Chapter 30
Chapter 30
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Translator: crow
Chapter Title: Heavenly Fortune Stone
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Yuseong had encountered a similar situation on the internet in the real world.
"A girl who stonewalls a guy inviting her to a movie, claiming out of nowhere that she has plans that day!"
But experiencing the reverse left him with a strange feeling.
A Chief Strategist of the Murim Alliance, of all people, suddenly claiming she had plenty of time.
She seemed eager to tag along, so Yuseong had no choice but to let her.
"If she hadn't brought up the antiques, I might've gotten away with it, but she's got that look like she won't let me off if I don't take her. How do I say no?"
A few days later.
Having made prior arrangements, Yuseong headed to the Qinggang Sect with Jegal Yeongyeong.
Yuseong knew nothing about the Qinggang Sect.
It had only been five years since he transmigrated into this world, so unless it was a place that had made a name for itself in the past, he hadn't bothered to look up minor sects.
But Jegal Yeongyeong was different.
"Originally, whether a minor sect could survive in the murim world depended on whether they had Peak Realm experts. If they did, they prospered; if not, they struggled to hold power."
Even Peak Realm experts were rare in Honam.
That was why Yuseong's father, despite him being a bastard child, had clung to him upon seeing his potential to reach the Peak Realm.
Of course, that was all in the past now.
Even in the great city of Luoyang, home to the Murim Alliance, Peak Realm experts held significant status.
"The Qinggang Sect originally ran a small escort agency too. The Qinggang Escort Agency was the foundation of the Qinggang Sect. It seems the previous Sect Leader collected antiques from across the country while running the escort business."
"I've never heard of the Qinggang Escort Agency."
Yuseong had relied on various escort agencies while traveling from Honam to Luoyang, but he had never once heard the name Qinggang Escort Agency mentioned in conversations among the escorts or porters.
"That makes sense. After the previous Qinggang Sect Leader died, the rival Cheonyeong Escort Agency in Luoyang absorbed the Qinggang Escort Agency entirely. The Qinggang Sect probably fell into hardship because of that."
Yuseong had a slightly ominous thought.
The previous Qinggang Sect Leader had been killed by an assassin.
Usually, wasn't the prime suspect the one who gained the most from it?
From what he'd heard, the Cheonyeong Escort Agency had benefited the most.
It was said that afterward, the Cheonyeong Escort Agency steadily grew and became the largest escort agency in the Central Plains.
Reading Yuseong's expression, Jegal Yeongyeong let out a sigh.
"The Cheonyeong Escort Agency was suspected at one point, but no evidence was found. Even when the Murim Alliance raided the assassins' hideout, they couldn't uncover any proof."
"I see."
"It's still suspicious, but let's move on. We're almost there."
The outer walls of the Qinggang Sect were dilapidated.
Unlike major sects that regularly maintained their structures, this showed signs of neglect over many years.
It looked as bad off as the rumors suggested.
Sect Leader Seo Wan-jeong came out to greet them.
There were hardly any warriors around for a murim sect, indicating they were in the process of disbanding.
After exchanging introductions with Yuseong and Jegal Yeongyeong, she looked puzzled.
"But what brings the Murim Alliance Chief Strategist here?"
"Oh, I'm not here on Alliance business today. The White-Clothed Physician asked me to help appraise antiques, so I tagged along as an appraiser."
"I see. I've heard you're brilliant, but I didn't know you were versed in antiques too. It's usually a hobby for older folks."
"My grandfather had that refined hobby of collecting antiques as well."
The two exchanged a few words about antiques.
Watching them, Yuseong was utterly baffled.
He had never specifically asked Jegal Yeongyeong to come.
He had only casually asked if she knew anything about antiques, and she had insisted on tagging along.
"Claiming out of nowhere that she wasn't busy at all that day."
The day after the assassin incident, Jegal Yeongyeong had shown up pale-faced at his bookstore.
While Yuseong was on leave visiting the Shaolin Temple, she had waited anxiously for him, likely just to confirm he was safe.
This trip to the Qinggang Sect for antique appraisal probably meant the same thing.
She had likely decided to stick close whenever he went out, to guard against any further assassination attempts.
Jegal Yeongyeong and Seo Wan-jeong soon wrapped up their conversation.
Seo Wan-jeong led Yuseong and Jegal Yeongyeong to where the antiques were kept.
Since it was a dark night, the room was brightly lit with lanterns.
Several wooden display shelves filled the room, adorned with porcelain items, metal artifacts, and various other knickknacks.
"These are the antiques my late husband collected during his lifetime."
"That's quite a collection. Filling an entire room like this."
"He gathered them one or two at a time over many years running the escort agency, so there's a lot. Take whatever you need, Young Master Yuseong, and we'll slowly sell off the rest.
As you know, these things don't find buyers quickly, so turning them into cash takes time."
Seo Wan-jeong explained that she hadn't touched her husband's relics out of sentiment, but having caught the assassin had eased some of her resentment, so now she planned to use them to pay off the Qinggang Sect's debts.
Raising warriors was an enormously expensive endeavor.
"Please feel free to browse. No need to choose today—you can come back anytime."
After Seo Wan-jeong left, Yuseong spoke to Jegal Yeongyeong, who was eyeing the surroundings with sparkling interest.
