Chapter 66 - Act 11. Dine Before You Depart, Open for Business (2)

Time was a strange thing indeed. The same year could seem to drag on forever, or pass in the blink of an eye. That was exactly how Yise felt now.

Nearly two years had flown by since his assignment at Silver Dragon Mine. Ever since entering late-stage Qi Refining, his perception of time had changed. Once he immersed himself in cultivation, entire months disappeared. A few missions, one mandatory assignment, and a little time in his private cultivation cave restoring his disrupted balance of yin and yang—and another year was over.

Only as he approached his twenties did the passage of time begin to feel unfamiliar. Three years and nine months had passed since he entered Daemudo and began Cultivation at sixteen. The nine-year deadline Hall Master Hae Il had set him was drawing noticeably closer, too.

Yise cleared his throat outside the outer affiliates’ outpost in South Mountain Village. A maid peeked out, took one look at his clothing, and hurried inside to fetch Hong Sadeuk. The unexpected arrival of a Daemudo Daoist sent a stir through the outpost. When Hong Sadeuk recognized his visitor, his face lit up.

"Cultivator Yise! What brings you here without a word of warning?"

"It's been a while."

Hong Sadeuk had aged considerably. It was a strange feeling. Most people around Yise were Cultivators; a mere few years left no visible mark of age on them.

"You've grown quite tall. A full handspan taller, I'd say. And... you look every bit a Cultivator now."

"So I do."

"Goodness, I nearly left an honored guest standing outside. Please, come in."

Hong Sadeuk led him to the largest, most lavish room in the outpost. He offered tea and light refreshments, but Yise declined.

"I no longer eat food from the mortal world."

"Ah... how thoughtless of me. I meet almost nothing but novice disciples, you see. Haha."

Hong Sadeuk chatted with him about old missions like a friend reunited after a long absence, then ventured a cautious question.

"Cultivator Yise, if I may ask, what brings you here?"

"I was passing through on a mission and thought of you, so I stopped by to give you this."

"... Pardon?"

Yise took a small wooden box from his storage pouch and handed it over. Hong Sadeuk opened the lid to find a single silver elixir pill inside. It was a low-grade Longevity Pill Yise had obtained cheaply from Hong Wonseo. He had practically robbed her by beating the price down to five spirit stones, but to an ordinary person, a treasure that extended life by ten whole years would be precious indeed.

"It's called a Longevity Pill. Take it, and it'll slow your aging and extend your life by ten years."

"But how could I possibly accept something so precious...?"

"I told you I'd repay you. A Cultivator's promise is binding in itself."

Always repay kindness and settle grudges. Quite apart from the belief that a Cultivator's words held power, that principle had guided Yise throughout his life.

"..."

"Take it now. I need to be here to help if there are any unexpected side effects."

"I merely did my duty. I don't deserve such a gift."

"An ordinary man dares refuse a pill bestowed by a Cultivator?"

Hong Sadeuk flinched. It had been only a few years since a boy had come here with his endearingly little steps. Yet the young man before him now exuded the natural authority of a high-ranking Cultivator.

"You must have advanced a great deal."

"I suppose the rumors don't reach this far."

"We're only a small outpost."

Yise smiled faintly and raised a palm.

"Take it. No changing the subject."

"Yes. Then I gratefully accept."

Holding the pill in both hands, Hong Sadeuk turned his head aside and placed it in his mouth. Only after watching the wrinkles on his face diminish and his skin acquire a healthy sheen did Yise rise in satisfaction.

* * *

"Confirmed: at least five hundred contribution points. Access to Library Two is granted."

His latest mission had brought Yise past five hundred contribution points, meeting the requirement for entry into Library Two. Its spells and cultivation methods were arranged by rank across two floors. He slowly browsed the shelves.

The spells were certainly more useful than those in Library One. Most offered a broader range of applications rather than simply greater power.

