The Spirit Blacksmith's Exchange
To call him a bad master would be unfair, as he never interfered so long as one performed their duties well—making him, in a sense, an excellent superior. Yet to call him a good master felt equally wrong, for no matter how well one worked or how much one improved on their own, he never offered even a shred of personal care or recognition.
‘Let us not be hasty. The road ahead is long anyway, so there is no use worrying in advance,’ Ju-hyeong consoled himself.
Yet, with cruel irony, the moment he finally managed to let go of his anxieties, an unexpected opportunity presented itself.
“The Dragon Lord is coming.”
That night, Han Cheongyu gathered all his subordinates to deliver the news. Though he spoke calmly, his words struck the ears of everyone present like a sudden clap of thunder.
Ju-hyeong, in particular, was so worried that the frantic pounding of his heart might reach Han Cheongyu's ears that he repeatedly took silent, deep breaths.
“Prepare yourselves beforehand so that we do not disappoint the Dragon Lord when he arrives.”
“Yes, sir!”
Ju-hyeong bowed deeply, his eyes darting quickly as his mind raced.
At the bow of a gently swaying boat, a child who looked barely ten years old stood with arms wide open, catching the wind. His oversized robes, far too large for his small frame, fluttered like wings.
“It's not that cool. Can't we go any faster?”
“Don't expect too much from a common fishing boat.”
The aquatic beasts diligently pushing and pulling the vessel from beneath the water still had strength to spare, but if they pushed any harder, the wooden boat itself would break apart.
“Why don't you just fly? You'd get to feel the cool breeze and arrive much faster.”
At Jekyeong's remark, Cheongo glared at him as if looking at an idiot.
“I want to travel while standing completely still! What's the point if I have to fly myself?”
Ever since mastering the Transformation Art, Cheongo had done nothing but whine about wanting to see the Human Territory.
Jekyeong could not comprehend why the bird sought rewards in such strange places when cultivation was meant for one's own self-improvement, but trying to reason with Cheongo was a pointless endeavor.
Since he had his own business to attend to in the Human Territory anyway, he figured it wouldn't hurt to bring the bird along, so he agreed to let him accompany him.
But now, Jekyeong was slightly regretting that casually made decision.
It seemed that by transforming into a child, Cheongo's actual mental state had regressed to match.
‘No, wait. Come to think of it...’
Cheongo's physical age was likely similar to or slightly older than his own, but a cultivator's age could not be measured simply by years. This was especially true for the Beast Race, which comprised countless different species.
For instance, a long-lived turtle Yao might still be in its infancy even after several decades, whereas a species with a shorter lifespan could reach full adulthood by age ten.
Though Cheongo looked exactly like a crow on the outside, his extraordinary nature transcended his species, making it absurd to measure his lifespan by that of an ordinary crow.
‘They say the form assumed through transformation reflects one's inner mind.’
It was merely a rumor he had overheard, but Jekyeong found it highly credible based on his own experience.
If so, the fact that Cheongo had transformed into a child who still had baby fat on his cheeks meant... his inner mind was truly that of a child.
‘Surely that fellow doesn't have a longer lifespan than me?’
He hoped not, but he couldn't be entirely sure. If that innocence of his truly stemmed from a genuine ‘youthful age’...
“Jekyeong! Jekyeong! Are we going to hunt as soon as we get to Jaseong Island? Can't we play a little first?”
Cheongo knew what Jekyeong planned to do. He worried that once Jekyeong's hunt began, Jaseong Island would be thrown into utter chaos, ruining his very first sightseeing trip to the Human Territory.
“I won't start immediately.”
Jekyeong's words were not merely to soothe the bird. He preferred the most stable and secure approach in all matters, and this time was no exception.
Furthermore, this trip was not just for hunting; he also needed to search for the spiritual items required for his Core Formation.
At first, he had considered tasking Han Cheongyu with the search, but since there were limits to what an early Foundation Establishment cultivator could achieve, he decided it would be better to handle it personally.
“Let's go.”
As Jaseong Island drew close enough to be clearly visible, Jekyeong stood up. To prepare for any unexpected situations, Cheongo transformed back into a small crow and perched on his shoulder.
Thud! Kicking off with power, Jekyeong soared into the air, flying at a moderate pace before landing gracefully on the docks of Jaseong Island.
“Why is it so empty?”
