***
"Sniff, sniff—could I eat this?"
"The gamey smell is quite strong, but wouldn't the taste be okay if I roasted it?"
After arriving here, because he had eaten nothing but fasting pills, his mouth watered at the thought of meat.
- You’re going to eat that? The meat of a Blue-Pointed Canine monster that even other demonic beasts won't eat because of the smell? You madman!
"Really? Fine then!"
At Jin Wi-dong’s words, Lee An-jeong set down the hunk of Blue-Pointed Canine meat with an expression full of regret.
He had thought the gamey smell was particularly strong, and since even demonic beasts wouldn't eat it, he didn't want to go out of his way to consume it.
"Alright! Shall we get going again?"
Lee An-jeong once again attached a hundred-mile talisman to his leg and increased his speed.
Because the forest was both deep and wide, he had to encounter several more demonic beasts after that.
Second-grade demonic beasts like Yellow Flying Rats and Blood-sucking Birds appeared, but he leisurely continued to hunt them while collecting their internal dans and by-products.
To Lee An-jeong, who had reached the 6th star of the Qi Condensation stage, second-grade demonic beasts were not particularly difficult opponents.
In particular, it was even easier to deal with them because Jin Wi-dong pointed out the weaknesses of each beast.
'I wonder how strong a third-grade demonic beast or higher would be?'
Lee An-jeong suddenly felt such curiosity, but even if Jin Wi-dong’s Nascent Soul was by his side, he didn't want to take such risks unnecessarily.
He also didn't want to waste one of Jin Wi-dong’s only three chances for assistance in a place like this.
By running quickly with the hundred-mile talisman except for when he was catching the demonic beasts that appeared, he was able to exit the forest within four double-hours.
<><><>
As he exited the forest, the sight of scattered private houses passed by to his left and right.
Old villagers who were working in the rice paddies and fields raised their heads and looked up at Lee An-jeong as he passed by.
Their eyes, worn down by the hardships of life, were simply empty and hollow.
He had seen it in the memories of the original owner of this body, but the lives of the commoners in this world were incredibly desolate.
In a world teeming with cultivators who flew through the sky and demonic beasts as large as houses, they were no different from insects.
They were trivial existences whose lives could be snuffed out if a cultivator or a demonic beast so much as flicked a finger.
Therefore, the lives of most commoners were nothing but impoverished and miserable.
'This crazy Xianxia world! South Korea is much better than this!'
Lee An-jeong thought of the modern South Korea where he used to live.
Although it had felt like hell due to his life as a student preparing for exams, it seemed there could be no place more peaceful and happy than that.
He no longer wanted to habitually call it "Hell-Joseon" to disparage it.
Looking back, that place was no different from heaven.
- Hmm? Where is South Korea? You occasionally say strange things that I've never heard of before.
Jin Wi-dong asked inquisitively like that, but Lee An-jeong ignored him and continued to run.
- No, this brat! Are you going to keep ignoring me?
Jin Wi-dong became angry and was about to rage wildly, but when Lee An-jeong’s atmosphere seemed somber, he soon pouted and shut his mouth.
After crossing several fields and several mountains, a large fortress wall came into view in the distance.
Only then did Jin Wi-dong, who had been silent for a while, open his mouth again.
- It’s On-ju City! We’ve finally reached On-ju City!
"So that place is On-ju City...!"
As expected of a reasonably large city in the vicinity, the scale of On-ju City was enormous.
At the open main gate, the line of people waiting to enter stretched for almost several li.
As Lee An-jeong reached the vicinity, he tore off the hundred-mile talisman and quickly stepped down.
Crackle— Crunch—
The hundred-mile talisman, whose life had ended, broke apart and scattered in the air.
Lee An-jeong then went and stood at the very back of the line.
At that moment, he felt several of the people walking ahead of him turn back toward him.
When he looked after enhancing his vision, he could feel a faint spiritual energy coming from them.
Judging by what he felt through his divine sense, they seemed to be cultivators around the 1st or 2nd star of the Qi Condensation stage.
Then, one of them approached Lee An-jeong and struck up a conversation.
It was a young man in his twenties with a scholarly air.
"By any chance, are you a disciple of the Bu-yeon Sect?"
Lee An-jeong was startled by those words and glared at him without replying, remaining on guard.
Then, the scholarly young man smiled and spread his arms as if telling him to lower his guard.
"I recognized you by those gray training robes. Because there are no young Qi Condensation cultivators who wear those training robes near On-ju City other than the miscellaneous labor disciples of the Bu-yeon Sect."
