I summoned the spirit armor and immediately asked,

“I want to lift Lee Kwang’s curse. However, I’m short on the required payment, so I’d like to make a proxy payment. Is that possible?”

After a moment, words appeared above the spirit armor.

[You lack the necessary trustworthiness for proxy payment. Please build up more trustworthiness.]

“Huh?! Trustworthiness? How do I build that up?”

Hmm…

A square table appeared above the armor, as if it were setting hierarchical ranks, along with the units of ‘Mar King’ and their titles.

1st Rank Coin God (錢神)

2nd Rank Great Merchant (天下大商)

3rd Rank Front Demon (錢鬼)

4th Rank Merchant (大商人)

5th Rank Merchant Leader (商座)

6th Rank Upper Merchant (上商)

7th Rank Middle Merchant (中商)

8th Rank Lower Merchant (下商)

9th Rank Lower Lower Merchant (下下商)

10th Rank Lowly Merchant (賤商)

Shh shh shhh…

The spirit armor continued to explain.

[Invest money to raise the merchant’s rank and unlock the armor’s trust level. Once you accumulate enough trustworthiness, you can make a ‘proxy payment’.]

“… So, it’s like becoming a regular customer to get credit.”

[You are currently a 10th Rank Lowly Merchant (賤商). You need to become a 9th Rank Lower Lower Merchant (下下商) before proxy payment becomes possible.]

“Hmm…”

At that moment, I began to grasp the nature of this Chi You’s power over commerce.

‘Those who use this power must think like a merchant!’

It’s literally a supernatural ability manifesting human trade behavior!

It triggers based on the principles of commerce and, when conditions are met, allows the contract maker to secure better deals. Once I understood the principle of the ability, I asked the spirit armor,

“Chi You was the original user of this ability, but how far did he get?”

Naturally, it should be 1st Rank, right?

But to my surprise, the spirit armor gave me an unexpected response.

[He stopped leveling up at 4th Rank Merchant (大商人) stage.]

“What?! He created this ability and didn’t even reach 1st Rank?!”

[That is correct.]

Could something this strange even exist? To have created his own ability but not develop it to its highest level!

As I marveled, the member of the Thief Gang next to me chimed in,

“Anyway, this ability was created by Chi You to gather offerings and become stronger quickly. After earning the trust of Emperor Gong Sun Xuanwen and achieving a divine status, he probably felt no need to develop his supernatural ability further.”

“Is that so…”

“However, on the other hand, that means you might reach a level that even Chi You couldn’t achieve.”

Muttering under his breath, the member continued,

“Regardless, could you ask now if loans are available?”

“Loans?! You mean borrow money?!”

“To expand capital quickly, it’s essential.”

“Isn’t that the same as proxy payment?”

The Thief Gang member replied resolutely,

“No, they’re different. It’s important, so please ask.”

Reluctantly, I followed the Thief Gang member’s advice and asked the spirit armor,

“What rank do I need to be to get a loan?”

[You can obtain a loan even at 10th Rank. However, there is a limit.]

“How much can I borrow?”

[Due to lack of trustworthiness, the maximum is 50,000 Mar and the interest is 70% per day.]

“…”

That’s really stingy. And having 70% interest per day isn’t exactly normal, is it?

“What happens if I can’t repay the loan?”

[We will confiscate everything from the debtor, even their soul.]

“…”

So this is what it comes down to in the world of magical abilities…

The Thief Gang member, who had been watching the conversation with the spirit armor, frowned.

“It looks like at 10th Rank Lowly Merchant, you neither have trust nor loans, and you’re basically at the level of a notorious loan shark.”

“I guess I need to raise my rank. Tch, it seems the only option now is to go hunt some demon beasts to earn Mar…”

“Apologies for not being more helpful…”

The Thief Gang member seemed embarrassed, but I shook my head.

“No, just gaining insight into this ability is already a benefit.”

Currently, I couldn’t make any purchases or loans, but I had a strong intuition that every time I raised my ranks, more abilities would become available. I began to understand how Chi You ascended to a god on par with the Three Sovereigns.

Hmm…

As the Thief Gang member and I stepped outside, we found ourselves back in a dense forest. Although Yu Mang was nowhere to be seen, it was all too obvious that the formidable power of the Giant Race was watching us closely. I turned to the Thief Gang member.

