Chapter 15
Chapter 15
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 15
Chapter Title: Initiation Cultivation Method
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Yuk-gyeong bowed his head to the steward's malicious assignment of tasks and replied.
For now, I should just watch and wait. At least he's only assigning me the bad jobs so far.
"None."
Occasional showers had to be avoided.
He couldn't just charge ahead without yielding; there were too many things holding him back.
The other side seemed to be hoping for exactly that. It was blatant insubordination, after all—a perfect excuse to punish him.
Task assignments were the steward's exclusive authority. If he got disciplined for insubordination over nothing, he'd be the only one suffering unjustly.
Yuk-gyeong handled it wisely.
The steward snorted in disappointment and continued.
"Then I'll assign the rest. Bang Seon-yang, you'll clean up the drug residues from the Herb Hall. Yuk Myeong-ho, go to the kitchen crew and cook rice. Jang Mun-yeol, clean the mountain gate. Yu Yeong-yeong, you'll attend to the inner disciples. Stand by so you can go immediately whenever an inner disciple calls for you."
"Yes."
Having assigned the tasks, the steward stood and rummaged through the shelves.
He pulled out five ancient books. The paper was so worn it seemed ready to crumble, stained from countless hands.
"These are cultivation manuals. You must study and practice them while in the Miscellaneous Labor Quarter. Take one each."
The steward distributed the manuals. The initiates lined up and received one each. Yuk-gyeong got his too.
His copy of the Supreme Primordial Yang Chant Scripture was heavily handled, greasy from passing through many hands—not just a day or two.
The manual's name sounded impressive enough that Yuk-gyeong quietly asked Yeong-yeong if the Radiant Moon Sect handed out such profound techniques to initiates.
She said no. It was just a basic one with a fancy name.
The basic Supreme Primordial Yang Chant Scripture contained fundamental breathing methods and meditation techniques. It allowed one to hear the Yang Chant once the Primordial operated...
What did that even mean? Drawing power from the source of the Purple Star to attain enlightenment of all things' origin and hear the divine voice... He had no idea.
Even the preface was driving him mad.
Skipping the preface, he opened to the technique section: "The Way of the world follows different paths but converges at the same point... The Yang Chant is to listen and harmonize... For breathing, the first breath deeply, the second breath..."
"Whoa... this is complicated. What does any of this mean?"
The breathing method was described in exhaustive detail: which breaths through the nose, which through the mouth, tongue position, how to visualize the nostrils, and so on—extremely precise.
Reading it, Yuk-gyeong realized how absurd his past attempts at "breathing methods" in lotus position had been.
This wasn't just breathing; it was some bizarre training regimen.
As the initiates pored over their manuals, the steward snapped irritably.
"Once you've all got yours, get out! You green sprouts. If you're late again, I won't let it slide. Start your assigned tasks from today! If you stay in the dorms, a Miscellaneous Labor Quarter servant will guide you!"
The steward yelled and chased all the initiates out.
Thrown out, the initiates stood blankly in front of the steward's office.
Among them, Jang Mun-yeol's face was red with anger, fuming. For someone who craved recognition, getting chewed out by the steward must have been infuriating.
He kept glaring at Yuk-gyeong while grumbling, truly believing Yuk-gyeong's lateness was the cause.
Fallen for his own lie? What an idiot!
Yuk-gyeong had no intention of pointing that out.
Mun-yeol stormed off to the dorms, face flushed.
The remaining two kids, Seon-yang and Myeong-ho, hesitated before heading back too. At least they knew it wasn't Yuk-gyeong's fault.
Only Yeong-yeong, who hadn't returned to the dorms yet, stayed and vented on Yuk-gyeong's behalf. She seemed really pissed at the steward.
"Toilet cleaning? How could he assign that? To someone with a Single Spiritual Root, no less. Toilet duty isn't even a standard task for initiates..."
I see. No wonder Yeong-yeong hadn't mentioned toilet cleaning beforehand.
It was gross, sure, but Yeong-yeong looked even more serious. Was there something else to it?
"I hate toilet cleaning... but your expression looks grim. Beyond it being dirty work, is there more to it?"
Yeong-yeong gave him a pitiful look and explained.
"Toilet duty is filthy, but it gives the least Merit Points. Sure, there's lots of downtime, but if you don't rack up enough here, you'll have less time for cultivation in the outer sect. Cultivating there is better than here, but toilet duty does the opposite."
Filthy and low Merit Points? Damn! Hard work for peanuts!
Back when he was Han Sang-sik, Yuk-gyeong hated jobs that were tough but paid nothing. He always got stuck with them.
Tiny salary, but more work than anyone. He loathed it.
Yuk-gyeong asked,
"If you enter the outer sect with low Merit Points, is there some kind of reprimand?"
"No, but slow progress makes it hard to find a good master. Cultivation speed ties closely to talent and aptitude, so even pure Spiritual Root owners get undervalued if they're slow."
So,
Toilet duty was dirty, low-reward, and a future obstacle for master-disciple bonds?
This was worse than he thought.
The current issue was bad, but the future one was huge. Toilet duty was a stumbling block now, but a snowballing bomb later.
No matter how much he took the blame for being late, assigning something this malicious?
Yuk-gyeong sensed deeper malice here. Not just "screw you," but a whiff of profound conspiracy. Not shit smell—something fouler.
He couldn't shake the feeling it tied back to that inner disciple glaring at him during the entrance exam. His gut said yes.
That inner disciple must have pressured the steward from inside to torment him...
Otherwise, why would a steward saddle a total stranger initiate with a non-standard task?
Yuk-gyeong cursed that ugly inner disciple in his mind.
No wonder he looked like bad news—acts like it too!
Last night he worried about the Radiant Moon Sect's future; now it was his own.
Of all people, tangled with an inner disciple—probably from some great clan.
How to navigate this mess?
Eh, whatever. It'll work out somehow.
Yeong-yeong fretted over him for a while longer.
It changed nothing, but Yuk-gyeong felt good having someone mad on his behalf.
For now, off to toilet duty.
.
.
.
Thus, Yuk-gyeong who should have gone to clean toilets.
But he wasn't at the toilets—he was in some grand hall.
A vast building interior.
Suddenly teleporting from outdoors inside felt bizarre. Amazing, yet eerie?
Then a voice came from deeper in.
"Single Spiritual Root one, come here."
Yuk-gyeong was utterly baffled.
He was clearly heading to clean toilets when a gale swept him up, and he opened his eyes in this majestic hall.
The interior was antique and spacious. The furnishings were simple yet luxurious—clearly expensive antiques.
Yuk-gyeong looked around in confusion.
What the hell? I was definitely in the Miscellaneous Labor Quarter... Swept by the wind, and now here. What ghost story is this?
As he dazed, the voice sharpened, gently urging him.
"Single Spiritual Root Yi Yuk-gyeong. Done sightseeing? Come here."
The urging voice carried a strange power, knocking directly on his mind to wake him.
Snapping to, Yuk-gyeong headed toward the voice.
It was faint, but the hall's acoustics made it ring in his ears.
Approaching the source, he saw what looked like a coffin. Or a bed?
An emaciated old man lay there, so skeletal he barely seemed alive.
But the voice had come from there.
Yuk-gyeong approached cautiously.
"My appearance is a sight, eh? No worries. I'm not dying today or tomorrow. Still spry enough."
Eek!
Rude or not, he flinched.
The corpse was speaking!
As he stepped back, the corpse-like elder wheezed with laughter, chest heaving wildly. He didn't seem that close to death—quite lively, even.
The bedridden elder continued in a voice still chuckling.
"A young pup startled by this decrepit body? Weak resolve, weak. Heh heh heh."
Ugh, anyone would jump hearing a corpse talk. Yuk-gyeong grumbled inwardly.
"Disciple Yi Yuk-gyeong greets the elder."
Calming his laughter, the elder coughed dryly and gave his title.
"I'm Mu Ga, holding a minor post in the Radiant Moon Sect. Call me Mu Elder casually."
"Yes, Mu Elder."
A minor post? Lounging in a place like this is "minor"? He screams high rank.
This Mu Elder looked like someone holding major responsibility. Lounging in such fine chambers while claiming a post? Definitely important.
"I called you here for a reason. Sorry for the suddenness, but I have words for you."
"Please speak. This disciple listens."
The elder smiled warmly at his politeness.
"The steward assigned you work in the Miscellaneous Labor Quarter? Ignore it. A Single Spiritual Root wasting time adapting there is nonsense. Right?"
