Chapter 278
"How on earth did you do that?"
As Jongjeong Yak approached in astonishment, Bu Eun-seol replied impassively,
"I temporarily neutralized the poison by infusing it with Internal Energy."
Having said that, he once again channeled Reverse Polarity True Qi into the assassin.
As two scorching streams of heat spread through the Life Gate Acupoint, the deathly pale complexion of the assassin gradually began to regain color.
Reverse Polarity True Qi, which inherently contained both Yin and Yang energies, was diametrically opposed to venomous qi.
The reason Bu Eun-seol remained unaffected by most poisons wasn't just due to his profound Internal Energy—his body naturally expelled toxins thanks to the Reverse Polarity True Qi circulating within him.
"This is impossible."
Even after witnessing it firsthand, Jongjeong Yak couldn't believe it.
Though the martial world had countless Internal Energy Methods, none could neutralize a poison that had already spread throughout the body simply by infusing Internal Energy.
"Preposterous nonsense."
Neung Jo-un also scoffed in disbelief, stepping closer to Jongjeong Yak to whisper,
"Most likely, he secretly administered some potent antidote."
Since wandering warriors never knew when or how they might have to fight, they always carried antidotes with them.
Hearing this, Jongjeong Yak faintly nodded.
"Given that they roam the martial world, taking on all sorts of dangerous tasks... they must have some extraordinary methods up their sleeves."
"Exactly. This fellow is far too boastful."
While the two were whispering among themselves—
'The poison has already reached his internal organs.'
Completely disregarding their reactions, Bu Eun-seol frowned as he examined the assassin.
The extreme poison the man had ingested was so potent that even after about seven or eight minutes of Reverse Polarity True Qi infusion, all it could do was briefly restore his consciousness.
"Who ordered you?"
"I—I don't... know..."
The assassin, likely a low-ranking operative, weakly shook his head.
"I really... don't know."
At this, Jongjeong Yak stepped forward and urgently demanded,
"Then where is the stolen Purple Herb Pill?"
The assassin merely shook his head again, refusing to answer. Silently observing, Bu Eun-seol doubled the intensity of the Reverse Polarity True Qi he was channeling.
Instantly, the assassin's entire body flushed crimson, thick veins bulging on his face.
As the venomous qi absorbed into his organs clashed violently with the Reverse Polarity True Qi Bu Eun-seol was pouring into him, the man was engulfed in indescribable agony.
"Secret... Market..."
With that single word, the assassin breathed his last.
The extreme poison had already melted his organs and hardened his blood into a solid mass. Even a Great Immortal wouldn't have been able to save him now.
"Secret Market?"
Jongjeong Yak's eyes lost focus.
The Secret Market was a general term for underground trading markets held across various regions.
Neung Jo-un, who had been standing there dazed, nodded slowly.
"Since they can't openly circulate treasures like the Purple Herb Pill, they must be planning to dispose of it all at once in the Secret Market."
No matter how bold a faction might be, they couldn't openly sell a spirit medicine like the Purple Herb Pill, which was meant for the Martial Alliance, especially one originating from the Mount Hua Sect.
But in an underground black market like the Secret Market, even something as renowned as Shaolin's Great Return Pill could be traded without issue.
'The Secret Market opens only once a month... They probably haven't disposed of it yet.'
Finally grasping a thread of hope, Jongjeong Yak turned to the two uninjured warriors at the front.
"U Myeong, Jeong-hak. You two will assist the wounded and return to the Alliance."
Then, addressing Neung Jo-un and the remaining uninjured warriors, she declared firmly,
"The rest of you will follow this Law Enforcement Commander and continue pursuing the Purple Herb Pill."
The expressions of the warriors—excluding Neung Jo-un—were uniformly weary and grim.
Continuing the pursuit of the Purple Herb Pill was an extremely dangerous and reckless endeavor.
But how could they refuse the solemn command of the esteemed Law Enforcement Commander?
"Understood."
Reluctantly, the warriors clasped their hands in acknowledgment.
In the past, underground black markets were typically organized by the Hao Clan, a coalition of lower-class factions.
But as the Hao Clan gradually faded into obscurity and lost its influence, the Black Gangs, which dominated various regions, slowly took over the clandestine markets.
Secret Market.
The Black Gangs, entrenched in villages everywhere, operated under the name "Secret Market," trading not only in stolen goods but also in concealed weapons, explosives, Soul-Dulling Drugs, Extreme Poisons, and other contraband items prohibited or restricted within the martial world.
However, since these items couldn't be openly displayed for sale, and there was always the risk of a sudden raid by the Government Office—
The Black Gangs moved their operations to secluded, secretive locations, irregularly opening the Secret Market about once a month.
Moreover, they weren't just skimming profits from the Secret Market—they were even selling information about its irregular schedules and locations for hefty fees.
Deep in the mountains, near the abandoned cemetery...
Lanterns hung in the darkness, illuminating makeshift stalls scattered throughout the area. Masked figures roamed between them, even the merchants covering their faces as they conducted business. This region's Secret Market was being held in a graveyard far removed from any village.
Crunch. Crunch.
A woman draped in a wide windbreaker with her face concealed climbed the mountain path, followed by a man who appeared to be her attendant. Upon reaching the cemetery where the Secret Market was in full swing, she paused to catch her breath.
"Huuu..."
Following the winding trail marked by swaying lanterns, the woman suddenly stopped to survey her surroundings. Her gaze soon landed on a group of sinister-looking Black Syndicate members gathered beneath a large tree. Before them lay several large chests containing various illicit wares—glass vials filled with thick, blood-red liquid, ornate wooden boxes carved with ancient patterns...
"How much for all of these?" the woman asked.
One of the syndicate men guarding the items snorted through his nose. "These aren't for sale."
"Then why are they here?"
"They're lots for the upcoming auction."
"Auction?" The woman blinked in surprise.
The man chuckled lowly. "First time at the Secret Market, eh?" He pointed toward a clearing deeper in the cemetery. "High-value items go to auction. This is just the staging area."
"You seem well-funded. Go take a look. Plenty of good merchandise up for grabs."
"Thank you."
Her eyes sparkling with interest, the woman immediately headed toward the indicated area. A wide clearing came into view, illuminated by numerous hanging lanterns. At its center stood a curtained platform with a display table and raised podium, upon which stood a figure wearing a monkey mask—presumably the auctioneer.
"Let us proceed to the next item," the masked man announced, gesturing to a small wooden case on the table. "This lot contains Rotting Corpse Blood Poison."
Rotting Corpse Blood Poison.
One of the most strictly forbidden Extreme Poisons in the murim. Because when someone is poisoned by it, their entire bloodstream transforms into more of the toxin. Just three or four infected adults could yield approximately eighteen liters of this horrifying substance. Merely possessing it made one an enemy of the entire martial world.
Yet here this banned abomination was, being openly auctioned.
"Starting bid: thirty thousand taels."
As the masked man spoke, voices began calling out from the crowd:
"Thirty thousand."
"Thirty-five thousand."
The bids skyrocketed uncontrollably until finally, an elderly woman with a violet cloth masking her face purchased the poison for the astronomical sum of two hundred thousand taels.
About half an hour later, numerous Precious Artifacts went on the block—authentic hidden weapons smuggled from the Sichuan Tang Family, even live specimens of Spirit Beasts thought to be extinct.
Then—thud.
A large gilded wooden case landed on the display table. Even unopened, it emitted a subtly sweet fragrance that perfumed the air. The very same case that had been on the old man's stall earlier.
"Our next item," the auctioneer's eyes gleamed as he surveyed the crowd, "is fifty Violet Essence Pills—an elixir compounded by the Mount Hua Sect from generations of accumulated Spiritual Herbs."
"Starting bid: one hundred thousand taels."
A masked woman who'd been quietly observing suddenly raised her hand. "One hundred thousand."
From the opposite side, a portly masked man countered: "Two hundred thousand."
The observing woman increased her bid. "Two hundred forty thousand."
"Three hundred thousand."
Like the poison before it, the pills' price soared uncontrollably.
"Five hundred thousand," the fat man finally declared.
The masked woman who'd been fervently bidding pressed her lips together and fell silent.
"Five hundred thousand taels! Any higher bids?" When none came, the auctioneer's hammer fell. "Fifty Violet Essence Pills sold for five hundred thousand taels!"
As soon as the hammer fell, the fat man nodded to the burly servants standing behind him.
They immediately brought forth a large chest and placed it before the masked man.
"Five hundred thousand taels."
"Correct. Take it away."