“Use your powers to sense nearby strong demon beasts, will you?”

“Understood.”

Tydadt!

I sprinted through the forest alongside the Thief Gang member toward the demon beasts’ location. After about four miles in the woods, the Thief Gang member, who was jumping between the trees, suddenly remarked with confusion,

“Master, this forest seems to be related to the Qimen Dunjia (奇門遺甲). But why is there Qimen Dunjia in this era…?”

“Qimen Dunjia?”

“Did you not notice?”

The Thief Gang member paused atop the branches of a massive tree and spoke.

“Everything in this forest confuses direction and distorts space-time.”

“Ah! I had no idea… How did you know?”

“I have been active as a martial artist for several hundred years…”

“Ah…”

Indeed, the Thief Gang member had originally been a figure from ancient times, living for centuries by utilizing identities like Geol-seon. Finding anyone with more martial experience than the Thief Gang member would be incredibly difficult.

The Thief Gang member gazed deeply into one direction and continued,

“It seems the goal is to prevent us from reaching the center of the forest.”

“Is something located at the center?”

“That’s likely.”

“Then will we be obstructed from reaching the demon beast extermination site we were headed to?”

“No, it only prevents access to the center but bounces everything else away from the forest.”

“So it’s not directly related to us…”

“That’s right.”

I nodded, sensing a connection.

“Then we can ignore it for now. We’ll probably come back later.”

“Understood.”

Tydadt!

After moving a bit further, we finally emerged to a large area where towering mountains met vast plains. Upon spotting the wide field, I unexpectedly gasped in shock.

“Wait… what?!”

Kiiiii!!

Kigigik!!

Dozens of bizarre shadows flowed and sometimes changed into various animals such as foxes, dogs, cats, or tigers. Then they transformed into apparitions resembling dead humans, suddenly splitting apart.

Kiiiii – !!

The menacing spirits of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace filled the air with eerie cries as they flew around. While they initially appeared ghostly, the horrifying energy they radiated was anything but ordinary; I was sure I had encountered those beings before.

No, in fact, quite often.

Was the Thief Gang member surprised too? He also stared wide-eyed at the spectacle. With a panicked voice, he exclaimed,

“The lesser gods of the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace!!”

Each one was a frightening spirit matching the power of the Great Immortal, gathered in a frenzy. But even more astonishing was what happened next.

“Woo – whoooop!!”

I heard someone forcefully inhaling. Looking toward the source of the sound, I saw a robust man standing atop a cliff, arms wide open. This man continued drawing in breath, and soon the atmosphere around him warped dramatically.

Kugugugu!!

[Kiiiiii!!]

[Stop it!]

The lesser gods soaring in the heavens began screaming in terror. The man’s intake of breath created a strange vortex, drawing their bodies inexorably towards him!

Thoom!

Thock!

They mustered an intense incantation of powerful sorcery as if trying to resist the inevitable, but, unexpectedly, they couldn’t even scratch him, and the man inhaled deeply once more.

Woooop!!

As if becoming slender like a thread, the spirits of the Ten Thousand Ghosts were sucked into his mouth. One by one, they were devoured until none remained to fly through the air. The man swallowed hard, then let out a loud belch moments later.

Kugh -!!

“…”

What just happened?

As I stood frozen in disbelief, the man on the cliff glanced at me and the Thief Gang member, then said,

“I’m eating, so leave me be!”

The man’s appearance could only be described as savage. His muscular body, with thick muscles and merely some sort of tattered pants covering essential areas, demonstrated a strongly rugged form. His blocky and hardened features were undeniably primal.

Strikingly enough, his eyes were silver. His black hair adorned with such unusual silver irises was not something one would see every day, so I couldn’t help but think how peculiar it was.

I called to the man,

“Don’t worry! We’re here to hunt demon beasts, not to eat like you do with spirits from the Ten Thousand Ghosts Palace!”

From my experience, if an enigmatic being shows up, it’s better to avoid confrontation rather than provoke them. After my words, the man silently stared down at us and said,

“Demon beasts, huh? That old man next to you is also not a human, is he?”

“!!”

I was slightly thrown off my guard and glanced at the Thief Gang member beside me. Yet, even when I looked at him, who had transformed into a humanoid form, there was no discernible magical power emitting from him.

