Chapter 15: Cultivation Talent
'He is fast… Fire Explosion Talisman, activate!'
Ethan barely saw the incoming attack, and as he prepared, he didn't bother to dodge; instead, he activated the talisman.
"Huh? You are quite alert."
'Slash'
Shadow Lu was surprised that Ethan was able to activate a talisman in his current situation.
However, he was fast enough to slash Ethan's neck, killing him instantly before he gently jumped backwards to avoid the explosion caused by the talisman.
'Boom'
In the next instant, the talisman fully activated, erupting in a powerful explosion that sent shockwaves rippling through the air.
The force of the blast hurled Ethan's body off the edge of the cliff, plunging him into the misty abyss below.
'Since there is no corpse to prove my kill, I can only let them see my memory.'
Looking at the mist-covered abyss from the cliff's edge, Shadow Lu shook his head.
Sharing his memories of today's events was not a problem for Lu; however, it was a painful process that he didn't like.
Nevertheless, to claim the reward, he didn't have a choice but to go through with it.
'Anyway, the mission was completed much sooner than I expected.'
Shadow Lu comforted himself with the duration of the mission before disappearing into the shadows.
From beginning to end, Shadow Lu could never have imagined that every detail—the location, the delayed talisman explosion, even the fall from the cliff—was all meticulously orchestrated within the scope of Ethan's plan.
…
'Ding,
The [Godly Revival Ability] has been triggered. The host will be revived in one hour.
'Ding,
The host has received 99 Life Points.
'Ding,
Generating the [Interface of Killer's Stats] for the host to purchase items from. Please wait.'
A series of system notifications woke Ethan, but he quickly spent one Life Point to buy [Soul Sight] to observe his Death Point.
'The plan… it finally worked. I no longer have to worry about the [Eternal Shadow Guild].'
Seeing that his corpse had fallen into the misty abyss, Ethan was elated and next checked the assassin who had killed him while waiting for the [Interface of Killer's Stats].
Whenever Ethan revived, the head in the assassin's storage ring would disappear, making them come searching for it.
If he killed them, a new assassin would come for him, seeking revenge for their fallen guild member.
Thus, Ethan found a solution to break the vicious cycle with the [Eternal Shadow Guild]: he had to make his corpse unavailable to the assassin who killed him.
Without his corpse, no one would come back searching for it, and Ethan could finally go away and live his new life in peace.
'Phew… he finally left.'
Watching Shadow Lu leave, Ethan finally heaved a sigh of relief as he checked the information on his new killer.
'Ding,
Killer's Name: Shadow Lu.
Cultivation: Level 1 Foundation Establishment Realm.
Lifespan: 75 / 500.
Note: A Foundation Establishment Cultivator has an average lifespan of 250 years.
'No wonder he is a Foundation Establishment Cultivator.'
When Lu slashed his neck, Ethan had barely been able to activate his talisman. So, after seeing the strength of his assassin, Ethan understood the reason and became even more excited for the [Interface of Killer's Stats].
'Also, how the hell did he increase his lifespan by 250 years?'
Other than the cultivation, the killer's lifespan caught Ethan's attention.
While he was shocked at the killer's lifespan, the [Interface of Killer's Stats] appeared in front of Ethan, making him shift his focus.
Looking at the items in the [Interface of Killer's Stats], Ethan was momentarily shocked before becoming excited.
'Ding,
[Interface of Killer's Stats]
1) [Cultivation] Level 1 Foundation Establishment Stage - 1000 Life Points.
2) [Cultivation Technique] Shadow Steps (Great Completion Stage) - 1000 Life Points.
3) [Inventory] Rank 1 Spirit Plant Seeds - 100 Life Points.
4) [Cultivation Talent] Essence of Harvesting - 1000 Life Points
Note: The available items in the [Interface of Killer's Stats] will reset in a week. Please buy them before that.
'A Cultivation Talent?'
The last item in the interface pleasantly surprised Ethan, making him immediately interested.
Having a Cultivation Talent in this world would make the cultivation journey slightly easier. So, Ethan wanted it regardless of the benefits that particular talent would bring.
[Available Life Points: 215]
'But the problem is... except for the Rank 1 Seeds, I can't afford anything.'
Suddenly, Ethan realized the problem of not having enough Life Points.
'System, can you suggest ways for me to earn more Life Points?'
If he couldn't buy the items from the [Interface of Killer's Stats] within a week, they would reset, and he would lose the chance.
Ethan wasn't worried about [Cultivation] or [Cultivation Technique], as he could buy them in the future; however, it was rare to get a [Cultivation Talent] unless he was killed by the same assassin again.
He could use the Killer Tracking Talisman to find him, but it was useless if he didn't have enough Life Points.
Hence, Ethan asked the system for alternative methods to earn Life Points.
'Ding,
The host…
'Ding,
Currently, the host has…
'Ding,
Also, there are a few other ways to earn Life Points…'
Soon, a series of system notifications flashed before Ethan's eyes, filling them with tears of joy.