Acting
Acting
「Jirak Cultivation Chronicle Gallery.」
「Title: I'm a Dual Spiritual Root owner, and it took me three days just to become a cultivator.」
(Meme of the OP cheering for breaking through to Qi Refining 1st Layer)
As soon as I entered the sect, because I have Dual Spiritual Roots, I wasn't as good as those silver-spoon Heavenly Spiritual Roots, but I was assigned right away under a Core Formation master.
But since I couldn't become a cultivator right away in one go, I had to live while getting glared at.
Fuck, the spiritual qi concentration was high tier, so I thought I'd become one right away. What the hell is this?
Anyway, now that I've reached Qi Refining, all those senior and junior brothers who ignored me are fucking dead.
「Upvotes: 256」 「Downvotes: 5」
「Comments」
- Dual Spiritual Root and High spiritual qi concentration? Three days is pretty average, though?
└ (OP) Three days in real-world time.
└ (Cultivator emote saying 'For real?'), Then how long did it take inside the game?
└ (OP) Roughly a little under two months.
- Lmao, consider yourself lucky your master didn't beat you to death.
- I have fucking Heavenly Spiritual Roots, and because I didn't reach Qi Refining within three days of game time, my master expelled me.
└ (OP) Wait, so you're saying it has to be done within a day? Is that even possible?
└ It is possible. Heavenly Spiritual Root + High or above spiritual qi concentration + high initial qi sensing stat combined, it's possible within one day of game time.
└ (OP) Aren't those all random factors?
└ + High-level introductory cultivation technique.
└ (OP) Fucking luck-based dogshit game.
「Title: (Info Post) Average Time to Reach Qi Refining by Spiritual Root Type.」
Spiritual qi concentration set to Medium.
Cultivation technique standardized as the Realm Common Introductory Technique: Breathing Technique.
Five Spiritual Roots - 2 to 3 months.
Four Spiritual Roots - 1.5 to 2.5 months.
Three Spiritual Roots - 20 days to 1 month.
Dual Spiritual Roots - 10 to 20 days.
Heavenly Spiritual Roots - 5 to 7 days.
These factors are purely for reference and are by no means absolute.
Someone with Heavenly Spiritual Roots might take a year, while someone with Five Spiritual Roots might do it in a single day.
Jirak Cultivation Chronicles is a great game, but the initial random RNG elements are harsh and there are many variables, so don't reroll just because it takes a long time.
I, the author, also have Three Spiritual Roots, but I entered Qi Refining in just 10 days.
The reason it was possible was due to Medium-High spiritual qi concentration, total support from my master, a high initial qi sensing stat, and a high-efficiency training technique.
It's just that many people can't get a feel for it because there's no status window, but if the player has even a little bit of intuition, reaching Qi Refining is easy.
Breaking through minor realms in Qi Refining is just a matter of gathering spiritual qi in secluded cultivation anyway.
The real wailing starts during major realm breakthroughs.
So, let's not get frustrated during Qi Refining, but work hard to walk the Great Dao of Cultivation.
「Upvotes: 6124」 「Downvotes: 135」
- Info posts get an automatic upvote.
- I'm a Five Spiritual Roots user, and when I couldn't reach Qi Refining for a year, my master smashed my head open.
- But what does 'player intuition' mean? Just pure real-world talent?
└ ('For real' emote) This relies heavily on personal talent too.
└ (Cultivation gallery user getting struck dead by heavenly tribulation emote) No, I played a game because I hated having no talent, do I have to feel the talent gap here too?
└ ??? : Another reality. With your real-world body.
└ Fuck.
"Ooh, reached the complete peak of Qi Refining 1st Layer."
Wasn't the spiritual qi concentration at the lowest tier? Or does our mistress's cave abode have a function to gather spiritual qi?
After reaching the 1st Layer of Qi Refining, I didn't even get up from my spot and kept gathering spiritual qi.
Gathering and gathering with such concentration, it was only when I felt my dantian become completely full that I opened my eyes.
"........."
Our mistress was looking down at me with her eyes half-closed.
In her gaze, there was no longer boredom, but clear vigilance.
"How long have I been here?"
"Three days."
No wonder my legs were shaking and I felt starving.
But wait, I just absent-mindedly went AWOL from work for three days because I was training.
"I am sorry, Jeokryeon-nim. I was so immersed in training that I forgot my duty."
"That is not particularly important."
"Ugh!"
Jeokryeon's merciless hand grabbed my neck and lifted me into the air.
