly.

He was deliberately raising his voice, as if wanting Kang Hyeon and In Deok to hear his words and become curious.

“Elder, could we also know what answer Cheonroemun sent?”

Finally, Kang Hyeon stepped forward first and asked the Old Monster about the contents of Cheonroemun’s reply.

Then the Old Monster looked at Kang Hyeon and spoke with a grinning face.

“Keke, curious?”

“Yes… we are.”

“Well, there’s no reason to delay, so I’ll tell you the answer.”

When Kang Hyeon hesitated and answered, feeling something ominous, the Old Monster readily agreed to tell them the answer.

So as Kang Hyeon looked at him expectantly.

“Come, come here.”

The Old Monster reached out and pulled In Deok toward him.

“Wait, what’s going on? Why are you taking In Deok?”

“Let go of this! Let go! Hyeon! Hyeon!”

Kang Hyeon protested to the Old Monster as if objecting, and In Deok shouted as he was dragged out of the cage through the gaps between the pillars.

But the Old Monster, as if he had no interest in how the two were making a fuss, dragged In Deok and suspended him in the void about half a zhang away.

“Kahaha. You said you were curious about Cheonroemun’s answer? I’ll tell you.”

With In Deok suspended in the void, the Old Monster picked up the golden paper he had briefly set down and held it out toward Kang Hyeon and In Deok once each before pulling it back.

Of course, even doing this, Kang Hyeon and In Deok, who couldn’t move spiritual energy at all, couldn’t know its contents.

“The content is simple. Cheonroemun said to send only this fellow who possesses Thunder Gold’s Heavenly Spirit Root. As for you, young one, they said it would be fine to just use you as material for my pill refining.”

“What does that mean….”

“They said to use Hyeon as pill refining material?! Cheonroemun did? That’s a lie!”

“Hehe, do I have any reason to lie to you? You’ll be returning to Cheonroemun in Hyeop Province anyway and will never cross paths with me again, won’t you?”

The Old Monster said this and then sent the golden paper flying to stick it on In Deok’s chest.

Then he put his hand into his sleeve again and took out several items, sending them flying toward In Deok.

Kang Hyeon saw that these were some of the items taken from In Deok’s storage pouch.

“They’re trivial things, but they’re yours, so take them back with you.”

“W-wait!”

“H-Hyeon!”

Kang Hyeon instinctively sensed that the Old Monster was about to send In Deok somewhere and urgently called out to him.

And In Deok also seemed to sense that he would be separated from Kang Hyeon and urgently called out to him.

But both their wishes crumbled futilely with a single gesture from the Old Monster.

Wooooong! Swooosh!

In an instant, the golden paper stuck to In Deok’s chest emitted a brilliant light, and the next moment In Deok’s body disappeared as if melting into the void space.

“In Deok!”

When In Deok disappeared, Kang Hyeon couldn’t contain his sense of emptiness and called out to him desperately.

“How touching indeed. But child, if you truly care for that fellow, you should rather be happy. You will become material for my pill refining here, but your friend will return to Cheonroemun and receive precious treatment, so how could this be something to be sad about.”

“….”

At the Old Monster’s words, Kang Hyeon didn’t respond and closed his mouth.

The shock of being separated from In Deok was considerable, but when he thought about it, the Old Monster’s words weren’t wrong.

However.

‘There was a way for us to be safe together without having to separate!’

How could he not feel regretful about this?

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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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