He did not bother looking through the cultivation methods. The Dokkaebi Shadow-Gathering Demonic Art and the Demon-Exorcizing Spirit Arts were more than sufficient for advancing his realm. Exploring other methods was generally an option for staff members who did not practice the Demon-Exorcizing Arts, or those whose limited talent had left them completely stuck. There were exceptions, of course: those with unusual spiritual roots.

'Those methods for unusual constitutions are tempting, though.'

Methods such as the Divine Thunderclap Art, practiced by those with lightning spiritual roots. Learning it would let him wield lightning spells in addition to the five elements, broadening his options in battle. But it was rather expensive. He was in no position to invest roughly a hundred spirit stones in a cultivation manual.

'Don't get greedy.'

He needed to advance vertically through the realms, not horizontally through a wider range of spells. Hae Il's deadline for reaching Foundation Establishment weighed heavily on his shoulders. There was no time to dabble in everything. He would focus on spells that were cheap, easy to learn, and useful. If he found none, he would pass up Library Two without hesitation.

'... What's this?'

[Weapon Enlargement Art.]

A metal-element spell that temporarily enlarged a weapon. Thirty spirit stones. The price was manageable, and it looked promising in combination with the Telekinesis Art he had acquired as spoils on his previous mission. Wouldn't enlarging a weapon with the Weapon Enlargement Art and swinging it with telekinesis produce tremendous force? At the very least, it looked useful against multiple enemies.

Yise pulled out the jade slip while gauging the weight of the spirit-stone pouch inside his robes. Nine hundred spirit stones. Roughly a hundred short of his target of one thousand. He had chosen that particular figure because he had heard it was both the upper end of the price range for Qi Refining supernatural treasures and the minimum price for a supernatural treasure of the other kind.

'If only I hadn't been ripped off.'

Impatient with the rate at which he gathered spiritual energy, he had let an auction house in a secular house's market town fleece him of several hundred spirit stones for a mid-grade Qi-Condensing Pill. Once he actually took it, he found it so riddled with impure energy that calling it mid-grade was an embarrassment. If not for that, he would have surpassed his target long ago. Having tasted a pill's efficacy once was the root of the trouble. Better if he had never known.

For now, he intended to add another useful supernatural treasure to his arsenal, then spend whatever remained on pills.

'Should I buy it or not?'

He agonized for a long time. Then, disgusted with himself for agonizing over a spell that cost a mere thirty spirit stones, he bought it on impulse.

After finishing his tour of Library Two, Yise headed back to his quarters. It was time to meet Park Gangseo and Bu Chun, who had gone out to sell immortal cuisine.

"Senior."

"Senior. You're back?"

The two greeted him as soon as he entered.

"How much did you make?"

As he got straight to business, they poured out their spirit stones: two hundred and twenty in total. He gave Bu Chun ten and Park Gangseo forty according to their sales, then put the remaining hundred and seventy into his own pouch.

At last, he had done it. One thousand spirit stones.

Happy as he was to reach his goal, two hundred and twenty was a dismal sales figure. After accounting for the demonic beast carcasses and other ingredients, he had made only about thirty. The business didn't even cover labor costs.

"Why are sales so poor?"

Park Gangseo and Bu Chun exchanged uneasy glances before Park Gangseo spoke.

"For one thing, word hasn't spread yet. The people from our intake know all about it, but most of them are away on missions. Price it too low, and people doubt its effects. Price it too high, and they accuse us of ripping them off."

"I don't know many Cultivators... And because of my realm, even when I show them the food boxes, they tell me to eat it myself and advance a little..."

"They're right, so there's no arguing with that."

"..."

This simply wouldn't do. Drastic measures were needed. Building the internal reserves required for the ninth star demanded the right combination of Demon-Exorcizing Arts, cultivation time, and resources.

But elixir pills were rare and cost a great many spirit stones. Earning spirit stones meant going on missions, which only left him with more Demonic Energy. Yet without devouring, he couldn't remove the Demonic Energy from demonic beast carcasses. He was trapped. Devouring was efficient—far too efficient.

