Chapter 157: Chapter 154- I Don’t Want to Hurt You

Spiritual Realm cultivators.

Who are they? Or rather, what are they?

Well, depending on the person you ask, the answer will be different.

For aspiring cultivators, a Spiritual Realm cultivator was a grand existence that could easily level a medium-sized city. With that kind of power, they almost seem like Immortal Deities.

As for someone who was just starting out in their cultivation journey, they see Spiritual Realm cultivators as people with immense power they aim to become, as well as people they should avoid at all costs for fear of being killed.

And for people in the Mortal Realm that opened acupoints in more than two limbs, they see Spiritual Realm cultivators as future adversaries that they would have to fight to get stronger.

To become a Spiritual Realm Cultivator, one has to open the acupoints in their bodies and break their physical shackles by opening their Mortal Palace.

But that wasn’t as easy as it sounds.

Opening all of the acupoints in two of your limbs could allow you to circulate Aether Energy in your body enough to unlock your Mortal Palace. But after entering the Spiritual Realm you would be the weakest Spiritual Realm cultivator there is.

The more acupoints you opened in the Mortal Realm, the more Aether Energy you’ll be able to circulate in your body, as well as increase your cultivation speed. Opening all the acupoints in four of your limbs would make you one of the strongest Spiritual Realm cultivators in Jianghu upon entering the Spiritual Realm. It gives you the potential to go further than 70% of cultivators in Jianghu.

The Spiritual Realm isn’t just desired because of the immense increase in one’s vitality, but because of the power they would be able to wield.

Faster, stronger, and an abundance of Aether Energy.

The difference between the Spiritual Realm and the Mortal Realm was like drinking from a well as opposed to drinking from a small bucket.

The increase in one’s Martial Skills power output due to their overflowing access to Aether Energy was simply terrifying.

However, with a fully fledge Spiritual Realm cultivator’s power established, what about someone that was neither in the Spiritual Realm nor the Mortal Realm?

What about a Quasi-Spiritual Realm cultivator?

Someone who was infinitesimally close to opening their Mortal Palace and entering the Spiritual Realm.

This was the strongest existence below the Spiritual Realm. But even among these existences, there are levels.

One which is thought to be impossible was a cultivator who can open the acupoints in four of their limbs as well as their torso; fully opening all the acupoints in their body.

The torso contains one’s vital organs, so if one made a wrong step trying to open an acupoint near their heart, they could die. Because of this, people shy away from opening acupoints in their torso. They were just never meant to be opened.

The second strongest type was someone that opened all the acupoints in four of their limbs.

The amount of Aether Energy they could wield wasn’t comparable to someone fully in the Spiritual Realm, but to someone that has the acupoints in three or two of their limbs fully open, they were terrifying existences.

Yun-Soo was standing right in front of such an existence.

The power Ji-Hoon was now radiating sent shivers down his spine as someone who has only opened the acupoints in one of his limbs.

“You—You bastard! You were hiding your true cultivation?!”

Yun-Soo couldn’t help but roar out in fear and anger.

“What are you all doing?! Kill him!!”

With the command of Yun-Soo, the eight red robe figures gritted their teeth and stepped towards Ji-Hoon.

Three of these eight disciples were less nervous as they had opened acupoints in three of their limbs, one of them had even started on their fourth. He was slightly muscular, and from his older appearance, it could be seen he was a third-year, similar to the other two.

This muscular disciple took the lead followed by the other seven disciples.

However, it was no use.

The muscular disciple appeared in front of Ji-Hoon with a clenched fist. He used a Fist-type Martial Skill that resulted in the muscles in his arm doubling in size, before he threw out a punch.

“HAAA!!”

With a loud roar behind this fist-strike the muscular disciple put everything into it from the get-go.

BOOOM!!

The ground cracked and massive shockwaves of Aether Energy exploded outward, causing all the dust that rose into the air to be decimated.

The result of this muscular disciple’s attack was clear for all to see.

Ji-Hoon had blocked his fist with the side of his sword, which was glowing with a fiery red aura.

