Chapter 201: Pursuit (2)
In front of Cho-su, an overly obese middle-aged man sat on a chair, wiping sweat from his face. Dressed in flashy clothes, he looked unmistakably like a wealthy rchant at first glance.
“I heard you have so fine goods.”
“This one.”
Cho-su imdiately took out the item and showed it.
The man's gaze slightly shifted as he examined the items, including the Raemun Byeokryeokcho and other spiritual herbs and dicines infused with thunder qi. The tips of his toes subtly tensed.
It was a very brief mont, but Jang Woo-hyun, having spread his Qi Threads densely and widely with full concentration, did not miss that tiny movent.
The fat man reached out and picked up a blue leaf radiating strong Water Qi. His motion was natural, as if it were sothing he truly needed.
“These are excellent goods.”
He smiled refreshingly, as though he had found exactly what he had been looking for.
“I really like them. Are you selling them all at once?”
“Yes.”
The fat man nodded, then scribbled an amount on a small piece of paper and slid it forward.
“How about this much?”
“Not bad, but not great either. How about this?”
After glancing at the paper, Cho-su wrote down the amount he wanted and handed it over. His gestures made it clear this wasn’t his first ti.
“Hmm, that seems a bit excessive. How about we et halfway?”
Cho-su shook his head at the fat man’s proposal. He had no intention of selling the items in the first place, so he didn’t agree to the amount written on the paper.
“Seems like you need money urgently.”
A trace of doubt flickered in the man's eyes. The amount Cho-su wrote was so high that it made one question whether he truly intended to sell.
“Isn’t it common for soone from the Nation of chanical Marvels to end up like this?”
But Cho-su calmly spoke about his situation and dispelled the suspicion.
Those from the Nation of chanical Marvels often caused trouble while making things, so Cho-su was pretending to be soone who needed money due to a mishap.
“So you’ve got your circumstances. Then, if I stretch myself, how about this?”
Once again, the paper passed back and forth between the two.
The fat man frowned at the price Cho-su insisted on, clearly thinking it was too much, but eventually made his decision.
“Very well. I’ll pay what you asked.”
Cho-su was slightly taken aback. He had deliberately nad a high price, yet the man accepted it.
He still hadn’t figured out who this person was. He didn’t even know yet whether the fat man was connected to Ha Do-gwang or not.
If he sold the real item now, he’d lose both the bait and his leverage.
“What’s the matter?”
When Cho-su froze and couldn’t respond, doubt returned to the man’s eyes.
At that mont, Lee Ga-hang, who had been standing nearby, stepped in.
“How are you planning to pay?”
“This region practically belongs to the Five Elents Cult, so what do you think?”
“That won’t work.”
“What do you an it won’t work?”
“We won’t accept Five Elents Cult currency.”
In Central Heavens, Spirit Stones were generally used as currency, but so sects also issued their own money.
Since minting and managing money wasn’t easy, these weren’t as standardized as the currencies used in the Lower Realm’s countries. The only widely accepted currency across regions was the one issued by the Samcheong Tai Chi Sect.
Though the Five Wheel Five Elents Cult also minted its own currency for use within its domain, it was essentially just another type of stone used in place of spirit stones.
In any case, the Five Elents Cult did have its own currency, but Lee Ga-hang had firmly stated that they wouldn’t accept it.
“Don’t you know the state the Five Elents Cult is in right now? Demonic Practitioners have infiltrated their territory, and there’s so mysterious organization... what was it called? Anyway, there are strange people moving in. And with the recent battle against the Left Protector, they can’t even operate properly. So how could we accept their money?”
“Then what do you suggest?”
“You’ll have to pay with currency from the Tai Chi Sect or with Spirit Stones. If that’s not possible, bring items of equivalent value.”
Jang Woo-hyun was slightly surprised at Lee Ga-hang’s unexpectedly sharp attitude.
She was, after all, once the leader of a major power that contested for dominance in the Murim. Though she often acted foolishly under Jang Woo-hyun’s influence, this was the real Lee Ga-hang—the one who led the Vermilion Bird Palace of the Dawn Continent.
“Is that acceptable?”
Prompted by her smooth handling of the conversation, Cho-su reacted a beat late.