‘The transformation techniques of the Eight Parts of the Divine are flawless. They’ve been honing their abilities for thousands of years, naturally concealing their powers perfectly unless they deliberately let some slip out, right?’

Did this guy perceive the essence of the Thief Gang member just by glancing at him? Such keen discernment was beyond even illustrious Great Immortals. It would require a focus akin to someone using the Fire Eye Golden Spirit or a technique like the National Seal pattern to detect that.

I took a chance and replied to the man,

“I don’t know what you’re talking about! We are humans.”

The silver-eyed man scoffed, as if mocking me.

“Hmph! A human, you say? I don’t know about you, but that fellow next to you is hiding a powerful magical force, transformed into a high-grade demon beast. If you’re really human, then don’t interfere if you see him eating a demon!”

Ssssss…

“Ughhh…”

As the silver-eyed man suddenly began making prayer gestures, I noticed he was about to inhale once more, resembling how he had just devoured those spirits.

The Thief Gang member seemed a bit anxious and urgently said to me,

“It’s dangerous! Stop him!”

“What do I do?”

“I’ll leave it up to your choice.”

The Thief Gang member, despite being a powerful demon king, appeared apprehensive about this silver-eyed man. Though it wouldn’t be unusual for someone like him to be afraid of another man, the Thief Gang member had instinctively sensed something formidable about him.

‘What I can do now is… either attack him to interrupt his spell or persuade him with words.’

He clearly held a fierce hostility toward demon beasts, so for the time being, I tried to smooth things over. I carefully contemplated the fight versus diplomacy, ultimately deciding to shout at him.

“Stop! If you halt your actions, I’ll give you treasure!”

I knew that simply ordering him to stop wouldn’t yield results. I needed to offer something advantageous to persuade him, as is the essence of negotiation.

He paused.

The silver-eyed man halted his inhalation, maintaining a dubious gaze while still holding his prayer posture.

“Treasure? What nonsense!?”

“I apologize for the fib. We are simply here on a commission from the Giant Race warrior Yu Mang to hunt demon beasts. My relationship with this demon clan is merely for a short time, acting as a detector, so please let it slide.”

“……”

“I don’t want to fight you. If I can avoid battle, I would be willing to hand over treasure.”

The silver-eyed man seemed to be thoughtfully examining me. Then he spoke,

“Yu Mang commissioned you to exterminate demon beasts, is that so?”

Hmm?

Does he know Yu Mang?

“That’s right.”

“What’s your name?”

“I’m Baek Woong, and this is the Thief Gang member.”

“Wait a moment. Let me check…”

Kugugugu!!

Suddenly, a massive earthquake shook the area, with the ground heaving ominously. It was a significant quake; the ground under me trembled violently, and I could see the earth cracking apart. Emerging from the fissure was a deep-blue mass of tentacles; it definitely appeared to be a new enemy.

Wooo!

At the same time, a distant roar of dragons erupted from the sky. Black-scaled dragons charged through the atmosphere, displaying considerable power as they emerged from a dimensional door. These dragons seemed formidable.

As swarms of monsters appeared, the silver-eyed man grimaced, evidently troubled.

“Looks like today, chaotic entities have decided to invade Takrok. Are you really not associated with those beasts?”

“I don’t know what those things are, but indeed, we aren’t. But do you know what those monsters are?”

“……”

The silver-eyed man fell silent for a moment before replying,

“First, fend off those beasts. Then I might trust your words.”

“Sounds good.”

While those monsters looked fierce, they somehow felt much easier to handle than the silver-eyed man currently before me. There must be a valid reason the Thief Gang member was fearful of him.

I turned to the Thief Gang member beside me and asked,

“Tentacles or black dragons? Which is easier?”

After observing the monsters, the Thief Gang member replied,

“The black dragons are easier to deal with; the blue tentacled beast is incredibly strong.”

“Okay, let’s go.”

Tydadt!

I took off toward a flock of black dragons swooping from the left. The Thief Gang member leapt into the air, quickly revealing his true demon king form.

Kugugugu!!

The surrounding area filled with the demon king’s magical power, creating resistant pressure through which reality momentarily twisted. His true appearance resembled a hybrid of a man and a snake!

A wave of energy emanated from the Thief Gang member like a round barrier, with ancient dialects swirling majestically throughout.

I couldn’t help but marvel at the Thief Gang member’s power.

