An Unexpected Harvest
"Greetings! I’d like to begin by thanking everyone who came to today’s auction!"
An elderly man with a snow-white beard clasped his hands and bowed to the crowd, and the noisy auction hall gradually fell silent.
Everyone stared at the stage with expectant expressions.
"We’ll begin at once. The first item is a First-Rank High-Grade Breaking Foundation Pill!"
"A Breaking Foundation Pill?"
"High-grade first rank? Then it even works for Qi Refining cultivators at the late stage?"
The quiet auction hall erupted into a fresh wave of uproar.
Countless cultivators clenched their fists, and Beom Chang, standing beside him, was no exception.
"Five hundred Spirit Stones!"
At Beom Chang’s unhesitating shout, the entire auction hall fell abruptly silent for a moment.
The Breaking Foundation Pill was a spiritual pill specialized for breaking through minor realms.
If a Qi Refining Sixth Layer cultivator swallowed a First-Rank High-Grade Breaking Foundation Pill, there was an extremely high chance they’d reach the Seventh Layer.
But everything had its price.
"Brother. Are you going to eat the Breaking Foundation Pill? I heard that if you take one, it becomes very hard to break through to core formation later."
"I don’t want to eat it either. But surviving matters more, doesn’t it? We’re heading into a secret realm soon, so I don’t have a choice."
"Hmm..."
Since it was his own decision, Jin Somyeong didn’t try to stop him. He merely nodded when—
"What, are you saying even our Brother Jin wants the Breaking Foundation Pill?"
"I’m fine."
He drew a firm line before Beom Chang, who was eyeing him warily as though afraid someone might steal it away.
As if I’d block my own path.
Jin Somyeong was looking far beyond core formation. He had no intention of swallowing something like the Breaking Foundation Pill and regretting it later.
"We have five hundred Spirit Stones from Booth 17. Any higher?"
"...Five hundred and fifty!"
The auction resumed at speed the moment someone from the first floor called out.
In the end, the Breaking Foundation Pill became Beom Chang’s at the price of seven hundred Spirit Stones.
After that, all kinds of treasures appeared at auction.
Jin Somyeong took part several times as well, but the competition was too fierce. At times, he gave up simply because the price no longer felt worth it.
"Next is... a First-Rank Top-Grade Magical Artifact known as the Boundless Divine Sword!"
"Boundless Divine Sword?"
In the strangely hushed hall, a single sword on the stage drew every eye at once.
A pitch-black longsword, dark as a shadow and stripped of all ornament, exuded an eerie presence that silenced the entire auction hall.
"...How audacious. How can they dare call some first-rank magical artifact a divine sword?"
"Still, it looks impressive enough."
As the murmuring subsided, the auctioneer said,
"This sword is a magical artifact that flowed in from far to the east, not from our Namju cultivation world. It possesses power great enough to be called a divine sword."
The old man gestured behind the stage, and someone emerged dragging a massive boulder.
"Observe!"
The instant the pitch-black treasured sword was gripped and swung.
The Black Rock, famed as the hardest of all first-rank minerals, split cleanly in two.
"Good heavens! It’s unbelievably sharp."
"Not bad."
The old auctioneer, having successfully lifted the atmosphere, laughed and cried out,
"That’s not all! Look at this blade—it has cut through Black Rock without so much as a nick! It is astonishingly sharp and durable! However..."
As though he sincerely hated saying this part, the old man hesitated briefly before speaking quickly.
"Please note that it has no sword-flight function."
"...Wait. What did he just say?"
"It doesn’t have sword-flight?"
"Then how are you supposed to use it? You’re expected to hold it and fight head-on?"
"No way."
The previously heated atmosphere collapsed as though a bucket of cold water had been thrown over it.
"Still! In terms of sharpness alone, it is unquestionably the finest among first-rank top-grade magical artifacts! Bidding begins at three hundred Spirit Stones."
"...Three hundred."
"Three hundred and five!"