Cheongo asked, looking around the harbor, which was not just quiet but downright desolate, as if it had been abandoned for a long time.
“Who knows. Don't speak to me unless you're going to take human form.”
“Okay.”
Jekyeong expected the bird to transform back into a human, but Cheongo remained perched on his shoulder as a tiny crow. His head twitched slightly as his eyes darted around, clearly showing his nervousness.
Jekyeong chuckled at the silent, tense little crow and began to walk forward with slow, measured steps.
“Dragon Lord, please forgive me for not coming out to greet you.”
Han Cheongyu attempted to bow deeply, but his head stopped as if hitting an invisible wall. A gentle yet irresistible force prevented him from leaning forward.
“Enough. Do not waste energy on such tedious formalities.”
On his way here, Jekyeong had already sensed the ominous and tense atmosphere hanging over Jaseong Island. Compared to his brief visit in the past, it felt like an entirely different place.
“This room is too small! Don't you feel suffocated living here?”
A chubby-cheeked child bustled around the room, chattering incessantly.
The Qi Condensation cultivators, including Ju-hyeong, stole nervous glances at the child, Cheongo, unable to lower their guard, but Jekyeong and Han Cheongyu paid him no mind.
And to be fair, the room they were currently in was by no means small. It was wider than several of the sports fields Jekyeong had seen in his past life.
“What about the things I asked you to prepare?”
“Right here, Dragon Lord.”
Han Cheongyu handed over a jade slip. Written upon it was a list containing the names of all the Foundation Establishment cultivators residing on or frequently visiting Jaseong Island.
Jekyeong engraved their names and details into his memory.
“Is there a spiritual market here for Foundation Establishment cultivators? An exchange meet would be fine as well.”
For cultivators, risk and reward usually went hand in hand, and demon hunters were no exception. Consequently, Jaseong Island, teeming with demon hunters, was considerably wealthier than other islands of similar size.
Where Spirit Stones flowed, merchants naturally gathered. Thus, several spiritual markets, both large and small, had been established on Jaseong Island, and reasonably sized auctions were held regularly.
Unfortunately, Jekyeong's timing was poor.
The biennial auction had taken place just three months ago. If he wanted to acquire goods, he had no choice but to browse the spiritual markets or exchange meets.
“There are, indeed. However, I doubt such places will catch the Dragon Lord's eye...”
Han Cheongyu doubted that the items circulating in Jaseong Island's markets and exchange meets could satisfy the Dragon Lord's expectations.
The Dragon Lord was a Great Yao at the late stage of the Great Yao realm, and his strength was easily among the top in all of Yangseo Lake. At least, that was what Han Cheongyu believed.
Despite its bustling energy, Jaseong Island was not a particularly developed place.
It might one day establish itself as a major stronghold in the Human Territory, but that day was still far off.
Assuming the number of demon beasts appearing near Jaseong Island remained at its current level, it would take at least several decades before the island's name reached the ears of those in distant lands.
By then, a proper immortal city might be built on Jaseong Island.
But that was a distant future that might or might not come; for now, Jaseong Island was merely a noisy, unrefined island.
Han Cheongyu was highly skeptical that the Dragon Lord could find what he needed in such a place.
Regardless of his doubts, Han Cheongyu detailed every spiritual market and exchange meet he knew of.
Jekyeong memorized all the information before asking,
“Is there anything else I should know? Any precautions to take?”
“What on this island could possibly stand in the Dragon Lord's way?”
“I do not wish to cause a commotion. If possible, I intend to quietly conduct my business and leave without anyone knowing.”
Hearing this, Han Cheongyu glanced over, and Ju-hyeong, who had been waiting for his cue, immediately stepped forward.
“Dragon Lord, if you would permit it, I would be honored to guide you.”
As Ju-hyeong bowed, his eyes gleamed with a mixture of sharp intelligence and burning ambition.
Jekyeong accepted Ju-hyeong as his guide.
Cheongo also tagged along, clinging tightly to Jekyeong's shoulder in the form of a small crow. It seemed he lacked the courage to transform into a human in public.
Jekyeong wondered why the bird had trained so diligently in the Transformation Art if he was going to act like this, but he couldn't very well force the frightened creature down.
