Chapter 67
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 67
"It's just like Seol Ryeong said," Park Gang-seo remarked with a shrug.
"He said he's feeling pressured to advance his realm. An incredible amount of pressure."
"Who's pressuring him?"
"No one."
"...Is his advancement slow?"
"No, it's the complete opposite." Park Gang-seo tilted his glass. "Aside from you, Senior, there's no cultivator in the Great Martial Dao who's progressing as fast as Hae Un-chan. Among Qi Refining cultivators, he's overwhelmingly fast."
The answer made little sense to Ise. Feeling pressured despite advancing so quickly seemed like a contradiction.
"If he's that fast, why would he feel pressured?"
"Because a man who's never been second-best can't stand the feeling of chasing someone from behind."
"..."
"Hae Un-chan isn't just a Single Spirit Root cultivator; he possesses the Heavenly Root Body. From the moment he was born—the moment his spirit root manifested—can you imagine the expectations his clan placed on him? How spoiled and doted on he must have been? And yet, a prodigy like that failed to take the top spot in the Great Martial Dao's entrance exam."
It was a perspective Ise had never considered. After all, he didn't think his own rapid growth was purely a result of his own skill. It was a combination of heavenly luck, being born with a unique constitution, and his own relentless, untiring effort.
That was why, even as he adapted to the culture of the Cultivation World, the one thing he guarded against most was arrogance. If Hae Un-chan were to catch up to him in realm, Ise would have simply blamed his own lack of diligence.
"And since then, he hasn't been able to surpass you even once, Senior. For the first time in his life, he's experiencing what it's like to constantly stare at someone else's back."
"..."
"I bet the senior clansmen on the main mountain look at Hae Un-chan and say things like, 'Are you perhaps neglecting your cultivation?'"
Hae Un-chan was the peer Ise felt most comfortable with. They shared the common ground of having unique constitutions, similar cultivation speeds, and a nearly identical desire to grow stronger. Learning that Hae Un-chan had, without his knowledge, seen him as a rival and suffered under such immense pressure left a bitter taste in his mouth.
"So you're saying it's because of me."
"It's not your fault, Senior," Park Gang-seo shot back firmly. "It's Hae Un-chan's own inferiority complex. There's nothing wrong with what you've been doing. Even if you were to slow down, it wouldn't make him any faster. This is an inner demon he has to overcome on his own."
When impatience consumes the mind, it can summon the Tribulation of Inner Demons. A cultivator who fails to overcome it can fall and become a demonic cultivator. Hae Un-chan surely knew this, yet an ominous feeling washed over Ise.
He set his drink down in silence, bringing the conversation to a close. He had a feeling that the next time he saw Hae Un-chan, things would be strangely uncomfortable.
Still, he had no intention of slowing his own cultivation. He would simply walk the path he was meant to walk, silently and alone.
Ise fell quiet for a long while, lost in thought as the other two waited for him to sort through his feelings. When he finally looked up, his expression was calm and resolute, as if he had shaken off his worries.
"First," he said slowly, "let's open it."
"Open what?"
"The spirit restaurant."
Park Gang-seo and Bu Chun's faces lit up at once.
"If we can't find another chef, I'll just have to do it myself. I'll be stretched thin, but I'll manage somehow."
Hunting demonic beasts, cooking spirit meals, completing missions, and cultivating—he had a mountain of tasks to handle, but he would just have to make it work, even if it meant scheduling his time down to the second.
"I have a good idea, Senior."
"Hm?"
"We'll use a scarcity strategy."
A scarcity strategy. Ise repeated the words, then gave Bu Chun a look that asked for an explanation.
"Instead of being open all the time, we only open once every seven days, or maybe once a fortnight, for a quick, intense burst of business. In return, we sell only a select few spirit foods with high cultivation-enhancing effects at premium prices."
Ise asked with a troubled expression, "But we still have to pay rent on the days we're closed, don't we? That seems like a waste."
"Isn't it better to work less, charge high prices, and make more money? People are always most desperate for things in short supply. A spirit restaurant on that expensive market street that only opens a few days a month? Even cultivators won't be able to resist their curiosity."
