The Merchant's Proposition

Once Jekyeong finished sorting the loot, Cheongo lightly tapped a spirit stone with its beak and asked, "Is this a spirit stone?"

"Yes."

"It's pretty, the way it glows softly. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Being near it makes me feel good too."

"Indeed. So if you're going to scavenge things, try to bring back something like this."

"But I've never seen anything like this before!"

Well, of course. What cultivator would ever leave a spirit stone rolling around on the ground? "I was joking."

"A joke? That wasn't funny."

"Some jokes aren't meant to be funny."

"Oh. I see."

The reason Jekyeong went out of his way to clarify it was a joke was because he noticed a strange glint in Cheongo's eyes as it stared at the spirit stone. If he didn't set boundaries now, the bird might try to snatch a spirit stone right out of a cultivator's hand. Of course, Cheongo wasn't stupid, but seeing how obsessed it had been with collecting trinkets lately made him slightly uneasy.

In the end, Jekyeong tossed Cheongo a low-grade spirit stone and strictly warned it not to do anything dangerous. Only then could he finally relax and properly appreciate his spoils.

Aside from the spirit stones—which, as Cheongo had said, brought a sense of warmth and comfort just by looking at them—what truly caught Jekyeong's eye were two jade slips of unknown content. They had been recovered from ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the storage bags of the Qi Condensation ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠late-stage river bandits. Jekyeong cautiously touched his tongue to one of them and channeled his monster power inside.

This was another crucial experiment. Although he had already confirmed that he could use the bandits' storage bags with monster power, jade slips were a different matter entirely. While both served as containers of a sort, jade slips were generally considered far more important than storage bags. After all, what they contained was not mere physical objects, but knowledge and heritage.

Humans placed immense value on heritage. While cultivation techniques were important, they highly prized auxiliary arts like alchemy and artifact refinement. Because of this, jade slips containing such knowledge often had various restrictions placed upon them—such as specific conditions for access. What if a jade slip was restricted so that only human cultivators could read it? If so, Jekyeong would be left empty-handed despite having the item in his possession.

There's no way a couple of petty river bandits would possess a jade slip with such advanced security features. Still, just in case, Jekyeong proceeded with caution. As a thread of his monster power seeped into the jade slip, it began to glow with a faint blue light. In an instant, a torrent of information flooded Jekyeong's mind.

Jekyeong slowly parsed the knowledge transmitted by the jade slip. There was no need to memorize it; the information was already deeply engraved in his mind. Unless he actively tried to forget it, it would not fade easily.

The Water-Swaying Rampage Art. As expected, it's a cultivation technique. It was likely the technique practiced by that late-stage Qi Condensation bandit. While he was pleased to acquire a free technique, it was unfortunately a water-attribute one.

It makes sense, though. A cultivator's path was heavily influenced by their environment. It would be a different story if one possessed enough resources to ignore environmental factors, but most ordinary cultivators had to adapt to their surroundings. Since Yangseo Lake was a colossal body of water, most who cultivated here naturally practiced water-attribute techniques. Thus, it was only logical that such a technique would come from a river bandit's pocket.

Jekyeong checked the second jade slip. This one was also a water-attribute cultivation technique.

I can't practice them myself, but I should be able to sell them, right? However, since they were only at the Qi Condensation stage and practiced by mere river bandits, they likely weren't worth very much.

My only real gains are the spirit stones and the spiritual soil. Oh, and the storage bags, of course. He didn't feel disappointed in the slightest. Plundering the river bandits had been an unexpected windfall anyway, so there was no reason to complain. Besides, the spiritual soil was undoubtedly an extraordinary spiritual resource. For a single outing, this was a highly satisfactory harvest.

Setting the spirit stones aside, I need to look into this spiritual soil.

Bul-mang-won. Leaving the empty meeting place, Jekyeong traveled to the Seonghoejang plaza via a nearby teleportation pillar.

As expected. While he hadn't sensed any cultivators near the teleportation pillar, the moment he arrived at Seonghoejang, he detected the presence of at least several hundred. They were scattered all over, gathering in groups of three at most.

Jekyeong deliberately let his mind state slip slightly, allowing his spiritual body to become faintly visible as he moved slowly through the plaza. He maintained a reasonable distance from the other cultivators, but it was close enough for the divine sense of an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator to easily reach him.