The aura around the sword was so tranquil and stable that it caused the muscular disciple’s pupils to constrict in fear.

Even with all of his strength, which was multiplied by his Martial Skill, he was unable to disturb the Aether Energy around Ji-Hoon’s sword.

Terrifying.

Someone with all the acupoints in four of their limbs opened was just too terrifying.

Bang!

Before the muscular disciple could react, Ji-Hoon’s leg lashed out and viciously kicked in his sternum. He then flew back while coughing out a mouthful of blood.

One of the other red robe disciples was unlucky enough to be in the way and he coughed out a mouth full of blood as he was hit by his fellow disciple.

The six remaining disciples still rushed towards Ji-Hoon hoping to overpower him with numbers, but with one slash of his sword, two of the red robe disciples flew back with a fountain of blood spurting out from their chests.

The remaining four disciples suddenly halted in their tracks and immediately started back-peddling.

In the face of such strength, numbers were completely useless.

The Alchemy Disciples seeing this felt their scalps go numb.

Having just witnessed Ji-Hoon being surrounded by cultivators more powerful than them but easily coming out on top, made them realize it could have been them.

Some of the Alchemy Disciples immediately began retreating while cursing themselves that they were foolish enough to be chasing after Ji-Hoon while he was trying to escape.

Let him escape all he wants!

However, some of the Alchemy Disciples remain where they were still glaring at Ji-Hoon as if they were about to attack.

Yun-Soo had already retreated long ago, and as he reached the alchemy disciples, he roared at them angrily.

“What are you bastards doing?! Are you going to let a Demonic Cult spy get away after killing a disciple of the Martial Alliance Academy?! Wait until it gets out that the Alchemy Pavilion is in cahoots with the Demonic Cult. I’ll make sure you people never enter this dimension again in this lifetime!! GO!!!”

Yun-Soo suddenly grabbed one of the alchemy disciples and kicked him towards Ji-Hoon.

That disciple stumbled forward but soon gritted his teeth and charged toward Ji-Hoon.

It was true. What would people outside think after they heard a Demonic Cult spy infiltrate their Alchemy Pavilion and killed a disciple?

Not only that, but they merely watched as this spy of the Demonic Cult escaped.

They had to at least try, just so they could say they weren’t able to stop him from escaping.

More of the Alchemy Disciples gritted their teeth and charged at Ji-Hoon.

Yun-Soo grinned maliciously before blending into the crowd, planning to use to chaos to launch a sneak attack.

Ji-Hoon saw the Alchemy Disciples approaching, but he sheathed his sword and chose to run away.

However, a gale of wind suddenly appeared behind him.

“Where do you think you’re going?!!”

The muscular disciple roared as a three-meter-tall illusory golem from the mythical Golem race materialized behind him.

This was his Innate Dharma, and a powerful one at that with an extraordinary affinity for the earth element.

The illusory golem overlapped with the muscular youth’s body as he threw out a punch.

This time Ji-Hoon was not as relaxed while facing this acttack, he quickly spun around and crossed his arms.

His Innate Dharma in the form of fiery chains appeared and wrapped around his forearms to block the muscular youth’s fist.

BANG!!

Ji-Hoon groaned slightly as he slid back from the force of the blow.

Being so close to the Spiritual Realm, his Innate Dharma had gone through some of its expected evolution and became partially corporeal.

That was the only reason he was able to use it to block the attack in time. However, due to this attack, his escape was delayed, allowing the Alchemy Disciples to approach him.

Ji-Hoon dodged their somewhat pathetic attempts at throwing a punch and their lackluster weapon strikes from some with swords or sabers.

“I don’t want to hurt you. Get back!”

Ji-Hoon was getting frustrated, so he controlled his Innate Dharma to forcefully shove away the Alchemy Disciples.

However, as the ones at the front was knocked back without injuries, the ones at the back stepped over them and rushed to attack him.

Ji-Hoon seeing this snapped and killing intent sprung up in his eyes.

Swoosh!

His sword suddenly swung out and the Alchemy Disciple in the path of this sword froze when he saw Ji-Hoon’s sword about to severe his neck.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep