It was not only Zihwa who was furious at having our good mood interrupted. I too was feeling no small amount of deep, boiling rage.

Which made sense, because having drawn my treasured sword and raised it high with overwhelming momentum, only to have to sheath it again without even using it—no one who hasn’t experienced such absurdity can possibly understand the kind of anger that follows.

Truly, I finally understood the wisdom of the ancestors.

I never imagined that the saying, “If you draw the blade, you must at least slice a radish,” would strike so deeply in my heart.

With my sword’s momentum soaring as if piercing the heavens, what kind of thunderbolt-from-a-clear-sky disaster was this? The fury rising together with the unresolved desire surged up violently like an erupting volcano.

‘That bastard. How dare he! How am I supposed to put my pants back on!’

The cave ceiling had been blocked, but because of the enemy’s strike, it had already broken open.

I spread protective qi widely again, blocking the falling stone dust as I rose from the bed.

Next, I picked up the pieces of Zihwa’s clothing scattered across the floor and placed them on the bed.

Finally, I gently held Zihwa in my arms and gave her a short kiss.

I whispered into her ear.

“I don’t need to eat anything like that, so it’s fine. Just wait a little. I’ll bring Spirit Stones so you can recover your realm quickly.”

This So-ryong is not a weakling whose strength would be exhausted from a single night, and right now it wasn’t me but Zihwa who needed Spirit Stones desperately.

Once Zihwa’s realm recovered, there would hardly be any danger, so taking care of her first was the right thing to do.

A deep wave of emotion spread in Zihwa’s eyes.

– Chu.

Zihwa grabbed my head and kissed me again.

A soft, moist sensation spread across my lips.

A swelling feeling, and the drifting purple fragrance.

Just as I thought it was awkward because the sword was raising its momentum again, a massive roar split the cave.

– KWAANG!

With another loud explosion, countless dust and stones poured down from the cave ceiling.

The stone fragments struck the protective qi I had widely spread and fell powerlessly to the ground.

– Huudududuk.

Zihwa’s and my eyes simultaneously sharpened as we looked toward the cave entrance.

“You are hastening your own death.”

“Go inside for a moment.”

“I understand. You may not lose, but there are many strange spells in this world, so please be careful. You must not get hurt.”

“I got it.”

Nodding at Zihwa’s worried words, I pushed her—bed and all—deep into the Poison Fragrance chamber.

Then I stretched out my hand toward the clothes I had shed like a snake skin on the cave floor last night while walking toward her.

Underclothes, pants, and outer garments were pulled toward me as if sucked in, and my attire was roughly put together.

Without even tying the knot on my chest, I immediately darted out of the cave.

I was going to swing my fist instead of my sky-piercing sword.

Doesn’t sexual desire sometimes get relieved through intense physical exercise?

Well, it was a somewhat larger desire, so I intended to perform some very intense exercise.

‘You’re dead. You bastards.’

***

Hwangwoo, a late-stage Qi Accumulation cultivator who ruled over a small city on the borders of the Nine Heavens, had to stop his training in anger.

It was because his subordinates had rudely knocked on the door of his cultivation chamber.

“I told you that on this day when Water qi is abundant, I must complete the Great Method! How dare you knock on the cultivation chamber door!”

Three days from now would be the day when Water qi was at its strongest.

Three days from today would be the day when Water qi reached its peak.

He needed to consume the Spirit Pill made by melting a spirit creature with dense Water qi that matched his own energy.

- Chwaaak!

Enraged, Hwangwoo opened the door and immediately cut off the arm of the subordinate who had knocked, using a sword formed from the water-element spell he had mastered, the Cold-Heaven Single-Line Wave.

“Kuueegh! I—I am sorry. B-but the s-spirit creature escaped... kuheup.”

“What!? The spirit creature escaped?”

Hearing the subordinate screaming and rolling on the ground, Hwangwoo quickly ran to the room where the Spirit Pill was being made. The jar that should have been boiling lay toppled over, and the precious medicinal ingredients were spilled across the floor.

A long smear of sticky liquid trailed down the side of the jar.

Hwangwoo immediately realized that the spirit creature had disappeared from the jar.

“H-how... how did this happen! Where is the spirit creature!?”

As he raised the water-formed sword high to cut down the man tasked with making the pill—

The trembling man reported.

“I—I am sorry! It knew how to assume a fire form!”

“What!? It could take on a fire form?”

“Y-yes, my lord!”

A spirit creature capable of taking on a fire form would, in human terms, be at the Decisive Stage.

A complete fire form can only be achieved at the Origin Qi level.

But Hwangwoo had clearly purchased a spirit creature at the Flame Qi level.

He had checked several times at the Blood Market Tower, so there should have been no mistake.

“Did it hide some shape-shifting art or an arcane treasure?”

If so, that would mean the spirit creature either knew a transformation art or possessed a magic treasure. Hwangwoo believed it was the latter.

Because the creature had been bound with a restriction that prevented it from using qi.

For it to transform under such a restriction, the cause was likely a magic treasure.

Since it was a snail-type spirit creature, it seemed the inside of the shell had not been properly checked.

This was clearly the fault of the Blood Market Tower.

But blame could be assigned later—capturing the spirit creature was urgent.

The day when Water qi was abundant came once every three years. If he missed it, he would have to wait another three years.

His chance to rise to the Decisive Stage would be delayed by three years.

“Damn it. What about the pursuit team?”

“Both the Left and Right Protectors have gone after it.”

If the creature was in a restricted state, it could not use spells. Meaning it was fleeing using only physical ability.

Since both Protectors had gone, Hwangwoo believed they would capture it easily.

Neither had learned Shrinking Steps, which reduced distance by compressing ley lines, but even so, they shouldn’t lose a creature fleeing with only physical ability.

At that moment, a Telepathic Talisman slipped out of his chest and ignited.

- Fwoooosh.

A talisman allowing communication over distance.

It was the one linked to the Protectors.

They must have already caught it.

Smiling as if certain, Hwangwoo asked:

[Have you already captured the spirit creature?]

But what came was an apology.

[W-we are sorry. We lost it.]

[How did you lose it!?]

[It disappeared before our eyes, and according to the Right Protector, two individuals suddenly intervened and snatched it away. We immediately flew up to pursue, but they were too fast, and we lost them.]

[What!?]

The Right Protector had an exceptional sense for detecting unseen things. If he said so, then someone really had snatched the spirit creature while hiding their presence.

[Those insolent fools! Who would dare!]

Anyone around here should know how terrifying Hwangwoo was. Their greed must have blinded them.

If the Protectors were chasing it, they should have realized it belonged to Hwangwoo.

Hwangwoo quickly pulled out a Soul-Tracking Talisman.

He smeared the sticky liquid from the spilled jar onto the talisman and shouted.

“Cross life and death and cling to the soul—locate it!”

The Soul-Tracking Talisman follows the owner of whatever is applied to it.

The burning talisman floated into the air.

It would now fly toward the snail spirit creature’s location.

He prepared his flight technique, when suddenly—

- Pisik.

The flame on the talisman went out.

“W-what?”

Hwangwoo took out another Soul-Tracking Talisman, smeared the sticky liquid, and activated it.

But again, the flame went out.

“D-don’t tell me it was eaten already!?”

A Soul-Tracking Talisman fails only when the target has died and its soul has vanished.

But it takes three days for a soul to fade completely.

For the talisman to fail immediately meant it had been eaten.

If the soul is melted into a Spirit Pill, the talisman cannot react.

“Th-this... this!”

- Chwaaak!

“Kkuuegh!”

Unable to contain his fury, Hwangwoo cut off the head of the man making the pill.

An energy stone rolled across the floor.

Hwangwoo picked it up and immediately activated a Transfer Talisman.

This incident would not have happened if the Blood Market Tower had sold him a proper product.

He was going to the main tower to demand accountability.

- Fwoooosh.

The talisman activated, flames rose in a circle.

It grew until a person could pass through the middle.

The flames changed from red to blue, and a shimmering illusion formed within the opening.

It was the illusion of a city gate.

The characters written on the gate signboard were White Night Castle.

Hwangwoo quickly stepped through and ran inside.

Passing through the bustling streets, he reached the riverside where the Blood Market Tower stood.

At the entrance of the crimson building, he shouted loudly.

“Bring me to the tower master! There is a problem with the product you sold me!”

The warriors standing guard approached with troubled expressions.

“Aren’t you Lord Hwangwoo? What do you mean by a problem?”

“The spirit creature I bought from you took on a fire form and escaped! How will you take responsibility!?”

At that moment, a woman wearing a crimson Moonlight Skirt approached and gave a respectful salute.

A woman with a long scar across her face.

It was Monga, the Chief Manager of the Blood Market Tower.

“The tower master is away at the moment, so it seems I must speak with you in his stead. Please, come inside so we may discuss.”

“Ahem! Very well!”

Following her inside the Blood Market Tower, Hwangwoo entered the Chief Manager’s office.

She spoke.

“What exactly is the problem with the product?”

Suppressing his anger, Hwangwoo answered.

Monga was early Decisive Stage.

Though spells could not be used inside the tower, causing trouble here would be foolish. If they met outside later, it could become troublesome.

“The spirit creature you sold me could assume a fire form. Since it was under restriction, it must have been hiding an arcane treasure or something. Despite the restriction, it escaped.”

Hearing that, Monga showed disbelief.

“How could such a thing happen... May I verify the truth? If it is true, we will of course take full responsibility.”

“Of course.”

Monga led Hwangwoo to the underground.