Beside them, Park Gang-seo let out an admiring "Oh." On paper, it sounded like a solid strategy.
"If you hunt demonic beasts on the off days, you can definitely run the shop without any issues."
It certainly made sense. Not low margins and high volume, but high margins and low volume. It was the perfect strategy for his current situation.
"You really are capable. Good. Let's do that."
His hesitation was brief, his decision swift. Though Bu Chun wasn't born with a talent for cultivation, he was undoubtedly a genius when it came to worldly wisdom and practical matters. Ise's eye for people hadn't failed him.
Ise pushed himself up from his knees. "Strike while the iron is hot. Let's go right now—to announce that Meal Exchange is officially opening for business."
* * *
They made their way to the Main Sect Pavilion in the Administrative District. It was the central hub that managed all administrative affairs of the Great Martial Dao under the Head Steward.
Inside, they found the department that handled business permits for the Commercial District and submitted their application.
"Cultivator Ise. Your identity has been verified. The shop name is Meal Exchange. And the business type is... a tavern?" Muttering to himself, the official rubbed his eyes and checked the form again. The word was, indeed, "tavern."
"That's right. We'll mainly be selling spirit food and spirit wine."
"..."
The official let out a few flustered chuckles before turning to Ise. "It's certainly novel, Senior, since we've never had a business like this in the Commercial District. But... will it actually make money?"
"Have you ever eaten spirit food?"
"Of course not. Fasting Pills take care of my meals. Getting to eat spirit rice once in a while as a treat is a lucky day."
"Drop by sometime. I'll give you a discount."
"Haha... Very well. The minimum operational period for a shop is one year. Even if you close down early, your deposit won't be refunded, understand?"
"Understood."
Despite the official's discouraging words, Ise answered calmly. Nothing good ever came from picking a fight with an official.
"Do you have a location in mind?"
"A cheap and good spot, please."
"Senior, there's no such thing as a 'cheap and good' spot. It's either cheap, or it's good." The Main Sect Pavilion official unfolded a map of the Commercial District's shops and showed it to them. "What's your budget?"
"Undecided. How much are the cheapest and most expensive locations?"
"Senior Ise, forgive me for saying so, but you seem like the type who'd go broke running a business... Are you sure I should grant this permit? Someone as talented as you should just focus on cultivation. This is a loss for the entire Great Martial Dao."
"Cultivation requires resources, too."
"...Goodness me. To think even a monstrous genius like you has such delightfully human worries." The official's expression softened into one of shared sympathy, as if he knew that feeling all too well. Indeed, the Great Martial Dao was far too stingy with its support, even for a once-in-a-century genius.
"The cheapest rent is thirty Spirit Stones per month, and the most expensive is a thousand. Location is important, but the size of the building matters, too. The deposit is three months' rent paid in advance."
Listening beside them, Park Gang-seo's jaw dropped. "That's insane... Who on earth does business at those prices?"
"The Flame Flower Hong Clan, the Cheongsu Hae Clan, the Eternal Snow Clan. The Jinju Kang Clan, too. Should I go on?"
"...As expected of the great noble clans. Their audacity is truly on another level." As the names of the Great Martial Dao's most prominent clans tumbled out one after another, Park Gang-seo quickly changed his tune.
"I'll go take a look around the Commercial District."
At least 360 Spirit Stones a year. No matter how he looked at it, this was not an easy decision.
"Go ahead," the official said, immediately turning his attention back to his work, away from the three idiots.
Following the list of locations the official provided, the three of them walked along the market street. Sure enough, the thirty-stone spot was far too remote and cramped. Worse, it was just a street stall, with no room for customers to even sit. The fifty-stone spot was decent, but it lacked a roof, making it unsuitable for cooking.
To get a decent-looking shop, they would have to pay at least a hundred Spirit Stones a month.
Just when he'd been so excited about finally saving up a thousand Spirit Stones for new equipment... the thought of his Spirit Stone pouch emptying out again felt like the sky was falling.
