Chapter 28: Securing a Home
"".......""
The spectators were frozen in stunned silence.
The foundation building refiners, who had already accepted the truth, remained calm.
On the other hand, the other Qi Refinement refiners were dumbfounded by the unbelievable result.
A moment later.
"Ha, haha. It's... not a dream. It was real......"
"Who called him a coward? He's anything but."
The Qi Refinement refiners slowly began to accept Son Yohan's strength.
They recovered from their shock and began to chatter noisily.
"I don't know what kind of luck he pulled, but that Son Yohan... might succeed in reaching foundation building in the future."
"Someone with a primary spirit root reaching foundation building? Nah, wouldn't that be a little difficult?"
"Well, it's not impossible. It's not like there are no foundation building refiners with primary spirit roots."
"That's true, but......"
The reactions were varied, but they all led to one conclusion.
From this moment on, Son Yohan was no longer just a "coward."
Son Yohan walked away, his heart much lighter.
"I thought I was going to die of exhaustion."
It was no joke; he was constantly forcing his drooping eyelids open.
The consumption of his mental energy had been too great.
He wanted to lie down in bed immediately.
At that moment.
"Refiner Son. Stop for a moment."
A deep, majestic voice reached his ears.
Son Yohan instinctively turned his head.
Elder Byum.
Son Yohan involuntarily flinched—his body trembling.
Since when...
The distance to Elder Byum was too close.
About ten steps.
For refiners, it was practically right on top of him.
As expected of a refiner at the peak of foundation building.
The level of the Deep Path Sect's sect master is Core Formation.
In other words, aside from the sect master, Elder Byum was one of the two highest-level refiners in the sect.
Therefore, Son Yohan politely performed a fist-and-palm salute.
"This junior greets the venerable elder of the sect."
"Enough with the greetings. I have something to ask. Do you have a moment?"
Although he wanted to sleep immediately, Son Yohan answered obediently.
"I have more than enough."
"That's a relief. Let's walk a bit then."
"Yes."
Son Yohan strolled along the street with him.
Son Yohan secretly scanned his surroundings.
He wasn't sure when it had been cast, but a faint barrier was enveloping the two of them.
Is it a type of barrier? For what purpose?
It seemed like a screen to block sound, but he wasn't sure.
At that moment, Elder Byum spoke:
"Your skills have improved dramatically overnight. I heard you were only at the intermediate stage of Qi Refinement until yesterday."
"I encountered a stroke of luck that allowed me to make a great breakthrough."
"'Luck,' you say? Did something happen?"
Elder Byum got straight to the point.
I see where Byum Jin-woo got his personality from.
There is an unwritten rule in the cultivation world.
The unwritten rule of not prying into others' fortunate encounters.
However, in the face of overwhelming power difference, rules were meaningless.
The law of the jungle surpasses rules.
Son Yohan hid a bitter smile and opened his mouth:
"I was practicing a technique called the Absolute Martial Arts. With this technique, my level advances the more outstanding the items I make through the four arts are."
"I see. So, you're not going to tell me?"
"Yes. I was lucky enough to make an intermediate-grade spirit trace this morning."
"An intermediate-grade spirit trace...? Impressive. Are you talking about the sword that cut through Jin-woo's shell earlier?"
Son Yohan nodded.
"That's right."
"Hoh....... an intermediate-stage refiner making an intermediate-grade spirit trace... and a young one like you, at that. You have quite the talent."
Elder Byum seemed to be praising Son Yohan, but his eyes were slithering over Son Yohan's body like a snake.
Elder Byum said in a flat tone:
"I heard you and Jin-woo signed a contract. Just yesterday."
"......That's right."
"What a heavenly stroke of luck. To make an intermediate-grade spirit trace right before the duel. Isn't it?"
At that moment, a strange pressure enveloped Son Yohan's entire body.
The corners of Son Yohan's mouth stiffened.
Elder Byum continued:
"I heard from Jin-woo. If he loses, he has to grant your wish, is that right?"
"......"
Son Yohan couldn't answer.
His face grew paler.
I can't... breathe...
Elder Byum was a refiner on the verge of the Core Formation realm.
Elder Byum's aura was too heavy for Son Yohan, who was at the late stage of Qi Refinement.
At that moment, Elder Byum smiled gently and patted Son Yohan's shoulder.
"Don't wish for too harsh a wish. You two are the same age and the same level. You're 'friends,' aren't you?"
"......"
Son Yohan gave a slight nod.
Elder Byum wore a satisfied smile.
"Get some rest. You look tired."
Elder Byum turned around. His long robe rippled like a curtain, enveloping his figure.
Woosh—
Immediately after, Elder Byum's figure appeared in the distance.
He walked away from Son Yohan with leisurely steps.
"......Hah! Hah! Gkhh!"
Only then could Son Yohan gasp for air.
Drool dribbled from his mouth as Son Yohan stared at Elder Byum's retreating back.
Still not enough.
Son Yohan was still in the position of the absolute weakling within the sect.
For now....... not enough.
A cold, sharp glint flashed in Son Yohan's eyes.
Kreeeeak— Thud.
After returning to his residence, Elder Byum entered his study.
Elder Byum sat in his chair and muttered softly:
"Come out."