Before I knew it, a bloody sword in her hand was pointed at me.
"Did you hide your realm? For what purpose did you come to me? Don't tell me, has information leaked to the outside?"
"No, you brought me here after inspecting everything, is this fair?"
"Be quiet. Only answer what you are asked."
Jeokryeon's sword dug into my abdomen.
N-No! My precious baby is in there!
"Is it really that much of a problem that I became a cultivator?!"
Before the sword went deeper, I even dropped formal speech and tried to stop her.
At my heated reaction, Jeokryeon replied coldly.
"It wouldn't be a problem. If you were normal."
"What, I could just be an abnormality, couldn't I?"
"An abnormality? Ha!"
Jeokryeon snorted and pushed her arm forward.
The sensation of the sword cutting through my skin was not pleasant at all.
"This Dead Spirit Realm is a place where the heaven and earth spiritual qi is the absolute rock bottom among all the Beomingye. It is not quite at the level of the Era of Dharma Decline, but it can be said that there is no Beomingye beneath us."
Jeokryeon growled softly in her refined voice.
"The vast majority of cultivators use any means necessary just to gather a tiny bit of spiritual qi. They suck the essence blood and souls of mortals down to the marrow, and are hell-bent on snatching everything from other cultivators. If there's a spiritual vein where even a sliver of spiritual qi gathers, a bloodbath is a daily occurrence."
It seems the Dead Spirit Realm I am in is in an even harsher state than the range displayed by the system.
Seeing Jeokryeon, who always seemed composed, get this worked up.
"Yet in such a place, despite having neither Heavenly Spiritual Roots nor a special lineage, you became a Qi Refining cultivator in a single day—no, in just a few hours—and achieved the complete peak of the 1st Layer within three days. This is not a matter of talent. It is a matter of resources."
"But what can I do when it happened? Do you think I knew it would turn out like this?"
"My, seeing how brazen you are, you must have a considerable backer."
I smirked and nodded my head.
"My backer is right in front of me. You."
"Joking until the very end? Fine, let's see if you can still stay calm after your body and mind are tortured."
Jeokryeon threw me down onto the floor.
She was no longer regarding me as a toy to play with, but as half an enemy.
"Pain."
"Ugh!"
At a single syllable, my chest felt like it was tearing apart in agony.
The token I was treasuring inside my robes trembled violently in response.
"No matter what means you use, you had better abandon any thought of escaping. The torture of our Blood Lotus Palace is notorious even in the Dead Spirit Realm. I hope we can make this easy and quick. I don't have much time."
"Kkaaaak!"
It hurts! My real body probably isn't in pain, but I end up falling for the illusion.
[Immersion level has reached a dangerous threshold. Would you like to log out? Or fast-forward time?]
Seeing as Cera Unit 2 sent a warning, this clearly wasn't a normal situation.
Seeing this, my mind suddenly snapped back to alertness, allowing me to ignore the pain.
'Get out of here! I'm totally fine!'
My immersion almost broke completely.
The system backed off at my single word.
Putting on the performance of a lifetime, I rolled around on the floor, groaning in agony.
How much time had passed? Just as my throat went hoarse from screaming so much, Jeokryeon withdrew her hand.
"Do you feel like talking now?"
"Can't it really be that I'm just a genius? Someone who can just pull in non-existent spiritual qi."
"It seems you still have the leeway to joke around, huh?"
Sick of torture, Jeokryeon lifted my bloody head and met my eyes.
"Enough. Even if your mind becomes a total idiot, it's better to move quickly."
Flames burned within her red eyes.
The swirling, whirling flames were soon dancing upon my pupils as well.
"... Ugh, Soul-Stealing Art?"
"You seem to have read Essentials of Cultivating the Dao thoroughly? Or did you already know about it?"
A spell that manipulates the target's mind—if I fail to resist, I will completely lose control of my avatar and become a puppet.
'I might actually die here.'
"Now, look at me. Everything you know......"
— Jeokryeon, come out.
"........."
Tuk.
The strength left Jeokryeon's hand, causing my head to slam into the ground.
She muttered in a voice while biting her lip lightly.
"... You're lucky. I'll see you when I return."
"I'm telling you I'm not, you crazy bitch."
My final words failed to reach her and faded away.
I let out a sigh of relief that I had survived for now.
"Haa, she's so damn suspicious."
I get it, though.
Honestly, I don't get it at all, but I pretend I do.
"Aigoo, looks like it's ending like this."
I stared blankly up at the ceiling.
It seems this life ends here after all.