At the monkey-masked man's words, the fat man tucked the wooden box under his arm and swiftly exited the auction house.
This seemed to be the final auction—already, two Black Syndicate men were dismantling the podium at the front.
The monkey-masked man also retreated behind the curtains once more.
The woman who had been watching the scene nodded slowly. Then, her hand gradually moved toward the sword at her waist.
That woman was none other than Jongjeong Yak.
'The Black Syndicate thugs couldn't have been the ones who stole the Violet Essence Pills. If I interrogate the organizer, I'll find out who did.'
After hearing the assassin's words, she had immediately gathered intelligence on the Secret Market in the vicinity and tracked it down to this place.
And at last, she had found the Black Syndicate members carrying the wooden box containing the Violet Essence Pills.
But those selling the pills couldn't be the true culprits.
Her plan was to first recover the pills, then return to the Martial Alliance.
Even if she only retrieved the lost Violet Essence Pills, this investigation wouldn't have been in vain.
Click.
Just as she was about to draw the sword at her waist—
"Don't."
A man who had been watching the auction stepped closer and sent her a telepathic transmission.
It was Bu Eun-seol.
"The probability that box contains fifty Violet Essence Pills is nearly zero."
"What do you mean? I clearly caught the scent of the pills from that wooden box earlier."
"For fifty pills, the fragrance was far too faint. At best, there might be two or three inside."
"The number doesn't matter."
Jongjeong Yak spoke with a grave expression.
"If I can't catch the culprit, I at least have to recover even one or two of the pills."
This investigation had been forced through despite pressure from the higher-ups.
If she returned empty-handed, she could face disciplinary action simply for losing innocent martial artists in the process.
"If you insist on seizing them, do it when that fatty reaches his destination. It wasn't a legitimate auction anyway."
"What do you mean by that?"
"I heard the theft of the Violet Essence Pills happened quite some time ago. What do you think the probability is that an auction for them would coincide exactly with your arrival at the Secret Market?"
Jongjeong Yak blinked.
Now that she thought about it, it was strange.
The timing was far too perfect to be mere coincidence.
"They could be deliberately complicating the trail to make tracking harder."
"Of course, that's also a possibility."
Bu Eun-seol nodded and transmitted again.
"Which is why we should observe further. See where that fatty takes the pills."
Jongjeong Yak's large eyes gleamed as she nodded.
"You're saying the winning bidder might just be another middleman."
She was merely inexperienced in the ways of the martial world.
Her mind was sharp, and her situational judgment was quick.
Otherwise, she would never have been appointed as a Law Enforcement Commander amidst the swarm of prodigies.
"Or he could be the final buyer after going through the last steps. If not, then this could still be a trap."
'She catches on fast.'
Bu Eun-seol gave an approving nod.
"Precisely."
"Fine. I can't pass up the chance to follow the trail."
Jongjeong Yak turned to Neung Jo-un, who had been tailing them while disguised as a servant.
"Prepare all the unit members waiting at the foot of the mountain. We can't afford to lose track of him."
Neung Jo-un nodded silently and slipped out of the auction house.
As she watched the fat man disappear with his entourage, Jongjeong Yak clenched her fists tightly.
If they tailed the winning bidder in secret... they might just uncover the true thieves behind the Violet Essence Pills.
An ornate Eight Horse Carriage sped away from the Secret Market, racing down the main road.
Inside sat the fat man who had won the auction for the Violet Essence Pills.
Eventually, they arrived before a sprawling manor nestled beside a lake.
The Song Family Estate.
This was the residence of a certain merchant, located just outside the village.
As she stealthily pursued them, a faint question arose in Jongjeong Yak's mind.
Could it be that the master of the Song Family Estate—or one of his closest confidants—was the one who wanted the Violet Essence Pills?
Tap, tap, tap.
Pushing aside her tangled thoughts, she swiftly scaled the manor's roof and began surveilling the movements below in secret.
'I must be cautious.'
Having tasted bitter defeat once before at the Crow River Escort Agency, she scrutinized the manor with extreme caution.
She had learned the hard way that neither her position as Law Enforcement Commander nor her Command Plaque held any sway over those who sought her life.
Thud. Thud.
The portly man who had descended from the carriage did not head toward the main residence but instead made his way to a dilapidated warehouse on the manor's outskirts.
Carefully carrying a wooden case—containing the Violet Essence Pill—he entered the warehouse, only to emerge moments later empty-handed.