"Excuse me, fellow Daoist!" Before long, a robust voice called out to him. Jekyeong looked toward the source and saw a brightly glowing spiritual body flying rapidly in his direction.

"Are you calling for me?"

"Indeed. I am Jang Hu-am. And you, fellow Daoist?"

"I am Jekyeong."

"A pleasure to meet you." As Jang Hu-am drew closer, he scrutinized Jekyeong, projecting an even stronger sense of friendliness through his spiritual body.

"I hope I haven't detained you from any urgent business?"

"Not at all. I simply had some time to spare and wanted to look around Seonghoejang."

"That is a relief. If you do not mind, would you care to keep this old merchant company for a moment? Ah, please do not take it the wrong way. I simply enjoy making new acquaintances..."

"There is no need to beat around the bush. You became interested because I belong to the Beast Race, correct?"

"Haha. Quite so. I shall not lie to you."

Jekyeong did not reject Jang Hu-am's invitation. Judging by his spiritual body, Jang Hu-am was a middle-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, just like U Do-baek. Furthermore, his speech and demeanor suggested he wasn't the type of cultivator who remained shut away in a sect solely focused on meditation. In short, he perfectly met Jekyeong's requirements.

Since both had something to gain from the other, their conversation flowed smoothly. Starting with casual talk about cultivation, the topic soon shifted to sharing their respective hardships. Jang Hu-am lamented the grueling life of a rogue cultivator, while Jekyeong spoke of the brutal struggle for survival within the Beast Race.

After sharing these brief confidences, the atmosphere naturally ripened for a more serious discussion. Sensing the time was right, Jekyeong brought up his query in a casual, offhand manner, as if it had just crossed his mind.

"By the way, I happened to acquire a rather peculiar item recently."

"Oh? What kind of peculiar item?" As Jang Hu-am showed interest, Jekyeong described the spiritual soil in detail. Naturally, he omitted how he had obtained it, and Jang Hu-am was tactful enough not to ask.

"You are a fortunate man, fellow Daoist!" Jang Hu-am sighed with envy. "I am aware of several spiritual items that, like your spiritual soil, can generate spiritual energy on their own. However, they are exceedingly rare and highly useful, so rogue cultivators like myself rarely catch a glimpse of them in our entire lifetimes. I hear that great sects and prominent clans use such treasures to construct specialized cultivation chambers."

"Ho. It seems I was truly fortunate, then."

"Indeed. I truly envy your luck." Jang Hu-am did not hide his envy, but he didn't let it become overbearing either. Instead, he expressed just the right amount of admiration, subtly flattering Jekyeong.

"Unfortunately, earth-attribute spiritual items do not suit my cultivation, so I am at a loss as to what to do with it."

"What is there to worry about? If it is of no use to you, why not simply sell it?"

"You speak the truth. However, I am quite ignorant of the ways of the world, and I worry I might be swindled or fail to get a fair price."

"Hmm. A very reasonable concern. For a treasure of that caliber, one must not only worry about getting a fair price but also ensure that the transaction itself is carried out safely."

"Precisely as you say."

Jang Hu-am seemed to ponder for a moment before suggesting a solution in an inviting tone. "Fellow Daoist, have you ever heard of the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance?"

"How could anyone who knows of Yeongbu Jin-gun not know of the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance?" When Jekyeong mentioned the Perfected Lord's title, Jang Hu-am's expression brightened, and he eagerly continued.

"Then this will be a quick explanation. As you know, fellow Daoist, the cultivators of Bul-mang-won are scattered across the entire Changram Realm, making direct transactions quite difficult, are they not? Therefore..."

Jang Hu-am's explanation was detailed yet remarkably easy to follow. According to him, the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance functioned essentially as a secure courier service within Bul-mang-won. When cultivators in Bul-mang-won wished to trade, the alliance acted as both mediator and deliveryman. Issues regarding transaction trust and the protection of a cultivator's personal identity were all seamlessly resolved under the prestigious name of Yeongbu Jin-gun.

Yeongbu Jin-gun was both a cultivator and a merchant, and his reputation was actually far greater outside of Bul-mang-won than within it. The credibility he had built as a merchant over a thousand years was as legendary as his power as a Nascent Soul Perfected Lord. Thus, no one who knew of him ever doubted his trustworthiness.