‘As expected of the Eight Parts of the Divine! While he can’t be compared to an Old Ruler-like monster, he is undoubtedly powerful. He must have absorbed fragments of the Crystal Stele to become even stronger than usual. In this situation, he is a formidable ally.’

But what about Yu Mang and this silver-eyed man? Who are these characters? I couldn’t shake the feeling the ancient Takrok was a magical realm beyond imagination.

As I followed the Thief Gang member, who was gliding through the air, he whispered to me,

[The weak point on the dragon is located under its reversed scale. To strike them effectively, we’ll need to target their sensitive areas, as their defenses may be quite formidable.]

“Got it!”

Bam!

With the Qi of the Celestial Sovereign, I kicked off the air and charged forward. I was about to unleash my full power through the Thunder Spirit Seal when I hesitated.

‘The Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique…’

My training with Lee Kwang in the principles of the Three Talents!

Having learned how to make the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique more efficient and powerful, I realized this was the perfect time to showcase my skills. Condensing pure energy alone wasn’t particularly special, but applying my lessons from training in a real combat situation could speed up my growth significantly.

With that in mind, I resonated the Thunder Soul within me and activated the Nine Chambers of Thunder Technique.

Chiririririr!

‘Six of them!’

After connecting the original nine thunder souls resonating together, I advanced to maximize the efficiency by reducing the amount of thunders produced through resonance. This Three Talents Technique discovered by Jin So-cheong allowed me to lower the number of resonating thunders to a maximum of three, but due to my current level of training, I managed to go up to five at best. Apparently, because of my distracted thoughts, six was all I could achieve at that moment.

Yet the Three Talents Technique itself was a success. I began feeling the acceleration of thunder energy surging through me like never before, using the amplified Thunder Spirit Seal to gather energy in my palms.

‘Instead of releasing it right away, I should let the thunderclap combine with the rush of energy!’

One White (一白) Thunder Spirit Seal

Three Black (三黑) Thunderclaps

Chichichiching!!

Though it was densely packed, it didn’t release but shrank in power and glimmered brightly as the resonance neared compression. I realized this phenomenon was the compression of the Thunder Spirit Seal, and it was my first time utilizing it appropriately in battle. Feeling the thunder energy flaring wildly, I invoked the technique of the Thunder Spirit Seal again, focusing my energy in my hands.

Kugugu!!

The condensed Thunder Spirit energy coalesced into a circular force, accumulating until I release it toward my palms fully.

Three Red Strokes (三署) Special Thunder Spirit Seal (特雷靈印)!!

The power I amassed in my palms erupted into a massive column of light that shot forth, manifesting a totally different form compared to the thunder spirit strikes I usually executed. The radiant column tore through the midst of the black dragons.

Boom!!

[Kreeeeeek!!]

[Kraaaah!!]

The moment the Thunder Spirit light column expanded in all directions, engulfing the hoard of black dragons, fifteen of them screamed as their wings and bodies ignited. They struggled and fell toward the ground as the nearby dragons froze in shock at the sudden turn of events.

Watching my attack unfold, the Thief Gang member exclaimed in awe,

[As expected of you, Master!! Rather than a weak attack targeting a dragon’s sensitive spot, you’re overpowering them!]

“…….”

Uh, wait, no… I was just letting loose to test out what I had practiced, and the Special Thunder Spirit Seal was just too strong…

I quietly closed my mouth while the Thief Gang member clasped his hands before his chest and vowed in reverence.

[In alignment with that path, this Thief Gang member will also respond.]

Oooooh—

Secrets of the Binashi Clan, the Dance of Destruction (कयामत का नृत्य).

A jewel began to radiate brilliantly between the Thief Gang member’s palms. The moment the jewel shone, countless black butterflies materialized and began swirling forward like a storm.

There were so many butterflies that they quickly enveloped the area where the black dragons resided. The dragons tried to incinerate the multitude with their fiery breath, but the sheer numbers proved overwhelming, and they struggled to shake them off.

Pop!

[Krraaaargh!]

The butterflies, acting as if alive, united in a frenzy, shredding the dragons’ wings and feasting upon them. The dragons could do little save fly back and retreat.

I watched in astonishment as the Thief Gang member demonstrated his incredible technique.

“What is that?”

[It’s a summoning spell for the flesh-eating butterflies from the realm of chaos. It’s a powerful spell that can only be used once every ten years, so its effectiveness is guaranteed.]

“Wow!”

That was definitely an incredible spell that could hardly be imitated by the treasures of the Great Immortal!

He was the real deal among demon kings, strong enough to evoke such prowess.

I couldn’t shake off the feeling that battling someone of his caliber would be a serious headache. Sure, I had taken on Celestials one-on-one in the past, but considering the array of spells the Thief Gang member controlled, I had to tread carefully.

After a single strike, the black dragons had already lost half their number, leaving the rest in disarray, unsure of how to proceed. Then, a massive black dragon that appeared to be their leader swooped down in front of us and spoke.

[Who are you? You know we serve the Lord of the Chulu Dragon and still choose to fight?]

“!!”

The Lord of the Chulu Dragon!

An Old Ruler who followed Fuxi into this world! I had previously heard that this being was born in the Spectral Qi of the Universe and had been lingering around the Underworld, devouring human souls.

‘It’s surprising to see that the Lord of the Chulu Dragon is now commanding minions and can even roam the surface!’

Caught off guard by the mention of a familiar name, I hesitated for a moment and then replied to the black dragon leader.

“Hey, black dragon! If you don’t want to die, it’s best you retreat right now. The authority of the Lord of the Chulu Dragon does not apply in Takrok.”

While my goal was to exterminate the beasts, I had an uncanny feeling that engaging fiercely would be bothersome. Realizing that minions obeying a god would likely have a secret weapon or two up their sleeves, I decided it wouldn’t be worth pursuing if I could kill more than ten dragons at once for an adequate return.

The black dragon leader gritted his teeth in rage.

[Just wait… Chaos will consume you all! No matter how much you are favored by the Yan Emperor, it won’t last!]

Swish!

With that, the black dragons retreated, and I watched them leave, somewhat confused yet relieved, thinking I had made the right choice.

“Chaos… human beings?”

What did that even mean?

At that moment, the Thief Gang member spoke to me.

[Master, it seems the battle over there is almost concluded.]

I turned to look at the scene where the silver-eyed man was fighting and was surprised to see a massive bulbous creature surfacing dramatically from beneath the ground, enveloping the area in darkness with its tentacle-like vines.

Kiiiii—

The tentacles moved as if alive, writhing against the ground, casting shadows with swirling chaos. The falling spores of darkness caused further growth among the demon beast’s appendages.

“What’s that thing?!”

[As expected, I see. ]

The Thief Gang member crossed his arms and replied.

[That is a low-level deity of chaos from a far-off constellation. It’s been summoned from an unfathomable distance, and it has deviated notably from this world’s laws.]

“A low-level deity?! So, it’s like an Old Ruler?”

[No, it’s not. If anything, it’s probably closer to that Halchi Olleifra you mentioned earlier.]

“I see! So that’s what it is.”

I began to understand the situation as the Thief Gang member explained.

A powerful being of chaos summoned from millions, even billions of light-years away! This existence, having the powers of a deity within its own dimension, could potentially become a mighty apostle through agreements with Old Rulers.

‘Perhaps that monster could also become a fearsome apostle, similar to Halchi Olleifra.’

I began to understand why the Thief Gang member had suggested avoiding the tentacle creature. Even if the black dragons exhibited great strength, they ultimately belonged to a mortal lineage, while that tentacle creature undoubtedly possessed divine faculties and was a low-level god. The Thief Gang member’s choice was clearly sound.

‘The monster’s so large that I can’t even see the silver-eyed man…’

Having ballooned to the size of a mountain now, the tentacle monster completely concealed the likeness of a human. As I tried to keep a sharp eye on the situation, the Thief Gang member suddenly gasped.

[Wha—what’s happening?!]

Swirling, the many tentacle masses began to spiral into a single point at an extraordinary velocity. In a matter of mere breaths, the mass was devoured more than halfway.

Kugugugu!!

It seemed the tentacles were trying to resist; they conjured colorful magical symbols, blasting out dazzling flashes of light in a frenzy. While I didn’t know what the effects were, it was clear that the ground beneath us was crumbling, hinting that anything there would be obliterated.

Kugugugu!

Boom!

A massive opening appeared in the ground, and the rapidly growing tentacle shot out as if reaching into the void. But the adjourned eyes of the tentacle remained visibly troubled by the sudden pull, and as if having a final struggle, it let out a mournful cry.