The mention of first-rank top-grade sharpness drew a few bidders into the fray.
Watching them, Jin Somyeong’s eyes gleamed. He immediately spoke to Beom Chang.
"Buy that one."
"Huh?"
"I’ll pay the Spirit Stones, so please bid for me."
"Really? Why would you want some defective piece like that... Ah."
As something seemed to occur to him, Beom Chang stopped speaking and let out a sigh.
"Come to think of it, you’re skilled in close combat. That would definitely be useful."
Jin Somyeong nodded.
He ignored everyone else’s opinions and studied the sword called the Boundless Divine Sword in detail.
Hard and sharp... so its pure sword power is top-grade.
If he personally wielded it, the lack of sword-flight would hardly be a weakness.
Maybe not for others, but for him, who practiced martial arts and body refinement, it was an extremely useful magical artifact.
"Three hundred and sixty!"
"Three hundred and seventy!"
...
The price climbed at a glacial pace.
The faces of those shouting bids were full of hesitation, as if they were wondering whether the artifact was truly worth anything at all.
The old man in charge of the auction frowned.
"It may not have sword-flight, but if you use a manipulation art like this, it’s perfectly serviceable! More than usable!"
The moment he cast a spell similar to telekinesis, the Boundless Divine Sword began moving on its own as though it were alive.
It floated in the air and slashed at the surrounding space, as if an invisible man were gripping the sword and swinging it.
The old man had done it to raise the price, but the result was exactly the opposite.
"Huh. That’s too slow."
"Without sword-flight, it’s inconvenient after all. Who’s going to be hit by a blade like that?"
"No thanks!"
The already sluggish bidding came to a dead stop.
Seizing the moment, Jin Somyeong gave Beom Chang a glance.
"Four hundred Spirit Stones!"
"Ah! Four hundred Spirit Stones from Booth 17! Any higher? I’ll count to three before declaring the winner. One, two..."
The auctioneer tried his very best to stall for time, but the result did not change.
Got it!
Jin Somyeong clenched his fist.
He had purchased a first-rank top-grade magical artifact for a mere four hundred Spirit Stones.
If he wielded that treasured sword, his combat power would increase severalfold.
If he fought Beom Chang again, he could subdue him without taking a single injury.
Suddenly, the sword technique he’d been honing came to mind.
How strong would Gangun Sword Art become if I used it with a first-rank top-grade sword?
His hand itched to swing the blade at once, but he forced himself to calm down.
Another item had been brought up for auction.
"This is the first-rank high-grade magical artifact, the Heavenly Thunder Meteor Hammer. Aside from its somewhat excessive qi consumption, this lightning-wielding artifact has no real flaws..."
Time passed quickly.
Before he knew it, the auction had entered its latter half, but Jin Somyeong still hadn’t obtained a defensive magical artifact.
Just as he was starting to feel anxious, at last a robe embroidered with blue bamboo was carried onto the stage.
"This is the Blue Bamboo Dao Robe. As a first-rank top-grade defensive magical artifact, it naturally comes with basic convenience functions such as shape alteration and body temperature maintenance, and if the user is ever placed in danger, it automatically releases a protective qi barrier."
The old man paused for a moment, then grinned.
"As you can tell from the fact that I’ve been explaining each item’s flaws up to now, our Ten Treasure Pavilion values credibility above all else. But! This robe really doesn’t have any notable flaws! Then let bidding begin at seven hundred Spirit Stones."
"Nine hundred!"
"One thousand! Please, fellow daoists, have some mercy! I absolutely need that one."
"Pfft! Mercy? What a joke! One thousand one hundred!"
The price shot up in an instant.
It was only natural that Jin Somyeong, who had secretly coveted the Blue Bamboo Dao Robe, furrowed his brow.
"Brother. Why is that one so expensive?"
"Defensive magical artifacts are expensive to begin with. They’re rare. The first thing to get destroyed when cultivators fight each other is usually a defensive artifact."
"...I see."
As he bit his lip, Jin Somyeong made up his mind.
