WeTried Translations
Translator/Editor: WeTried Translations
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◈ Ophidian of the Immortal World ◈
Chapter 51: Yeongbu Trading Company
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Less than five days after Jegyeong spoke with Jang Huam, an unfamiliar guest came to the island.
The guest had revealed his presence long before reaching the island, allowing Jegyeong to leave the cave and wait for their arrival.
Thud!
Jegyeong quickly looked over the guest, who descended from the sky as though they had dropped straight down.
The guest rode a large bird with multicolored feathers, but Jegyeong immediately recognized that it was not alive.
It had none of the vitality a living creature should possess.
The cultivator riding it was a young man who appeared to be around thirty.
Of course, a cultivator's age could not be judged from appearance alone, but the vitality he gave off was as fresh as newly sprouted vegetation.
“Pleased to meet you. My name is Gwak Jeongsin. You are Fellow Daoist Jegyeong, correct? Please forgive my boldness at our first meeting, but you have an impressive bearing.”
“Yes. I am Jegyeong. Is the bird you rode here a puppet?”
“Ah, that is right. If you are interested, please look through the puppet section of the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association's sales catalog. Many different kinds of puppet beasts await their owners.”
“Thank you. I will take a look later.”
A puppet.
Put simply, it was a doll made by a cultivator.
As items made by cultivators, puppets possessed all manner of abilities and were said to be expensive. Jegyeong had heard that some battle puppets crafted by high-ranking puppet masters could even be stronger than cultivators.
“More importantly, it is an honor to meet you. I apologize if I seem too forward. I had heard much about you, but this is my first time meeting a Forget-Me cultivator in person, so I am quite excited.”
“Hmm? Then Fellow Daoist Jang...”
“I know the name, but we have never met in person. We live far too far apart.”
When Jang Huam asked where Jegyeong lived, they had said they resided in the Middle Heaven Divine Continent.
Naturally, Jegyeong had not known where that was, but from Gwak Jeongsin's words, it seemed to be quite far from Yangseo Lake.
“If it were up to me, I would enjoy a cup of tea and some conversation, but Fellow Daoist likely wishes to finish business quickly.”
“Yes.”
“Then shall we inspect the item first?”
“Good.”
Jegyeong took the Spiritual Soil from the Storage bag he had prepared outside the cave.
There was ten percent less than he had originally possessed, as that portion was now serving as Muk-su's bed inside the cave.
‘I don't know if this is a good idea.’
When Jegyeong collected the Spiritual Soil, Muk-su had circled him several times as if protesting.
It was a fierce reaction the Wood Demon had never shown before. Jegyeong found it both amusing and concerning, so he left behind ten percent of the soil.
It was enough to serve as Muk-su's bed.
“Oh.”
Gwak Jeongsin carefully examined the Spiritual Soil and nodded several times.
He held something resembling a small glass vial over it, then rubbed a little soil onto a glowing stone that looked similar to a Spirit Stone.
Jegyeong did not know what those actions meant, but Gwak Jeongsin did seem somewhat like an expert.
“The amount and quality of Spiritual Energy it produces are ordinary, but its recovery ability is remarkable. There will certainly be demand for it. Foundation Establishment-level factions would be willing to stretch themselves somewhat to obtain it.”
“Is that so? Then how much would it be worth...?”
“Would you like to look at this first?”
A long, cylindrical crystal appeared in Gwak Jeongsin's hand.
It floated toward Jegyeong at a steady pace.
Once Jegyeong recognized that the crystal resembled a Jade Slip, he felt reassured and made contact with it.
‘Ugh!’
It was like the last time he used a Jade Slip. All kinds of knowledge were imprinted in his mind.
Yet the knowledge imprinted this time was... very peculiar.
It was like the shopping catalogs he had often seen in his previous life.
‘What is this?’
Jegyeong felt both surprise and something even greater, disbelief.
Brief information and price lists for countless spiritual treasures stretched through his mind, but no matter how quickly he looked through them, there seemed to be no end.
“Ah, you do not need to search through it all individually. Simply think of your Spiritual Soil, and it will find the relevant information.”
Following Gwak Jeongsin's words, Jegyeong thought of the Spiritual Soil.
The endless list of spiritual treasures vanished, replaced by information on several types of soil.