[@%&&@&[emailprotected]% ]

Sssshhhh—

Moments later, the massive tentacle began to be completely engulfed into the emptiness above, although oddly enough, several cracks formed, attempting to rip the tentacle apart. Straining against the grasp, the monstrous appendage unleashed its powerful force summoning more magical symbols, but to no avail; soon a loud explosion erupted into the air along with black blood spilling everywhere.

Pshh—

Shortly afterward, even the veins of the creature disappeared into the void, leaving it hanging limply in the air, as if an octopus whose limbs had been severed.

That marked the end for the tentacle creature.

“Let’s go see.”

[Understood.]

The Thief Gang member and I flew toward the site where the fight ended, arriving at a colossal hole. Moments later, I spotted the silver-eyed man flying out from the ground.

‘He can fly?!’

Tydadt!

The freshly landed silver-eyed man appeared unharmed, with no tears in his clothes. Instead, he was chewing something with a gruesome face.

Spitt—

The man spat out what looked like fleshy chunks, glaring at us with a fierce expression.

“I witnessed you taking down dragons. Quite the odd technique you wield.”

Wooow—

As the silver-eyed man relaxed his arms, dangerous energy crept out. Uncertain whether it was bloodthirst or not, I instinctively became wary, yet I didn’t draw my weapon.

I replied,

“I think your technique is more peculiar. Can you really devour chaotic beasts?”

The silver-eyed man nodded.

“Yes. That’s my ability. You seem to possess the power to unleash lightning rays from your hands.”

“?”

I cocked my head, confused, then responded,

“This isn’t an ability; it’s martial arts. This is known as the Thunder Spirit Seal, a technique that anyone can learn through practice.”

“Martial arts? What’s that?”

“You don’t know what martial arts are?”

At this, the silver-eyed man appeared surprisingly startled.

“I don’t quite understand. Isn’t all ability innate? Are you telling me one can learn new abilities through practice?”

“Hmm… That’s right.”

“That’s amazing. There are those who can copy the abilities of others, but I never imagined one could learn them.”

“…….”

So apparently, in this ancient time, martial arts don’t even exist? Yet even considering that, the man’s reaction was bewildering and alien.

The silver-eyed man added,

“Since you fought the chaotic beast alongside me, I’ll choose to trust you.”

“That’s good to hear.”

“But I expect you to keep that promise of treasure, alright?”

Ah, he’s quite the opportunist.

However, I saw nothing wrong here, so I managed a smile.

“Of course, I’ll give it to you. But there’s a condition.”

“What is it? Didn’t you say you would just give it away?”

I subtly threw out a bait.

“You must help us defeat the beasts attacking from outside Takrok as well. I think it’s best for our collaboration.”

“……”

“Naturally, I’ll hand over the treasure. But you must assist in fighting the demon beasts.”

“Um… You seem quite capable.”

To my surprise, the silver-eyed man regarded me suspiciously before saying,

“I don’t trust those who travel with demons. Such beings must be exterminated!”

Indeed, he held strong feelings against demon entities.

I anticipated this, deciding to fish for responses.

“Then… If you don’t like it, we’ll just part ways. If there’s no agreement, it’ll have to be a no-go.”

“Still, you should hand over the treasure…”

“Of course, I’ll give it. But if you agree to fight alongside us, I could teach you martial arts as well.”

“!!”

At this, the silver-eyed man seemed taken aback. He hurriedly replied,

“Martial Arts? Can I really learn that?”

“You certainly can. As long as you possess a Dantian and can regulate your Qi, any living being can learn.”

“Then if I learn martial arts, I can shoot lightning rays from my hands, right?”

In theory, it would require my Qi energy and intent to reach the pinnacle, but I opted not to dwell on the nitty-gritty details and simply nodded.

“Absolutely! You can do it too.”

“Oh!! But just with lightning rays feels somewhat lacking…”

“In addition, mastering martial arts allows you to heal yourself and others with Qi energy. It’ll be invaluable in emergencies.”

“Really? Can you heal illnesses?”

“Definitely.”

“…… Alright then. Let’s arrange that.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ll help you exterminate the demon beasts. In exchange, you need to treat one person in our village and teach me martial arts while giving me treasure.”

“……”

“Will you accept?”

What a crafty little thief…

But since I saw the benefits in this arrangement, I smiled broadly as I answered,

“Of course.”