"This disciple harbors no such arrogance. If it's my duty, I'll do it."
"Heh heh. Then you'll diligently clean toilets?"
The elder's tone brimmed with mischief. Pleased by Yuk-gyeong's humility, his voice warmed. With years of social experience, Yuk-gyeong knew he'd scored points.
"If I can avoid it, I'd rather not..."
"Heh heh heh! Haven't laughed like this in ages. Fun lad. How about visiting occasionally to chat with this old man? No, can't drag a young sprout to this musty place."
Musty? Spotless and luxurious.
Plus, this enigmatic elder who seemed high up—worth building rapport with.
"If you don't mind this disciple, I'd gladly visit and keep you company."
"Tsk tsk. No need. But thank you. That heart warms me. You're a humble youth fitting the immortal path."
"You overpraise me."
Hear that, you gatekeeper who said I lacked Immortal Affinity? This mysterious chamber elder says I suit the path.
Yuk-gyeong smugly recalled the forgettable middle-aged man. See? I fit right in.
Mu Elder gazed at him warmly, like a kindly neighbor grandpa, then said,
"Forget the toilets. Go daily to the place I assign for cultivation."
"Cultivation?"
"The immortal path is steady cultivation. Not afraid of solo practice, are you? Think of it as special treatment for a Single Spiritual Root from the sect."
Yuk-gyeong shook his head.
"I'm not afraid of cultivation. I just worry it might breed jealousy in others."
Like those envious stares at the favored. He wasn't really scared—just polite talk. Special treatment? Cultivation? Yes please.
The elder anticipated this.
"Officially, you're doing Miscellaneous Labor Quarter duties. In truth, you'll cultivate in the inner sect. No jealous eyes that way. Sound good?"
"This disciple will follow Mu Elder's words."
"Sharp-tongued rascal. Now go. This old man tires from too much talk. Focus on cultivation—no distractions."
A gale swept in again, whisking Yuk-gyeong away. Back to the dorms, it seemed.
Where the wind had passed, an outer chamber came into view.
'Elder Hall'
.
.
.
Ugh, exhausting.
Yuk-gyeong was ordered to clean toilets but spent his time cultivating elsewhere per the Elder Hall incident, then faked it by lingering near the toilets for minutes.
Still, he admitted toilet duty was horrific—enough to understand Yeong-yeong's outrage. Even faking it nearby left a smell?
After faking it and returning to the dorms, Yuk-gyeong rushed to the well, convinced he reeked of shit, and washed again.
Washed and still smelled it.
Shitting was dirty and tiring.
If he'd actually done it, rebellion would have been justified. Reasonable defiance.
What would real toilet duty entail?
Cleaning the three toilets in his assigned Miscellaneous Labor Quarter area once daily: clean one, rest, clean next, rest, then the last.
But what to do on breaks? Low Merit Points meant starting behind in the main sect.
Outer disciples who don't promote to inner within 20 years get kicked out to be external stewards or manage the sect's inns.
The Radiant Moon Sect's way to prevent outer sect overcrowding.
A cultivation sect with a time-attack realm climb? Brutal.
And he'd waste limited time on toilets.
Would've been nightmare fuel.
Ugh, and tomorrow too. Gotta fake it again.
Whatever. No point worrying about tomorrow today. It'll sort itself.
Time for cultivation.
I'm a cultivator, not a shitter. Better to ponder cultivation than shit. Forget the smell—be grateful to dodge it.
Yuk-gyeong steeled himself.
In the cultivation world, power ruled supreme. Even novel protagonists trusted only their own realm.
Yuk-gyeong pulled out the basic manual the steward gave that morning: the Supreme Primordial Yang Chant Scripture. Afternoon fake duty and mental reset killed his study mood.
Skipping the verbose preface, he dove into the core techniques.
Let's see...
The Primordial is the root of all things. When Primordial incarnates, it is the Heavenly Lord, sovereign of all... Purple Star... root of all...
Eyes spinning, eyes spinning.
Interpreted charitably, it might make sense—but decoding would take forever.
Yuk-gyeong's head throbbed.
Any easy, simple way? Like popping candy—no hassle?
Sighing, he buried his nose back in the manual.
Reading closely for interpretation...
Huh? There's annotations?