He would buy that robe even if he had to spend every last Spirit Stone he had left.
After forcing down his excitement, he closed his eyes.
He was waiting for the moment the bids stopped, intending to call out a high price at just the right time.
"One thousand one hundred and fifty!"
"Just a moment. Guest who bid one thousand one hundred and fifty—this item must be bid on in increments of one hundred Spirit Stones!"
"Then one thousand two hundred!"
As everyone competed in a frenzy, a heavy voice rang out from one of the rooms on the second floor.
"That’s a decent item. I’ll take it. One thousand five hundred!"
"...One thousand five hundred from Booth 10! Any higher?"
At that sudden leap in price, the entire auction hall went quiet.
Even Beom Chang shot Jin Somyeong a look, asking what he intended to do.
"I have the Spirit Stones. Please bid."
"All right. One thousand six hundred!"
"Oh? One thousand seven hundred!"
"Haha. We have one thousand seven hundred from Booth 10. Any higher?"
The auctioneer glanced toward Booth 17, where Jin Somyeong sat, as though urging him to keep bidding.
"Brother Jin. What do you want to do? Keep going or not?"
Jin Somyeong frowned and thought hard.
After buying the Boundless Divine Sword, he had one thousand nine hundred Spirit Stones left.
But judging by the unrestrained momentum of Booth 10, they didn’t seem inclined to back down.
"...Let’s raise it once more."
"Good. One thousand eight hundred!"
The moment Beom Chang shouted the bid, an irritated voice came from Booth 10.
"Two thousand! Hey, Booth 17, I don’t know who you are, but why don’t you stop while you’re ahead?"
At that overtly threatening tone, Jin Somyeong’s brow twitched.
"Guest! This is unacceptable. Using force to pressure others at our Ten Treasure Pavilion auction is absolutely forbidden!"
The auctioneer, who had up to now been unfailingly polite to the point of seeming servile, issued a firm warning.
"...Hmph! A merchant of all things, and yet you make my mood foul."
Their irritated attitude made Jin Somyeong seize the opportunity.
"Brother. Could you lend me three hundred Spirit Stones? There’s someone who owes me three hundred Spirit Stones, and I’ll collect it today and pay you back immediately."
It wasn’t a lie.
Cheong Hwa-ran had agreed to compensate him with three hundred Spirit Stones for the sloppy surveillance job, so he could simply collect that money and repay Beom Chang.
"Three hundred? That much is fine, but... you mean there’s someone besides me who’d give you Spirit Stones?"
"Yes. How else could I have gathered so many Spirit Stones? I have several people helping me."
"Hah. Looking at it now, our Brother Jin is a truly remarkable man. I completely underestimated you."
Beom Chang stared at Jin Somyeong with an exhausted expression.
Was he misunderstanding this as meaning that Jin Somyeong had another slave besides him?
It was absurd, but Jin Somyeong ignored him and waved a hand.
"Please focus on the auction for now."
"...Fine. Two thousand one hundred!"
After that, things went smoothly.
The opponent in Booth 10 seemed thoroughly annoyed and gave up without another word.
In the end, the first-rank top-grade defensive magical artifact was won by Jin Somyeong.
Including the borrowed amount, he had settled everything within a total of two thousand two hundred Spirit Stones.
Thank goodness.
As planned, he had obtained both an offensive and a defensive magical artifact.
The auction continued after that.
Countless treasures climbed onto the stage, but Jin Somyeong was already broke, so he could only watch as a spectator.
Time passed quickly, and when the auction finally ended, the Boundless Divine Sword and the Blue Bamboo Dao Robe were delivered into his hands.
...It’s soft?
The Blue Bamboo Dao Robe was softer than silk. It was hard to believe something so supple could be tougher and sturdier than most metals.
Moreover, merely touching it somehow made him feel good, and it radiated the unmistakable aura of a premium article.
Whoosh!