Should I just... give up and go hunt rogue cultivators to rob them of their Spirit Stones? My body isn't affected by Heavenly Tribulations anyway.
The fact that a thought worthy of the Demonic Path came so naturally told him he probably needed to get his mind in order.
Just as he was wrestling with the risk of falling to an inner demon for a very different reason than Hae Un-chan, a Messenger Talisman flew toward him.
It was from Pi Ga-ram, asking where he was.
Ise wrote back his location, and a moment later, a low, dry voice came from behind him.
"Ise. It's been a while."
A welcome face he hadn't seen in some time was approaching.
"Yeah, it has. Is formation research tougher than you expected?" The dark circles under Pi Ga-ram's eyes were noticeably deeper, and he looked even skinnier than before.
Pi Ga-ram let out his characteristic cynical laugh before getting straight to the point. "I heard from Seol Ryeong. You're planning to reopen Meal Exchange."
"Yeah, but we couldn't find a chef, so I'm going to do it myself."
"I see. It's not much, but I'd like to make an investment."
"An investment?"
"I'll invest the Spirit Stones I've saved up, and in return, you make sure I get my share of spirit food for the next five years. If that's not enough... well, you can have me work as an assistant chef for about two hours a day."
At Pi Ga-ram's words, a broad smile spread across Ise's face. "I'd more than welcome it! But are you sure? I heard artisans with talent in the Four Great Arts wouldn't even glance at other crafts."
"That's just the spoiled talk of people born with silver spoons and lavish clan backing." Pi Ga-ram dusted off his sleeves. "People like me, who have to struggle and scramble to cultivate on our own, have to do whatever it takes to earn Spirit Stones. Since practicing formation arts leaves me with no time for missions, investing here is better than blowing all my Spirit Stones on a few pills."
The amount he handed over was 500 Spirit Stones. It was a jaw-dropping sum.
"Finally, someone who speaks my language... I'll make sure you never regret investing the Spirit Stones you bled for."
Park Gang-seo and Bu Chun turned to look at Pi Ga-ram, their eyes wide. It was an unprecedented amount for an early-stage Qi Refining cultivator to offer all at once.
After a moment of complex expressions, the two combined their remaining Spirit Stones and handed over 300 to Ise as their own investment.
"Thinking about it, offering only my labor felt a little shameless," Park Gang-seo said.
"I don't have the talent to even serve as a chef..." Bu Chun added. "This is all I have right now, but I'll set aside a little from my official's salary every month to help with the rent."
Ise closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them. This was practically their entire fortune, yet they had willingly offered it to ease his burden. In effect, they were putting everything they had on the line for this business, standing shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Yeah," Ise said, a new fire in his eyes. "Between guys like us—with no backer, no clan, and no family connections—let's show them what it means to be self-made."
The lease for the shop costing a hundred Spirit Stones a month was finalized that very day. It was a three-room store in an average spot on the market street, but it was a proper space, in a completely different league from the temporary tent at the training grounds.
On a piece of timber Park Gang-seo had found somewhere, Ise carved two words with his spiritual energy, forming an elegant display of calligraphy. He then used his Telekinesis Art to lift the signboard and hang it in place.
"The grand opening will be on the day of the next Full Moon Market."
"Then we have six days left."
"Park Gang-seo, you handle promotion. Tell everyone the first day will feature a free tasting—one bowl per person, first-come, first-served."
"...Free of charge? You want the news to spread like wildfire, huh?" Park Gang-seo smirked.
"Bu Chun, get the interior furniture and tableware ready. Make sure you get good materials with as little Turbid Qi as possible. Let me know if you run short on money."
"Yes, Senior."
"And go to Jangsaeng. Get a vat of spirit wine. Tell him if he tries to rip us off, I'll pickle him in his own wine vat."
"Yes, sir!"
"As for me," Ise declared, "I'm going to hunt a demonic beast. A big, plump one."
He would create a spirit restaurant so popular people lined up just to get in—a place where you couldn't get a meal even if you wanted to.
He was going to sweep up every last Spirit Stone on this main mountain.