“As the Dragon Lord likely knows, every spiritual market and exchange meet has an owner. Until recently, most of these owners on Jaseong Island were sect-affiliated clans, but the atmosphere has been shifting lately.”
The long-brewing, unspoken grievances of the rogue cultivators had begun to surface, challenging the minor privileges of the sect clans that had previously been taken for granted. The spiritual markets and exchange meets were prime examples of this.
Originally, the sect clans used their reputation to guarantee a minimum level of order and safety, squeezing Spirit Stones out of rogue cultivators like tax collectors.
Though the rogue cultivators begrudged the loss of their Spirit Stones, they had accepted it as an unavoidable cost—until recently, when that perception began to change.
A few renowned and powerful rogue cultivators had begun to host their own gatherings under their own names.
“There are pros and cons. Compared to the venues run by the sect clans, the entry fees and transaction commissions are much cheaper, though things can get a bit rowdy.”
“What about safety?”
“It is quite decent. Whatever else they might lack, the hosts manage safety with absolute strictness.”
Whether it was a spiritual market or an exchange meet, hosting such events was a lucrative business involving large sums of money. Naturally, operating one required more than just low prices; the absolute priority was establishing trust regarding safety.
After all, who would visit a place if they had to risk their lives just to buy some goods?
“Of course, even so, they cannot compare to the established venues managed by the sect clans. As a result, these rogue-run meets are currently frequented mostly by those who are confident in their own strength. But because of that, the average quality of the items traded there is actually guaranteed to a certain extent.”
“That is not bad.”
As Jekyeong nodded in satisfaction, Ju-hyeong's voice grew slightly more confident.
“Furthermore, in the case of these exchange meets, the criteria for the items brought to the table are far more lenient than those run by the sect clans. Stolen goods or items with complicated histories are traded quite frequently.”
This was also good news for Jekyeong. If they didn't scrutinize the origin of the goods, he could use these exchange meets to dispose of various troublesome items he had accumulated.
“I intend to sell some Dharma Treasures. Is there a suitable place?”
As it happened, quite a few ownerless Dharma Treasures had piled up inside his storage ring. Perhaps this was his chance to get rid of those white elephants.
“If it is Dharma Treasures... unless they are of the lowest grade, it is difficult to sell them directly in the spiritual markets. You would have to go through an exchange meet, and depending on your luck, it might be hard to get their full value.”
“That is fine. I am well aware that there is no such thing as a fixed price for Dharma Treasures.”
Ju-hyeong smiled sheepishly and flattered him, praising his wisdom. Cheongo, who had been quiet, let out an incredulous “Caw!” and shook his head, seemingly looking down on the little flatterer.
“I do not care about the price as long as it is not utterly ridiculous. However, the number of Dharma Treasures I wish to dispose of is somewhat large.”
“If the number is large... roughly how many are we talking about?”
“More than twenty.”
“Heh!”
Ju-hyeong gasped in spite of himself. After blinking a few times, he quickly regained his composure and tried his best to control his expression.
“The quality is at least low-grade or higher, and their condition is decent. None of them are unusable.”
“In that case... there will definitely be demand. Especially with the current tense atmosphere, Foundation Establishment cultivators will surely be interested in Dharma Treasures that can boost their combat power. However... the quantity is simply too large.”
“It is fine if I cannot sell them all. I would be satisfied even if I could only dispose of three or four.”
“Ah, if that is the case...”
Breathing a sigh of relief, Ju-hyeong pondered for a moment before recommending a few exchange meets. All of them were hosted by renowned mid-Foundation Establishment rogue cultivators, and the attendees were mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators or at least late Qi Condensation cultivators aiming for Foundation Establishment.
“You know quite a lot.”
“Whenever I had spare time, I diligently made the rounds to gather information.”
“Hmm.”
Jekyeong noticed that Ju-hyeong's attitude was almost strangely proactive. His intention to win favor was obvious, but Jekyeong didn't mind. If someone wanted to win his favor by proving their competence, there was absolutely no reason to reject them.
“The host of this particular exchange meet is a man named Hyang-geo, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator. He is also a second-rank Spirit Blacksmith, so he enjoys quite a reputation on Jaseong Island. Since the host is a Spirit Blacksmith, the items traded there tend to include a relatively high number of spiritual tools and Dharma Treasures. Sometimes Hyang-geo puts up his own creations, and other times he facilitates the trade of items brought by others.”