The moment Jeokryeon gets back, she'll probably pop open my brain.
"Ha, I loved you."
She was pretty, at least.
Lowering my head like the male lead of a tragic romance, I tried to log out.
"What do you mean, you loved me?"
"Mommy!"
A seductive voice suddenly whispered in my ear.
I freaked out and collapsed right onto the pool of blood I had spilled.
"Pfft, it seems you really are innocent."
"Eheh?"
There stood Jeokryeon, whom I thought had gone outside, wearing a faint smile.
While calming my startled heart, I tried to figure out the situation.
"Have you been fooling me this whole time?"
"I'm sorry. This cultivation world is far too treacherous to just gloss over someone's talent."
"Come to think of it, I'm bound to you. If you just give an order, shouldn't I be forced to obey unconditionally?"
"There are more than enough secret techniques to easily bypass something of that level. In the first place, the Master-Servant Spell I cast on you isn't that high-grade of a technique, so aside from pain and restrictions, it carries no compelling force."
Exhausted, I collapsed.
I was completely played.
"So, are your doubts cleared?"
"About 50%?"
"What about the other half?"
"Your background, your talent... and various other things?"
"That's a damn lot."
If I had known it would be like this, I would've taken it easy.
I let out a sigh for who knows how many times now.
Covering her mouth, Jeokryeon giggled and tossed me a bottle.
"Drink up, you should be able to move around."
"Yessir......"
I downed the spiritual water that was as dark as coffee.
My entire body grew hot, and my internal and external injuries healed one after another.
"Thanks."
"My, expressing gratitude to an enemy who almost killed you?"
"You saved me once. Let's call it even."
Jeokryeon covered her mouth and burst out laughing heartily.
"Pfffft! Hearing that makes giving you my body worthwhile."
"You gave me what?"
"My body."
Blushing slightly on her cheeks, Jeokryeon placed a hand over her chest.
"The Spirit Gathering Array set up in this cave abode gathers spiritual qi, but it's only enough to give a tiny breathing room. So, where did the spiritual qi you gathered all this time come from?"
"... Uh."
I stared dumbfoundedly at Jeokryeon.
Was it an illusion? It felt like I could see certain prominent areas protruding through her clothes.
"You sucked it out quite passionately. If my realm had been lower, I might have turned into a mummy?"
She uttered those cryptic words and gestured for me to follow her.
Swallowing my uncomfortable feeling, I sluggishly shuffled behind her.
'Did I install an R-18 DLC? That still has a long way to go before passing ratings approval, though?'
Not easy.
Our mistress is really not easy.
Jeokryeon led me to a study prepared on one side of the cave abode.
A few paper books in the study flew out on their own and dropped before me.
"In high regard of your talent, I shall give you these. They are spells and cultivation techniques I collected during my Qi Refining days."
"Every single one of them is far removed from the Demonic Path, though?"
"Mhm, do you want to become a demonic cultivator?"
If it were fun, I'd dig into both the Demonic Path and the Righteous Path, but I shook my head, feeling that wasn't the answer Jeokryeon wanted to hear.
"Hmph, how ambiguous. Well, whatever the case, I hope you pull your own weight properly. I hope bringing you here doesn't end up being a simple whim."
"I'll work hard to—"
While examining the cultivation techniques, I held the last several books caught in my hands and fell speechless.
Jade Pillow Spring Color Record, Secret Manual of Dual Cultivation, Senior Brother, Please Lock the Door, The Immortal Maiden's Secret Training Log, Guneun Cheongunsang——.
Worldly items far removed from cultivation techniques dazzled my eyes.
Hwarreureuk!
The books were burned all at once.
I quickly dusted off my hands, and Jeokryeon was smiling.
"Did you see that? For your information, those aren't mine; they're looted goods."
She was smiling, but the tips of her ears were red.
I said with a warm expression.
"Everyone has a pure heart of youth. I understand."
"Die."
It was a day where I caught a glimpse of another side of Jeokryeon.
"How far along is the ritual's progress?"
"It is smooth. We only need to gather spiritual qi."
"Are the disciples dispatched to other realms not back yet?"
"They will arrive soon. Please do not worry."
The faceless one muttered.
"What has Jeokryeon been up to lately?"
"It seems she picked up a toy in Withered Death Valley. She has been completely absorbed in it lately."
"Tsk, leave her be."
The faceless one stared at the woman placed at the center of the altar.
"Until the time for the ritual comes, we should let her enjoy life. However, warn her to make sure she preserves her chastity."
"I will keep that in mind."