It was a spacious empty room guarded by strong men, with several gemstones embedded in the ceiling.

- Fwoooosh.

As Hwangwoo looked around, a talisman ignited in Monga’s hand.

It was spellcraft.

Inside White Night Castle, spellcraft was said to be unusable.

“This is the only place inside White Night Castle where spells can be used. Is what you said true?”

“Of course.”

It seemed to be a talisman for verifying truth.

As Hwangwoo answered, the talisman burned with green light.

Confirming it, Monga saluted deeply.

“So it is true. First, allow me to apologize.”

“Very well. And how will you take responsibility?”

“The first method is to find and return the product. If that is impossible, we will compensate you with an item of equal or superior grade.”

“Hm. I understand. But finding it will be impossible. The Soul-Tracking Talisman did not react. And three days from now is the day when Water qi is most abundant, so this must be resolved immediately. I must begin making the pill now, otherwise I must wait three years.”

“I understand.”

After the discussion, Hwangwoo received compensation first.

It was a pill filled with Water qi.

Monga even spared him the effort of making it himself.

Hwangwoo apologized with a smiling face.

Since he had been compensated.

“Ahem. I lost my temper earlier and caused a scene at the entrance. My apologies.”

But after the apology, Monga made a request.

“It is nothing. However, we would like to ask for your help.”

“Help?”

“Just in case, we wish to track the spirit creature’s whereabouts. Though being eaten can prevent the Soul-Tracking Talisman from reacting, entering places like Peach Blossom Island can also sever it. Please allow two cultivators skilled in tracking to operate within your territory.”

“For such a matter, of course I will help.”

Thus, Hwangwoo brought the two cultivators from the Blood Market Tower back to his city.

Upon arrival, the two cultivators used talismans in the chaotic mess.

- Pisik.

They tried the Soul-Tracking Talisman again, but the flame died the same way.

However, one of the cultivators used another talisman that reacted.

- Fwoooosh.

A red flame rose.

“What is that?”

“It is the Fate-Tracking Talisman. It tracks the one who last formed a connection with the target. Even brushing hems counts as a connection, so it shows us the last person the target encountered.”

Hearing this, Hwangwoo rolled up his sleeves.

It meant it would show the thief.

“So this tells us where the thief is! Let us go!”

“You will personally go, my lord?”

“He touched my property, so I will handle him personally.”

If someone snatched the creature while the Left and Right Protectors were pursuing it, then that person knowingly interfered with Hwangwoo’s belongings.

Therefore, Hwangwoo would go himself.

This entire region was his domain, so he needed to demonstrate his authority.

With a few subordinates, he flew using a movement technique and arrived at a cliffside cave.

“T-that is where it is, my lord.”

Hearing this, Hwangwoo unleashed Water qi like crashing waves and shouted.

“Come out immediately, you bastard! Did you dare think you could steal this lord’s Spirit Pill material and escape?”

He unleashed his Water qi once, but there was no response.

Just as he unleashed it again—

- KWAGWAGWANG!

Boulders the size of heads burst from the cave entrance and shot toward Hwangwoo, his airborne subordinates, and the Blood Market Tower’s trackers.

- KWAANG!

- Puhuk. Puuuhuk.

“Kkuheouk!”

“Kkyaaaaak!”

The boulders flew so fast and fiercely that they shattered protective barriers and defensive spells, knocking most of the weaker cultivators to the ground.

Only Hwangwoo and one tracker barely remained afloat.

But the Blood Market Tower’s tracker was missing his left arm, and the overwhelming force had shredded Hwangwoo’s protective barrier.

Just as the terrified Hwangwoo hurriedly reformed his protection and flung himself backward—

The one-armed tracker was struck by something and fell to the ground.

“Kkyaaaagh!”

And at that same moment, a fist pierced directly into the Baihui point on the crown of Hwangwoo’s head.

- KWAANG!

Hwangwoo was smashed down from the sky and buried into the ground.

“K-kuheeeegh.”

Cultivators whose bodies begin transforming into spiritual form are relatively strong against physical shock, yet this impact shook even his spiritual body.

It was the power of an extraordinarily strong brute-force type cultivator.

Vomiting blood, Hwangwoo cried out.

“P-please spare me! I did not know you were a senior!”

Then the figure of a man standing with the sun behind him appeared in his vision.

His bulging pants cast a shadow over Hwangwoo’s face.

The man asked Hwangwoo:

“You want to live? Then tell me—do you know any double-hand cultivation methods?”

“Hiiiiiik!”

The man, pants bulging, asked him whether he knew double-hand cultivation.

Hwangwoo was horrified.

With pants bulging like that and asking about double cultivation, it was obvious whom he intended to use it on.

In the cultivation world, there really were insane people—regardless of whether they were men or women—who practiced double cultivation indiscriminately.