Lee An-jeong furrowed his brows at the young man’s mention of "miscellaneous labor disciples of the Bu-yeon Sect."
However, the young man added more words as if telling him not to misunderstand this time either.
"Ah! I didn't mean to speak ill of you by calling you a labor disciple. In fact, just becoming a labor disciple of the Bu-yeon Sect is a dream-like thing for rogue cultivators like us. You are truly amazing!"
Whether those words were true or not, the people in the surrounding line began to buzz at the young man’s mention of the "Bu-yeon Sect."
"A Bu-yeon Sect disciple? Wow! At such a young age. That’s truly impressive."
"I’m jealous, so jealous!"
"But why is such a great person standing in this line?"
'Why am I in this line? Then does that mean there’s a separate line?'
When Lee An-jeong came up with such a question after hearing the last remark, the young cultivator pointed toward a sparse, separate line for Lee An-jeong.
"The gate for cultivators is over there. This line is the line for commoners. Since it seems to be your first time, I will guide you. Please follow me."
"Ah, yes. Thank you."
Lee An-jeong performed a fist-wrap salute to the young cultivator and followed him.
There was a large gate next to the small gate used by commoners, and the young cultivator was leading Lee An-jeong toward it.
Before he knew it, he saw several of the Qi Condensation cultivators who were walking ahead earlier entering that gate first.
Next to that gate, an armed warrior clad in armor was looking on with a terrifying gaze while his large sword was stabbed into the ground.
Contrary to his imposing appearance, the warrior’s cultivation level was only around the 3rd star of the Qi Condensation stage.
'What? I got nervous for nothing.'
While Lee An-jeong felt relieved internally, the young cultivator ahead pulled out a tablet and showed it to the warrior.
Then, the warrior nodded and let him inside the gate.
Next was Lee An-jeong’s turn.
The warrior glared toward Lee An-jeong and shouted in an overbearing manner.
"Show your identification plaque!"
'What? They said they could recognize me just by these gray training robes. Why doesn't this guy recognize me when he’s the gatekeeper?'
Lee An-jeong, who had already grasped that the warrior was merely at the 3rd star of the Qi Condensation stage, found it absurd internally and reached out to present his command token.
"Hut! Bu-Bu-yeon Token! You were a disciple of the Bu-yeon Sect. I have committed a great act of rudeness. Since I am a newcomer... P-please, enter inside quickly!"
The moment that warrior saw the command token symbolizing the Bu-yeon Sect, he was startled and treated Lee An-jeong with extreme hospitality, ushering him through the gate in a flustered manner.
Lee An-jeong then took on a proud expression, tilted his head slightly, and let out a fake cough as he stepped inside.
"Geez, really! Ahem—don't let this happen next time!"
As expected, a person had to be successful in life.
As soon as he stepped inside the gate, boisterous sounds were heard from all directions, and the scenery inside the walls of On-ju City came into view at a glance.
On the streets that stretched out wide in all directions, all sorts of stalls were set up to the left and right, and thousands or tens of thousands of people were moving between them.
While Lee An-jeong’s eyes widened as he looked around here and there, the young cultivator from before approached with a kind smile.
"It seems this is your first time in On-ju City? I am a rogue cultivator named Wi Jin-ok. May I ask your esteemed name?"
"Ahem. It is Lee An-jeong."
Lee An-jeong felt good at being asked for his "esteemed name" and replied while giving a fake cough.
"Aha... So you were Cultivator Lee An-jeong..."
At that moment, Wi Jin-ok’s eyes flashed before instantly regaining their composure.
'Huh? This guy’s reaction is suspicious.'
Lee An-jeong, who had become very quick-witted while adapting to the Xianxia world, began to be wary internally because the man named Wi Jin-ok in front of him acted as if he already knew his name.
"Is there perhaps a place you are looking for? Since this area is my sphere of activity, I know almost every place."
"Ah, really? Then do you know where an herb shop is?"
At Lee An-jeong’s question, Wi Jin-ok pointed toward the eastern street and took the lead.
"Of course. Please follow me. I will guide you to an herb shop that is famous for its high quality and honesty."
Wi Jin-ok, who showed a good-natured smile toward Lee An-jeong, turned toward the front and his eyes flashed chillingly.
- This brat, this is suspicious! His eyes completely changed the moment he heard your name!
At Jin Wi-dong’s words ringing in his head, Lee An-jeong replied internally with a nonchalant expression.
'I know. Do you think I wouldn't even have that much wit?'
- Oho? Is that so? So you intend to keep following him even while knowing that?