It shouldn’t be too difficult to teach martial arts or perform Qi healing. I could easily use any random treasure I had on hand to appease him. The reward would be securing a strong ally on par with an apostle.

“Hmph! Very well…”

Though the silver-eyed man feigned annoyance, his smile belied his excitement. Having never interacted with someone so transparent, I couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly as I conversed.

“Since we’re temporary allies, what’s your name?”

“My name?”

“Yes. We can’t keep calling you ‘you’ indefinitely, can we? And we mentioned our names, so it feels wrong for you to withhold yours.”

“I am not withholding! I am completely legitimate!”

His eyes bulged as he burst out, declaring loudly.

“I am Yeolsan (烈山), the great descendant of Shennong! You’d best remember it!”

Yeolsan? That name seems somewhat familiar.

But I couldn’t quite recall it, suggesting that it might not be an exceptionally renowned name. I resolved to ponder on it later, nodding sporadically.

“Understood. Then, shall we head to your village, Yeolsan?”

However, Yeolsan appeared slightly shocked now.

“W-what? To our village?!”

Just in case, I checked, confirming my suspicion.

‘If Yeolsan fights to protect Takrok, it means there’s a human village nearby.’

Because Yu Mang had mentioned that there was a human settlement, I suspected that Yeolsan was indeed a resident of that village, and it was now proven. I concealed my excitement and told Yeolsan.

“Didn’t you say earlier that someone in your village was sick? Since we’ve just eliminated those demon beasts, they likely won’t be a threat for a while. Thus, checking if I can heal that person should be the priority.”

“Ah! That’s true!”

“We can deal with the treasure later.”

“Great!”

Yeolsan suddenly grinned broadly and whirled around.

“Follow me! I’ll guide you to our village!”

Thoom!

With a powerful leap, Yeolsan dashed away, fast enough that he quickly became just a distant dot on the horizon. I was taken aback by his impressive speed.

“How in Hades can you have such physical prowess without martial arts? This is insane.”

From what I observed, his speed just now surpassed even the top-tier martial artists’ full-power light body techniques. He could straightforwardly fight powerful demon beasts or chaotic monsters, and thus I decided to follow without delay.

The Thief Gang member, who had transformed back into human form, remarked,

“Martial arts are a method chosen by weaker humans to grow strong through Qi and intent. Those who are inherently powerful don’t need to learn martial arts.”

“Does that mean Yeolsan is…?”

“We’ll only know once we visit his village.”

I realized the reason the Thief Gang member had reverted to human form. It was likely that both Yu Mang and other humans would hold fears and resentment towards demon kin.

“Let’s go.”

Tydadt!

I chased after Yeolsan, but even at my full speed, I could barely make any headway. The human’s light body technique was beyond what I could match. Although if I unleashed the Soul Removal Technique at full force, I could catch up and even surpass him, but there was no reason to show off here, so I followed him quietly.

Not long after entering the dense woods, we finally arrived at a large village.

The settlement sported crudely built wooden gates, and there stood Yeolsan, arms crossed like a gatekeeper.

With a surprisingly haughty tone, he announced,

“Welcome to Takrok Village!”

As I sensed the qi inside the village, it seemed there were about fifty inhabitants. It was clear this wasn’t a large settlement.

Thud.

As we entered the village following Yeolsan, I felt several eyes upon us. About three or four villagers were staring at me intently, and I could sense they held quite a bit of mysterious power as well.

‘These aren’t ordinary humans.’

As I tried to ignore their stares, Yeolsan yelled back,

“Hey! Don’t gawk at the outsiders like that!”

Then, a beautiful girl, probably in her late teens, furrowed her lovely brows and scolded Yeolsan. She wasn’t just pretty; she had an exquisite beauty that looked sculpted. Strangely, she had red hair and red eyes that stood out.

“Yeolsan, you can’t just bring outsiders to the elder’s place without informing them first!”

“Urgh. Sang Ah…”

The girl named Sang Ah said angrily.

“Hold them for the moment! You should go talk to the elder first.”

“Fine.”

As Yeolsan headed off somewhere, the two of us momentarily became the center of attention for the villagers. While the curious eyes stared at me, Sang Ah, who had initially challenged Yeolsan, now glared at us.

“Who are you? Why did a demon come here?”

This place felt like a tiger’s den.