"It seems there must be a hidden vault in that direction," Neung Jo-un remarked.
Jongjeong Yak nodded in agreement.
There was no way something as precious as the Violet Essence Pill would be left in such a shabby warehouse. Clearly, there had to be a concealed space inside.
"It's still too early. Let's infiltrate around the third watch."
"Understood."
As night deepened, Jongjeong Yak turned to Bu Eun-seol and the others.
"While Adjutant Neung and I investigate that place, the rest of you will remain here in stealth."
"I'm coming too."
Bu Eun-seol stepped forward, but Jongjeong Yak shook her head.
"This investigation is being conducted under the authority of the Martial Alliance's Law Enforcement Commander."
In other words, Bu Eun-seol, not being an official of the Martial Alliance, had no right to enter the investigation site.
'It must be because I'm a wanderer.'
No wanderer would simply leave a treasure vault untouched.
It was obvious she suspected Bu Eun-seol might secretly loot the Song Manor's treasure vault.
But Bu Eun-seol remained firm.
"That won't do."
"Excuse me?"
"You agreed to follow my lead regarding escort matters."
"This is merely an investigation to confirm the presence of the Violet Essence Pill. You are not an Alliance warrior, so you cannot accompany us to the site."
"I'm simply doing my job."
At this, Neung Jo-un bristled with hostility.
"Hey, if you're a wanderer, act like one. Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
"I'm earning my pay as a wanderer should, so you'd do well to stay quiet."
Seeing Bu Eun-seol's unwavering stance, Jongjeong Yak hesitated briefly.
—No matter what happens, trust and rely on Young Hero Seol. Understood?
At that moment, Dam Yu-yeon's admonition echoed in her mind.
'Big Sister isn't one to speak carelessly.'
After a brief internal struggle, she finally nodded.
"Fine. Then follow us."
"Law Enforcement Commander!"
"Are you going to pay three thousand taels? I emptied my entire savings just to hire him."
'...What a bargain.'
The deposit Dam Yu-yeon had given Bu Eun-seol alone amounted to a staggering hundred thousand taels.
If he successfully escorted her back to the Martial Alliance, he was set to receive another hundred thousand on top of that.
Yet she believed Bu Eun-seol was merely an Advanced-Grade Mercenary hired for three thousand taels.
If she knew he wasn't just a Special-Grade Mercenary but also the Heir of the Demon Hall—
She might have fainted on the spot.
"However, as per our agreement, you must not disclose anything you see or hear from this point onward. Understood?"
"Fine."
In the end, Bu Eun-seol entered the warehouse alongside Jongjeong Yak.
Inside, stacks of various weapons lined the space, with shelves holding concealed weapons and heavy bows.
"No matter how I look, I don't see any mechanisms."
Neung Jo-un frowned as he meticulously inspected the armory.
Despite searching every nook, there was no trace of any hidden device. Worse, the wooden case containing the Violet Essence Pill was nowhere to be found.
"Exactly."
Jongjeong Yak wiped the sweat beading on her forehead.
Had the man simply entered, then left with the pill again?
"Over there."
At that moment, Bu Eun-seol pointed toward a corner where rusted weapons were stored.
"There's a mechanism installed in that area. Likely a hidden door."
Thanks to his experience navigating countless traps in the Martial Emperor's Secret Vault, he could detect traces of mechanical devices without even needing to heighten his Empty Mind Spirit Perception.
"A hidden door?"
"Correct."
Neung Jo-un, standing beside Jongjeong Yak, let out a hollow laugh.
"You don't even know the basics of searching. Those cobwebs prove no one has touched that spot."
"Is that so?"
Bu Eun-seol nodded, then strode toward the stacked weapon racks.
After a brief examination, he unhesitatingly drew a rusted sword from its sheath.
Rumble—
A low vibration sounded as a section of the wall smoothly slid open, revealing a hidden passage beyond.
"Ahem."
Neung Jo-un cleared his throat awkwardly, avoiding the sharp gazes of Jongjeong Yak and Bu Eun-seol.
"Impressive. The basics of searching dictate that one must investigate even the most unsuspected places."
With an icy expression, Jongjeong Yak brushed past him, carefully examining the passage entrance.
"Huh? This..."
Then, as she studied the cobwebs draped over the entryway, a sudden flash of realization lit up her eyes.