He needed a source of spirit stones. One that would bring in a great many of them, steadily.

"I think we'll have to reopen Dine Before You Depart."

Open a permanent shop, establish a regular clientele, and sell immortal cuisine at high prices. That was the only answer.

"At last..."

"What do you mean, 'at last'? You failed the cook's audition."

"... Sob."

There was another problem. Bu Chun, whom he had originally planned to make the cook... had no talent for immortal cuisine. Perhaps it was his low realm, but despite using precisely the same ingredients, proportions, and methods, his dishes were not even half as effective as Yise's. He was less talented even than Park Gangseo. Yise couldn't entrust the job to him like this.

"From now on, just handle the supplementary ingredients and our regular customers. Spend your spare time cultivating."

"Yes, Senior..."

"Park Gangseo, you bring in new customers. These results are excellent given the poor conditions."

"Yes, sir. Leave it to me."

"The problem is the cook. Know anyone useful?"

At Yise's question, they racked their brains for possible acquaintances. After a moment, Park Gangseo spoke.

"You know Jangsaeng, the spirit winemaker? What about him?"

"No. He's suspected of trying to accept a bribe from me. His character is questionable."

Jangsaeng was best kept as a supplier of spirit wine, nothing more. Yise couldn't entrust his livelihood to someone he couldn't trust. After considering the matter briefly, he went out and brought back two people.

"... You brought us here for what?"

Yise had brought Seol Ryeong and Hong Wonseo. Both were good with their hands, so he reckoned they would be good at anything.

"Be the cook at Dine Before You Depart. Either of you. I'll give you thirty percent of the earnings."

"Wow, thirty percent! What a wonderful offer!"

Bu Chun dutifully played up the offer at his side. But the two women's expressions only grew sourer.

"We haven't seen each other in ages, and this is what you say... Wait, why have you gotten so tall...?"

"You seem to have gotten shorter."

"I'm not doing it. I'm leaving."

"Oh, I'm joking. Joking."

Yise caught Seol Ryeong and sat her back down. Where did she think she was going while an eighth-star Senior was speaking? Watching the two bicker, Hong Wonseo spoke up.

"Senior."

"You can drop the formalities."

"I'm more comfortable this way."

"... All right, then."

"I'm sorry, but the Four Great Crafts of Cultivation have vastly better prospects and bring in far more spirit stones than the other crafts. Your immortal cuisine is certainly excellent, Senior, but having a Cultivator talented in one of the four crafts become a spiritual chef would be a tremendous waste, even from the sect's perspective."

"..."

"Well, I'll be going."

Having said her piece, Hong Wonseo left. Taken aback by Yise's dejected look, Seol Ryeong haltingly tried to comfort him.

"Um... I'm sorry. Still, there are plenty of disciples. Surely you can find a talented spiritual chef?"

"What's Pi Garam doing these days?"

"He's very active in the formation research society, apparently. He seems to be quite good. Formation practitioners are rare, you know."

"My late adoptive father distinctly told me there was no high or low in honest work. Father, you were wrong."

"Dragging in your tragic family history is playing dirty...!"

If he had known this would happen, he would have made more friends. Yise regretted it now, but it was too late.

Then he suddenly remembered the one friend who had no aptitude for any craft. Someone who seemed capable of anything, had a high realm, and loved food.

"What's Hae Unchan doing?"

"What? You're not thinking of asking Hae Unchan, are you? Absolutely not!"

"Why?"

"Well, anyway, not him. Don't you know how much pressure he's under?"

"What pressure? From whom? Hall Master Hae Il?"

Seeing how nonchalantly Yise asked, Seol Ryeong gave a faint sigh and shook her head.

"Honestly, you're so oblivious. There are things going on. Anyway, I'll ask around and see if I know anyone who could do it."

"All right. Thanks."

After Seol Ryeong had left as well, Yise asked Park Gangseo,

"Is something going on with Hae Unchan?"