Their appearances, general effects, and prices were all clearly displayed in his mind.
Jegyeong found the soil he possessed among them and looked at the price written beside it.
“Eight mid-grade Spirit Stones?”
He could not tell whether that was a great deal or a small one.
Thinking of the Spirit Stones he had, it seemed to be a considerable amount, but...
“That is the sale price. The purchase price is five mid-grade Spirit Stones. As you know, even that is a considerable sum. It is equivalent to five thousand lower-grade Spirit Stones. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would not find it easy to handle such an amount.”
Gwak Jeongsin continued without even checking Jegyeong's reaction.
“But Fellow Daoist Jang has given you a precious gift, so I cannot simply stand by. The amount of Spiritual Soil you possess exceeds the standard amount listed in the catalog, so I will add another ten percent. On top of that, I will add another ten percent at my own discretion. Let this commemorate our first meeting and express my hope that we will continue to have good dealings in the future. What do you think?”
He was offering twenty percent more in total. It was certainly a generous offer.
If the prices in the catalog could be trusted.
‘Well, I have no choice but to trust them.’
Not because Jegyeong trusted True Lord Yingfu's name or reputation, but because he had no other option.
He could trade the Spiritual Soil directly with Uh Dobaek. That was one method, but then he would have no choice but to be led along.
Without properly knowing the value of the Spiritual Soil or the Transformation Secret Art, he would be relying entirely on Uh Dobaek's goodwill.
Jegyeong did not wish to doubt Uh Dobaek's character, but it was better not to create a situation where suspicion was needed in the first place.
Besides, he was not completely standing Uh Dobaek up. He was merely paying for the transaction in Spirit Stones.
‘Come to think of it... the Transformation Secret Art should be in the catalog too, shouldn't it?’
Thinking of Uh Dobaek naturally led Jegyeong to think of the Transformation Secret Art. Just as he had done with the Spiritual Soil, he thought of it.
Unlike before, nothing appeared in his mind.
At that moment, Gwak Jeongsin spoke as though he had forgotten to mention something.
“You will see if you check, but what I gave you is a catalog of spiritual treasures sold by our Spirit Talisman Merchant Association. It records common appearances, representative characteristics, effects, and prices. It should help Fellow Daoist identify ownerless spiritual treasures you find in the future.”
A spiritual treasure catalog.
In other words, secret arts and cultivation methods like the Transformation Secret Art were not recorded in it.
‘Is this their way of getting me to keep selling them spiritual treasures?’
Since they were already offering a favor, it would have been nice if they had made it a little more generous.
Jegyeong swallowed his disappointment.
“You said Fellow Daoist Jang gave me a gift earlier. Was this spiritual treasure catalog the gift?”
“That is correct. It is normally sold for ten lower-grade Spirit Stones. Fellow Daoist Jang must think very highly of you.”
Jegyeong recalled Jang Huam, whose Spirit Body had shone brightly in excitement.
They had not said it outright, but Jegyeong had felt as though they regarded him as some living golden calf, which had made him quite uncomfortable.
Still, whether he believed it or not, he had received a gift worth ten lower-grade Spirit Stones. The next time they met, he should at least properly thank Jang Huam.
“Fellow Daoist Gwak, does your merchant association also sell Transformation Secret Arts?”
“A Transformation Secret Art? Of course. Though I do not know whether our branch currently has one in stock. Demand is low, and they are not items that receive much praise even after being sold, so we do not tend to keep them on hand.”
“I understand that demand is low, but what do you mean by not receiving much praise after selling them?”
“A Transformation Secret Art is a secret art that allows a member of the Other Races to assume a Human Race body. But as Fellow Daoist knows, not all members of the Other Races are alike. The Demon Race alone is diverse, and the same is true of Demon Beasts. Since every race has different traits and conditions, the difficulties involved in transformation are also different. So even if someone devotes great effort to learning a Transformation Secret Art, one secret art may work while another may not.”
Jegyeong frowned as he heard Gwak Jeongsin's explanation.
Uh Dobaek had never mentioned this.
Had Uh Dobaek not known, or had they known and simply not said anything?