"It matters not where you reside, fellow Daoist. The goods and the payment will reach their respective owners safely and without issue. Of course, you must keep in mind that the commission fee may vary depending on your location." Delivering his grand speech as if reading from a manual, Jang Hu-am sounded exactly like a seasoned salesman.

"Could it be that Daoist Jang is..."

"Indeed. Though I am but a humble cultivator, I am affiliated with the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance. Since fate has brought us together, I shall extend a favor to you. If you wish to sell that spiritual soil, I will do my utmost to help you secure the best possible price."

Though he couldn't see it, Jekyeong was absolutely certain that at this very moment, Jang Hu-am's eyes were sparkling like Cheongo's shiny trinkets.

"Hmm. I haven't decided to sell it just yet, but... what kind of price do you think it might command?"

"We must inspect the goods first to know for sure. As you well know, fellow Daoist, items sharing the same name do not necessarily share the same value. We must consider many factors, such as the quantity and the quality of the soil. To determine a fair price, we must first examine it in person..." The glow radiating from Jang Hu-am's spiritual body grew noticeably more intense.

"Which brings me to my next question, fellow Daoist... where do you live?"

Less than five days after his conversation with Jang Hu-am of the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance, an unfamiliar guest arrived at the island. Because this visitor had been openly projecting his presence long before reaching the island, Jekyeong was able to step out of his cave in advance and await his arrival.

Thud! Jekyeong quickly scanned the visitor who had descended from the sky. The man was riding a massive bird with multi-colored feathers, but Jekyeong could tell at a single glance that the creature was not alive. It completely lacked the vital energy that any living being should possess.

The cultivator riding the bird appeared to be a young man in his late twenties or early thirties. Of course, one could never judge a cultivator's age solely by their appearance, but his aura felt as vibrant and fresh as newly sprouted vegetation.

"It is a pleasure to meet you. My name is Gwak Jeong-sin. You must be Daoist Jekyeong? Forgive my forwardness upon our first meeting, but your stature is truly magnificent."

"Yes, I am Jekyeong. But tell me, is the bird you rode in on a puppet?"

"Ah! Indeed it is. If you are interested, you should browse the puppet section of the Yeongbu Merchant Alliance's catalog. We have various types of puppet beasts awaiting a master."

"Thank you. I shall take a look at it later."

A puppet. Simply put, it was a mechanical construct crafted by a cultivator. Since they were artificial creations, they possessed a wide array of abilities and commanded high prices. He had heard that puppets crafted by high-level puppet masters could even surpass cultivators in combat power.

"In any case, it is an honor to meet you. I apologize if I seem overly excitable. I have heard many tales, but this is my very first time meeting a Bulmang Cultivator in person, so I am rather thrilled."

"Hmm? Then you and Daoist Jang..."

"I know of him by reputation, but we have never met in person. We are simply too far apart."

When asking for Jekyeong's location, Jang Hu-am had mentioned that he lived in Jungcheon Sinju. Naturally, Jekyeong had no idea where that was, but hearing Gwak Jeong-sin's words now, it seemed to be incredibly far from Yangseo Lake.

"I would love nothing more than to sit down and share a cup of tea, but I imagine you would prefer to get straight to business, fellow Daoist?"

"Yes, that would be preferable."

"Shall we inspect the item first, then?"

"Very well."

Jekyeong retrieved the spiritual soil from the storage bag he had prepared in advance outside the cave. The quantity was about ten percent less than what he had originally gathered; that missing ten percent was currently serving as Muk-su's bed deep inside the cave.

I hope I'm doing the right thing. When he had first gathered the spiritual soil, Muk-su had rolled around in circles in front of him as if in protest. It was the most intense reaction the creature had ever shown. Jekyeong had found it both amusing and slightly concerning, so he had set aside a tenth of the soil for it. It was more than enough to serve as Muk-su's bed.

"Oho." Gwak Jeong-sin nodded repeatedly as he meticulously examined the spiritual soil. He held a small glass vial close to it, and even smeared a bit of the dirt onto a glowing stone that resembled a spirit stone to observe the reaction.