"I don't know much about antiques. If you spot anything good, let me know. Something easy to sell for cash would be ideal."
"Don't worry. I've already spotted some promising ones. The White-Clothed Physician will get bored otherwise, so go ahead and look around."
Leaving her to examine the antiques in various ways—truly knowledgeable—Yuseong wandered between the shelves to satisfy his curiosity.
"I have no clue what any of this is. Well, if I could take these back to the real world now, they'd be amazing antiques."
Amid such idle, impossible fantasies.
One object caught Yuseong's eye.
It was about the length of a finger, resembling a dark turquoise metal.
"Wait, am I seeing this right?"
Startled, Yuseong picked it up from the display shelf.
It was definitely a turquoise metal.
It was lighter than iron of the same size.
Under the lantern light, the turquoise metal shimmered with golden or purple hues depending on the angle.
Its surface flowed with wave patterns that seemed alive and moving.
Yuseong's mind raced to one particular metal.
"Why is this here...?"
"What are you looking at?"
Jegal Yeongyeong poked her head over at his mutter.
Her sudden closeness brought a faint fragrance.
Lacking resistance, Yuseong stepped back slightly before asking about the item in his hand.
"By any chance, Chief Strategist, do you know what this is?"
"It's a Heavenly Fortune Stone."
The answer came immediately.
Probably because it was that commonplace.
"Ah... You know what it is?"
Yuseong deflated as she spoke in a casual tone, as if it were nothing special.
'I thought it was that metal, but no way. Just something similar.'
She took the Heavenly Fortune Stone from Yuseong and examined it closely.
"I've only heard about it from my grandfather—this is my first time seeing one. It's really pretty. They say it's extremely rare."
"It's not common?"
"Far from it. Heavenly Fortune Stone—it's a meteorite that fell from the heavens, hence the name. They say it's occasionally found among meteorites. It appeals to collectors, but it's not actually that expensive.
It's useless, after all. Treated like a pretty rock. Anyway, I'll look at the others."
Yuseong stared quietly at the Heavenly Fortune Stone she handed back.
'Something's off. Easy enough to check.'
While Jegal Yeongyeong had her back turned, he infused it with a bit of Divine Power.
Whoosh—!
The metal absorbed Yuseong's Divine Power like a sponge soaking up water.
And the amount of Divine Power emanating from the metal was ten times what he had input.
'It really is!'
The Divine Power had been amplified.
Among the metals Yuseong knew, only one had such properties.
'The divine metal Orichalcum! The Heavenly Fortune Stone here is Orichalcum! Why does Orichalcum exist in this world?'
Yuseong struggled to suppress his elation.
If he were alone, he might have screamed in joy, but Jegal Yeongyeong was right there.
'Grab it first.'
He could investigate later.
Better to secure it while he could.
"I'll take this one too, so include it in the count."
Calming his excitement, he said nonchalantly to Jegal Yeongyeong.
Glancing at the Heavenly Fortune Stone, she asked,
"You like pretty things, huh?"
"No, it's not that I like pretty things."
She paused.
A strange thought crossed Jegal Yeongyeong's mind.
'The Heavenly Fortune Stone is light and pretty, but useless otherwise. If he doesn't like pretty things, is he taking it to give to someone who does?'
'No way it's Nangong Yurin from the other day...?'
She studied Yuseong's face.
He gazed back with an innocent expression.
As she appraised the antiques, Jegal Yeongyeong tucked a stray lock of long black hair behind her ear.
She didn't forget to smile faintly.
"I see. But I'm interested in the Heavenly Fortune Stone too. Could you give it to me as payment for today?"
Yuseong jumped in surprise.
He had tried to avoid drawing attention, but now Jegal Yeongyeong wanted the Orichalcum.
He couldn't hand over the divine metal that amplified Divine Power and held other abilities.
Yuseong had only one response.
"Absolutely not!"
"Oh."
Jegal Yeongyeong's eyes cooled sharply. Her smile vanished. Even her eyelashes trembled.
She looked betrayed, as if by someone she trusted.
"It was just a test, but you were so firm."
Her lips soon pouted. Her gaze sharpened slightly, revealing her thoughts.
'Oh no, I went too far. She was smiling, and I got too serious.'
Yuseong scratched the back of his head and apologized.
"Sorry. I didn't mean to get so worked up. I just have a specific use for it."
Jegal Yeongyeong's lips twitched.
She seemed about to ask something.
"Feel free to say whatever's on your mind."
"What are you going to use the Heavenly Fortune Stone for? Are you taking it for someone else?"
Of course not.
Orichalcum was the metal Yuseong could wield best in this world.
He wouldn't give it to anyone, no matter who asked.
"Absolutely not. I'll use it myself."
At that moment, Jegal Yeongyeong's expression softened completely. Her eyes gentled as if the sharpness had never been there.
"Good. Make sure the White-Clothed Physician puts it to use."
Yuseong was puzzled.
'She looked angry, but maybe not?'
At least it had resolved well.
Straining their relationship would be disastrous—they had grown close, and she provided invaluable help.
"Thank you for understanding."
"Not at all. I'll keep appraising."
She returned to the antiques, looking noticeably relieved.
Yuseong sank into his own thoughts.
'How should I use the Orichalcum?'