'Seeing as how he was waiting for me from outside the city, it seems he’s completely determined. Wouldn't it be hard to run away inside On-ju City no matter where I go? In that case, it would be better to just openly follow him and find out who is behind this. Well, since the reliable Jin-daehyeong is here, there’s nothing to be afraid of.'
- What? This guy... using his petty tricks. Don't forget! I can only use my power exactly three times!
'Of course, I haven't forgotten. Don't worry. If things go south, I can just run. Anyway, I wonder who on earth is looking for me. For me, who has no connections at all in On-ju City.'
Even when he searched the memories of the original owner of the body, there were no memories related to On-ju City at all.
Lee An-jeong followed Wi Jin-ok without hesitation because he could deal with someone like Wi Jin-ok, who was at the 2nd star of the Qi Condensation stage, even with his eyes closed, and he had Jin Wi-dong’s reliable Nascent Soul with him.
Wi Jin-ok walked for a long time and traversed the eastern main road before stopping in front of a large, three-story herb shop.
On the signboard of the herb shop, it was written as "Baek-cho-gak."
"Now! To our Baek-cho-gak, where all sorts of rare and exotic herbs are... Oh!"
The clerk who was dusting off the herbs discovered Wi Jin-ok, stopped talking, and his eyes flashed.
Then, Wi Jin-ok winked at the clerk, turned around, and smiled at Lee An-jeong.
"This is the place. This is the most reliable herb shop in On-ju City. Might I ask the name of the herb you are looking for...?"
Lee An-jeong did not reply immediately but quietly raised his gaze and examined every part of the herb shop.
As expected, inside the herb shop, dozens or hundreds of various herbs were covered.
However, the quality was not that good, and there were many herbs that were withered or had low medicinal potency.
Furthermore, a bigger problem was that cultivators around the 5th or 6th star of the Qi Condensation stage were being picked up by his divine sense on the second and third floors.
'Oho! In other words, you bastards are lying in ambush there?'
He didn't know for what reason, but they seemed to harbor ill will toward him.
He had no intention of entering such a place in a way that would be like jumping into a fire while carrying a kindling.
Lee An-jeong let out a fake cough with an intentionally arrogant expression and opened his mouth.
"Ahem—what I am looking for is... about a Yellow Dragon Grass, a Ten-thousand-year Human-shaped Ginseng, and a Sitting Light Cloud Grass?"
"Wh-what?"
At Lee An-jeong’s words, Wi Jin-ok became like a mute who had eaten honey, his mouth hanging wide open, unable to continue speaking.
Because every one of the herbs Lee An-jeong mentioned were legendary spiritual herbs, and obtaining them was as difficult as plucking stars from the sky.
'Is this brat playing games with me right now?'
Wi Jin-ok felt anger welling up inside, but he suppressed it and replied with a smiling face.
"Those... It is a pity, but such legendary spiritual herbs cannot be obtained in On-ju City, nor in the entire Dong-cheon Continent. Even if you were to go to the Trade Fair that opens five days from now."
"A Trade Fair?"
"Yes. It is a gathering where cultivators meet to barter or conduct auctions. It is held once every ten years even in On-ju City, and this time's Trade Fair will open in five days. You can go to Baek-su Valley located in Dae-myeong Mountain behind On-ju City."
Upon hearing Wi Jin-ok’s words, Jin Wi-dong immediately shouted inside his head.
- A Trade Fair is being held? This, you are very lucky! At a Trade Fair, if you are lucky, even in a small market like this, treasures of the Mysterious Grade or occasionally even the Earth Grade appear.
'Treasures of the Mysterious Grade or Earth Grade?'
- Yes. Instead, it is a place where experts of the Core Formation stage or higher, and even Nascent Soul old monsters, often appear. As much as there are many treasures, the danger is also great. Well, the possibility of such people coming to this low-level On-ju City is low, though.
'Oho! Really? Well, since Jin-daehyeong is here, what is there to worry about? I must definitely go to this place called the Trade Fair this time.'
If he were alone, Lee An-jeong would never go to such a place, but as long as Jin Wi-dong’s Nascent Soul was with him, he had nothing to fear.
After making up his mind like that, Lee An-jeong turned around abruptly and headed toward the shabby shop across the street.
"Then there’s nothing more to see here. I’ll try going to another herb shop."
"No, wait, wait...!"
Wi Jin-ok tried to stop Lee An-jeong in a hurry, but Lee An-jeong had already entered the shabby shop across the street.
"Dammit... that cursed brat!"