“Huh? Ah, right. As you can see, I cultivate Fire Qi, so if you’re short on money, you can bring spiritual dicine related to that. Either way, this won’t do for now. Can you prepare the paynt?”
The fat man paused to think at Cho-su’s question.
“Could you give a little ti? It might take a while.”
“If you're really going to buy it, I can wait. If this is fate, then I should at least give you that courtesy.”
“Thank you. Then please give two days. I’ll contact you again. Where should I reach you?”
“I’ll co back. Return to this place in two days.”
“Very well.”
Thus, the deal with the fat man was montarily concluded, and the three returned to their lodging.
“What do you think?”
“I’m a bit suspicious.”
“Really?”
“Yes. He pretended otherwise, but his deanor slightly changed when he saw the Raemun Byeokryeokcho.”
“I didn’t notice.”
“It was just for a mont. Maybe he’s good at hiding it. Palace Head, did you catch it?”
“Huh? No, well… I didn’t really notice… but if Great Hero Jang saw it, then I’m sure it’s true.”
It seed Cho-su and Lee Ga-hang hadn’t caught on, but Jang Woo-hyun was confident he hadn’t been mistaken.
Back in his Demon Extermination Sect days…
When he sought instruction from the hunter-turned-warrior Ma Choong-won, he had been taught to observe everything around him.
Jang Woo-hyun, following that advice, had paid attention to not just the man’s expression or gaze, but to everything from the beginning. That’s why he could detect even the smallest change and conclude that the man was suspicious.
“So, what do we do? Should we go catch him now?”
“Let’s et him again in two days and decide then.”
With Jang Woo-hyun’s words, the group’s course was set.
“They don’t seem to be from the Cult.”
Before the fat man, who had drawn Jang Woo-hyun’s suspicion, sat a pair of young man and woman.
“Are you certain?”
“Yes. From the goods they sold and their behavior, I’m fairly confident.”
The fat man explained what Lee Ga-hang had said.
“She was very clear. She said they wouldn’t accept the Five Elents Cult’s currency and demanded either Spirit Stones or Tai Chi Sect currency. She even spoke like the Five Elents Cult had completely collapsed.”
“Isn’t that a bit weak to confirm it? They could’ve been lying.”
The young woman raised a doubt.
“I’ve considered that as well. Which is why I propose—why not invite them here next ti we et?”
“Here?”
“Yes. With the two of you here, even if sothing happens, we can deal with it.”
“What did they look like? What was their presence like?”
“Only the woman was marked by the Divine Artifact. They weren’t anyone you two need to worry about.”
The two handed the fat man a Dharma Treasure, a tool used to asure the power of a martial artist who had cultivated the Five Elents Qi.
Unless one could completely conceal their power, it was impossible to avoid the tool’s detection if they had cultivated the Five Elents Qi.
The people who ca to sell goods were one person from the Nation of chanical Marvels, a typical male martial artist, and a woman who had cultivated the Five Elents Qi.
“I’m also familiar with the faces of the Five Elents Cult’s leadership. She wasn’t Wu Hobup, and she certainly wasn’t one of the Five Elents Envoys. They seed unrelated to the Five Elents Cult.”
Upon hearing the fat man’s account, the other two fell silent in thought.
The people who had co to sell the items didn’t seem like pursuers from the Five Elents Cult, nor were they strong. Moreover, what they possessed were things they themselves needed.
“Wouldn’t it be better to lure them in?”
Their identities hadn’t been fully confird yet, but since the two of them had acquired new power, they should be able to handle most unexpected problems.
After the young woman asked, the man pondered for a while before speaking.
“Very well. Bring them here, and if there’s no issue, we will pay the price.”
“Yes, I’ll do that. And if sothing goes wrong…”
“Don’t worry about that. We’ll handle it on our side.”
“Understood. I’ll make so preparations as well. Just in case, even with you two present.”
Thus, the three decided to summon Jang Woo-hyun and his party directly.
Two days later.
When Jang Woo-hyun’s group returned to et the fat man, they were greeted by soone else.
“I’ll escort you.”
The group was led out of the city and arrived at a massive Manor. They had been invited not to the fat man’s shop, but his residence.