The identity of the Thief Gang member was at risk of being exposed again.

I had no time to wonder how they recognized him. If this went south, we might end up getting attacked, thinking quickly, I calmly replied to Sang Ah’s inquiry,

“We’re not your enemies. And the demon beside me has pledged loyalty to me, so he poses no danger.”

Sang Ah’s expression twisted slightly.

“Don’t be ridiculous. Do you expect me to believe a demon would be loyal to a human?”

Just then, a boy sitting comfortably beneath a nearby tree cut in with a casual tone.

“Calm down, Sang Ah. If Yeolsan brought them here, there must be a good reason. They might just be guests, so let’s not overreact.”

“Idiot! If a demon suddenly goes on a rampage, any damage done before we could act would be too late to undo. We should expel them from the village.”

“Yeolsan himself has the strongest feelings against demons. If he brought them here, you should give them a chance to explain themselves.”

“……”

The boy, who had his eyes concealed by long bangs, stepped forward and extended a stick toward us.

“I’m Cheongyang (靑陽). I apologize for the rudeness.”

“It’s alright.”

“But Sang Ah makes a valid point, so I must temporarily restrict your freedom.”

“Huh?”

Kiggigig!!

Suddenly, a large black pillar-like barrier engulfed the area I stood in. I was taken aback and turned toward Cheongyang, the boy now staring at me.

“Does this really need to be done?”

“?!”

Buzzing and murmurs erupted.

The boy named Cheongyang, however, looked just as surprised as the others, including Sang Ah and the remaining villagers; it seemed they were equally perplexed.

Sang Ah covered her mouth and could not help but appear shocked.

“How can you move while trapped by Cheongyang’s ability?”

Huh?

Something felt off.

I glanced toward the Thief Gang member standing beside me. To my shock, he was completely paralyzed, unable to move at all.

“!!”

No matter how much he had transformed into a human, the demon king was trapped in a barrier conjured effortlessly by a boy! This was a skill that even sorcerers or Great Immortals might only dream of possessing!

‘No… Even the Celestial of the Eight Parts of the Divine would be incapable of using spells like this.’

Even in a human form, the demon king’s inherent magical resistance was still immense. I suddenly understood just how potent Cheongyang’s powers were and exclaimed,

“You two seem to have a larger scheme at play. You really don’t want to mess with the powers of the divine!”

“Indeed,” the silver-eyed man replied coolly, “if you don’t wish for the wrath of the gods, now is the time to confess.”

“Let’s see if you can gaze into this epiphany; I’ve inevitably glimpsed something already.”

In my attempt to maintain composure, I caught sight of whether the Thief Gang member would oppose once more when Cheongyang spoke.

“Perhaps it would be best if you choose not to answer, lest the cost be unbearable.”

Overwhelmed, I could feel my heart racing as Cheongyang further struggled to maintain a tempting grip on the barrier, coupled with the presence of such unknown power weighing heavily on me.

The silver-eyed man interjected sharply,

“You ought to withdraw before provoking the wrath of those present.”

The thick tension hung heavily in the air; it was as if the world itself had grown quiet, emphasizing how fragile the balance of this conversation was.

Yet through it all, the silvery gleam of Cheongyang’s power shone boisterously, captivatingly resembling a beacon that tested the boundaries of elemental forces.

Finally, breaking the silence, Cheongyang’s glare latched onto me.

I tried to respond, but in that moment of intimidation, I finally realized that each word could condemn me into further chaos.

After what felt like an eternity, much to my surprise…

“Enough of this! I’m not here to fight!”

The sudden bellow drew the attention of everyone, and I couldn’t help but yield to the unseen authority laced within those words.

Cheongyang’s imposing aura pierced through, and in an instant, the insurmountable pressure seemed to lighten, drawing us from the brink of battle.

Yet, before I could comprehend the abrupt shift, a thought echoed within my mind.

What if…

It was Cheongyang’s destiny?

Crisis averted; veins ran cold as the darkness around slowly dissipated, affirming that perhaps conversation was still a choice that could mend the loop of fate tainted by chaos… or would it just spiral anew into chaos once more?

I had my answer.

And it was all part of a single choice led by Yeolsan—a path that twisted between commands and friendship, radiating promise and ambiguity, challenging what we once thought settled.

“I trust the spirits; now, let’s move ahead.”