“That is why one must learn a Transformation Secret Art suited to the cultivator. If one's Qi and Blood are strong, one needs a secret art with a strong effect that suppresses Qi and Blood. If one's Spiritual Essence is fierce, one needs a secret art that can calm that fierceness.”
“I can tell just from hearing it that it will not be simple.”
“Haha. How could it be simple? It is a secret art that imitates the Transformation Tribulation, even if only in a simplified form.”
Jegyeong felt uneasy at the thought that transformation, which he had assumed would not be difficult, might be harder than expected.
If he could not cultivate Human Race cultivation methods through transformation, the road ahead would be filled with thorns.
“I see. Let us complete the transaction first.”
“Good. You have made a wise choice.”
Jegyeong handed over the Spiritual Soil and received six mid-grade Spirit Stones.
Surprisingly, Gwak Jeongsin took the Spirit Stones from a Storage bag at his waist. When Jegyeong asked whether it was safe to carry such a large sum so carelessly, Gwak Jeongsin burst into laughter as if he had heard an especially funny joke.
“Haha. There are few cultivators bold enough to dare touch someone from the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association. Such people are even rarer in the Human Territories. And though it is somewhat awkward to say this myself, I can protect myself well enough.”
After selling the Spiritual Soil and receiving six mid-grade Spirit Stones, Jegyeong decided to sell the two cultivation methods he had obtained from the water bandits as well.
“Hmm... These are low-level cultivation methods. They can only be cultivated to the Qi Refining Stage, so they can practically be called basic methods. We do not normally deal in such things, but if Fellow Daoist wishes to dispose of them, I can offer one lower-grade Spirit Stone.”
One lower-grade Spirit Stone.
Perhaps because he had just received six mid-grade Spirit Stones, it barely even felt like money.
“I will sell them.”
Gwak Jeongsin said Jegyeong might receive more if he took the cultivation methods to a market town, but when would Jegyeong ever take the time to go all the way to a Human Race market town just to sell them?
Jegyeong sold them without further thought, and one more lower-grade Spirit Stone entered his Storage bag.
“It was a worthwhile transaction.”
After completing their transaction, Jegyeong and Gwak Jeongsin spoke for a little longer before parting ways.
“This is my Voice Transmission Talisman. If you have reason to use the merchant association or need something from me personally, please contact me without hesitation.”
“Thank you.”
“Not at all.”
Before mounting the puppet bird and leaving, Gwak Jeongsin smiled and left Jegyeong with a final remark.
“For some reason, I feel that Fellow Daoist and I will be able to maintain a good relationship in the future. I hope we will meet often.”
* * *
“Jegyeong. That human is gone, right?”
“Yes.”
Cheongo did not ask how Jegyeong knew that Human Race cultivator.
Cheongo had always clearly distinguished between what could be asked and what should not be asked.
This time was no different.
‘A Transformation Secret Art...’
It was not some kind of lottery, yet he could not know whether it would work until he learned it.
It was absurd, but if that was reality, there was nothing to be done.
It would be nice if the first one worked, but if not, he would have no choice but to keep trying.
Fortunately, he now possessed quite a few Spirit Stones, so he could afford several attempts without much trouble.
‘It would be best if I could obtain one from Senior Uh.’
If he could not obtain a secret art from Uh Dobaek, or if the one he obtained did not work...
Then he would have to obtain one through the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association.
‘Fortunately, Full-Wing Day is not far away, so I won't have to wait long.’
Until then, he could continue treasure hunting with the turtle.
If they found several worthwhile spiritual treasures like this one, he could soon become a valued customer of the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association.
Then would it not be much easier to obtain a Transformation Secret Art that suited him?
‘Actually... I don't need to cling only to Transformation Secret Arts.’
Jegyeong searched the Spirit Talisman Merchant Association's spiritual treasure catalog for fire-aspect spiritual treasures.
Red Jade Branch... Flame-Filled Spirit Filament... Crimson Rooster Heart Root...
Starting with the familiar Fire Crystal, all kinds of spiritual treasures he had never heard of appeared one after another. Jegyeong casually checked their prices, then involuntarily widened his eyes.
“...”
“Jegyeong. What's wrong? Why are your eyes so wide? Did something sad happen?”
“No. It's nothing.”
The six mid-grade Spirit Stones that had felt crushingly heavy moments ago now felt very light.
Footnotes:
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