Jin Somyeong threw the robe on in one motion and injected it with qi. As befit a top-grade magical artifact, the method of use surfaced in his mind automatically.
Wuuung!
The moment he injected qi as a test.
The robe’s color changed.
From a plain snow-white dao robe to a luxurious imperial court garment embroidered with dragons, it transformed freely, just by thinking about it.
This will be useful when I disguise myself with the Cheonbyeonmanhwagong.
Now he could truly become someone different with every step he took.
Smiling in satisfaction, Jin Somyeong tested its defense next.
Swish.
Carefully, he brought down the sword he usually rode to strike his forearm.
The instant the sharp edge was about to touch the robe, a qi barrier formed and blocked the blade.
It felt as if an invisible shield had appeared around him.
Thud!
He increased the pressure on the sword little by little, but the qi barrier didn’t break. It only became more taxing in qi consumption, remaining sturdy and unmoving.
The defense is pretty good too... and it keeps going as long as I supply qi.
He really liked it.
His first impression of the Blue Bamboo Dao Robe was outstanding. He didn’t regret spending two thousand one hundred Spirit Stones on it at all.
Then Beom Chang, who had been watching beside him, asked with curiosity,
"It keeps the qi barrier up continuously? What about the qi consumption?"
"Not very high. It feels like it adjusts itself according to the strength of the attack."
"...That’s really good. It might even be better than my necklace."
The Blue Bamboo Dao Robe was a premium creation made with great care by a skilled artisan.
Even Beom Chang, who had an uncle at the Core Formation stage, was tempted by it.
Then next is the Boundless Divine Sword.
Jin Somyeong admired the pitch-black treasured sword, black as a deep shadow.
He stared, entranced, at the blade that looked as though it could cut him just by being seen.
Ah.
The moment he grasped the cold lump of metal.
It settled snugly into his hand. The perfect, comfortable fit made it feel as though his arm had lengthened.
For some reason, he itched to swing the sword right away.
"Brother. I’m curious how sharp this sword really is. Would it be all right if I tested it for a moment?"
"Huh? ...All right. But go easy, just in case."
Beom Chang stepped back and activated his necklace. An opaque qi barrier formed, wrapping around his entire body.
"My necklace is hard to keep up, so hurry!"
At that urging, Jin Somyeong settled into stance. The moment he lightly swung the Boundless Divine Sword in his hand—
...Huh?
A strange, tickling sensation ran through him.
It felt as though the Boundless Divine Sword, cleaving through the air, was guiding the way for him.
But it was too faint.
So faint he might have dismissed it as an illusion, yet his innate talent for martial arts seized on it.
At that instant.
Just a little.
Jin Somyeong’s posture changed ever so slightly. He lowered his knees and eased the tension from his shoulders just a bit.
The changes were so minute they could barely be explained one by one, yet as they accumulated... something shifted.
Tuk.
The moment the qi barrier and the sword tip collided.
A powerful recoil was felt, but the sword still pressed forward.
Like a fish swimming upstream against a waterfall, it drilled into the flow of force and split the qi barrier apart.
Slash!
At the blade that brushed past his neck with horrifying ease, Beom Chang went pale.
"W-what was that? What in the world was that just now...?"
Beom Chang was so shocked he could barely speak. Jin Somyeong was just as stunned.
The slash he had just made was different from anything he had ever done before.
It felt as though he had crossed a chasm that ordinary people could never overcome.
It was as if he had received guidance from the grand master of the sword itself... it was truly uncanny.
...
After remaining silent for a long time, Jin Somyeong carefully stored the Boundless Divine Sword in his spatial ring.
This sword was no ordinary thing. There was definitely a secret hidden within it!
"Brother. If anyone asks, please say I melted it down and turned it into another magical artifact."
"...O-okay."
Not bothering to ask what on earth had just happened, despite looking as though he was dying to know, Beom Chang was ignored.
Jin Somyeong’s steps grew faster and faster as he left the auction house.
He was wondering what would happen if he unleashed Gangun Sword Art with this sword.