The scale of the manor was imnse—enough to astonish even Lee Ga-hang, who once led a great sect in the Lower Realm.
Following the servant who had co to et them, they walked quite a distance before arriving at a modest backyard garden.
And then—
The mont they crossed over the small fence of the backyard, Jang Woo-hyun laughed.
“Palace Head.”
“Yes?”
Lee Ga-hang, who had been disguised as a quiet escort, flinched in surprise when Jang Woo-hyun suddenly addressed her without any signal.
“There aren’t many who can wield Thunder Qi, right?”
“Pardon? Yes. That’s true. Most people who cultivate Five Elents Qi handle one of the five elental forces. Rarely, so combine it with Yin-Yang energy and end up handling thunder or wind. Even on the Dawn Continent, the only one who wielded thunder was the Thunder Sect Leader. But Great Hero Jang, why bring that up so suddenly—”
“That’s enough. No need to confirm anything further.”
Jang Woo-hyun cut her off mid-sentence. He no longer needed any explanation.
As he listened, he had already expanded his Qi Perception to observe in detail and confird it for himself.
Two martial artists carrying the force of thunder.
Upon examining them closely, he sensed a faint but familiar power.
‘It’s his power.’
The energy that squird at the Cult Leader’s side.
The power of the Martial God known by the title Heavenly Gold Thunder God.
Jang Woo-hyun beca convinced that the hidden martial artists were connected to Ha Do-gwang.
“Seems like this will be over faster than expected. Palace Head, guard Cho-su.”
“Huh?”
Before Lee Ga-hang could even reply, Jang Woo-hyun had vanished.
BOOM!
In the next instant, he had already crashed into a building so distance away.
Inside, two startled n and won looked up in confusion.
“How…?”
“I’m just a bit sensitive, that’s all.”
With those words, Jang Woo-hyun closed the gap and reached out his hand. He aid to seize their throats, but his hand rely sliced through empty air.
CRACKLE!
The thunderous roar echoed as the two, transford by thunder, shot up through the ceiling into the sky.
‘Well now?’
Jang Woo-hyun was surprised by their movents. Their speed and reactions were a step quicker than expected.
BOOM!
Once more, a thunderclap sounded as a lightning bolt struck the building where Jang Woo-hyun stood.
The structure collapsed in an instant, and the remaining force scorched everything nearby.
Startled by the sheer power, Lee Ga-hang and Cho-su instinctively stepped back.
Then, as a black gleam sliced through the endless waterfall of thunder, the torrent split in two and disappeared.
From within, Jang Woo-hyun, wielding his sword, soared into the sky.
“They’re the enemy!”
“Kill them!”
Voices rang out from every direction. So approached on Dharma Treasures, others using Movent Arts, all rushing toward Cho-su and Lee Ga-hang.
In response, Lee Ga-hang drew upon her power.
FWOOSH!
Wings of fla unfurled from her back.
Every step she took left branded scorch marks on the earth like hot irons.
“I’ll hold them off.”
Lee Ga-hang stepped in front of Cho-su.
“Don’t worry about . Just do what you need to.”
Cho-su pulled out a shield from his Inner Robe and tossed it. Two shields spun around him, blocking incoming Sword Qi and Hidden Weapons.
Seeing this, Lee Ga-hang dashed forward to intercept the enemies. Her intent was to crush them before they could reach Cho-su.
BOOM!
An explosion ripped through the area in front of her.
Watching her fight, Cho-su took out two Dharma Treasures. Pressing one face of a cube-shaped tool, a silver beam shot into the sky—a signal to reveal his location.
He then brought the second treasure to his mouth and spoke into it, sending a ssage to those waiting.
“Antlered White Mask. Over here.”
【Yes.】
What he held was a communication Dharma Treasure.
A voice responded, and monts later—
VWOOOOOM.
A massive sound echoed from the heavens.
Even Lee Ga-hang, who had been locked in battle, turned her head.
Not just her—the enemies also halted their attacks, focusing their gaze.
Everyone instinctively realized sothing extraordinary was happening.
All eyes turned skyward.
Space twisted and then, in a flash, light burst forth.
And when that light faded—
A colossal Floating Stronghold had appeared.
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