Sssk—
Immediately after, a yellow object fell from the ceiling.
It was a refiner wearing a yellow robe.
"Your orders, please."
"Keep an eye on Son Yohan. Until I tell you to stop."
"Understood."
"I don't think you, a foundation building initial stage refiner, will be discovered. Handle it well."
"Yes."
The refiner moved with a sssk— and left the room.
Elder Byum leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling.
"Making an intermediate-grade spirit trace by luck, a few hours before the duel..."
Elder Byum snorted.
"As if a coincidence like that exists in this world."
His eyes gleamed dangerously.
Son Yohan slept straight from 11:30 AM until the next morning.
Son Yohan left his room with a refreshed face.
"I-isn't that Son Yohan?"
"......It is. Did he just wake up? He must have been tired."
"That guy defeated Byum Jin-woo...?"
The Qi Refinement refiners who recognized him whispered among themselves.
Son Yohan continued to walk with an indifferent expression.
After some time, he arrived in front of Byum Jin-woo's house.
He placed a sound transmission talisman on his lips and muttered:
"Go."
Fwip—
As Son Yohan threw the talisman, it slipped into the main gate.
A moment later.
[Please come in.]
The main gate opened—
Son Yohan looked around as he walked forward.
As expected of someone born with a silver spoon.
Many spirit stones were embedded everywhere.
The amount of naturally generated spiritual energy from the earth—in other words, the quality of the spirit vein—was excellent here too.
How much would a place like this cost?
With Son Yohan's current spirit stones, it seemed completely out of reach.
Kreeeeak—
The door opened, revealing Byum Jin-woo sitting at a table, drinking water.
Byum Jin-woo frowned and said:
"You're usually so good at running away, but you're quick to show up at times like these."
"I don't think I need to run away anymore."
"......Shut up."
Byum Jin-woo glared, but Son Yohan's expression was calm.
In the end, Byum Jin-woo sighed and said:
"Hurry up and state your wish so we can get this over with. I don't want to see your ugly face any longer."
"The feeling is mutual."
Son Yohan said, sitting down—in front of him.
Byum Jin-woo's eyebrow twitched.
Son Yohan glanced around and said:
"Being born with a silver spoon, you live in a pretty nice place."
"......Don't tell me."
Byum Jin-woo's face turned pale.
Son Yohan smiled—and said:
"Isn't it time for you to move out?"
Come to think of it, there was no better location than this.
"Goodbye. Thanks for keeping it clean."
"......Shut up. Before I sew that mouth of yours shut."
Byum Jin-woo growled under his breath and left the house.
He was leaving to find a new house.
Is it because he has a storage bag? He moves out really fast.
On Earth, it would have taken a few days. This is lucky.
Son Yohan stroked his chin as he watched Byum Jin-woo's retreating back.
"He won't make a fuss about this, will he."
The spirit stones embedded in the house, the spirit vein.
They were all expensive things, but not to the point of crossing the line.
If it were up to me, I'd have made him my servant for 40 years, but...
To do that, he feared Elder Byum's retaliation.
This should be about the acceptable limit.
Thinking that, Son Yohan wandered around the house.
"Hoooooop......"
A dense spiritual energy seeped into his body.
Perhaps because there were a few intermediate-grade spirit stones embedded as well, the density of spiritual energy was on another level.
With a delighted expression, Son Yohan sat cross-legged.
He began to circulate his energy in the new environment.
After finishing his training, Son Yohan headed straight for the workshop.
Klang! Klang! Klang!
Kreeeeak—
As he opened the door and entered, all eyes were on Son Yohan.
"Hoh....... so it was true. He really reached the late stage of Qi Refinement overnight."
"I heard he made an intermediate-grade spirit trace? What a lucky guy."
At that moment, Yoon Jin-woong approached Son Yohan.
"You're finally here."
"Yes. I apologize for not being here yesterday. I will immediately start processing the ores, including yesterday's share."
"That's a given. But before that, come here."
Yoon Jin-woong led Son Yohan to a private room.
There were two chairs, and they were clearly—recently brought in.
"Sit."
"Yes."
Yoon Jin-woong leaned back in his chair and said:
"Starting today, you will not be processing ores."
"......May I ask why?"
"Well, if I had to give a reason, let's just say it's for efficiency."
Yoon Jin-woong continued:
"I watched yesterday's duel. And I also saw you make the spirit trace."
Son Yohan's expression changed slightly.
Yoon Jin-woong smiled greedily.
"No matter how I look at it, it wasn't a coincidence. Son Yohan, I don't know what kind of fortunate encounter you had, but let's make a deal."
A deal?
As if reading Son Yohan's mind, he continued:
"I will offer you my protection."
"Your protection... you say?"
"Yes. I saw you with Elder Byum yesterday. It didn't seem like a pleasant atmosphere."
Son Yohan began to understand Yoon Jin-woong's intentions.
As if to drive the point home, Yoon Jin-woong let out a wicked laugh.
"Although my cultivation lacks compared to Elder Byum, I can take care of someone like you one way or another. After all, I'm a foundation building stage refiner.
Son Yohan's expression hardened as he answered:
"If you are going to help me, Elder Yoon, what will I give you in return?"
"Simple. You will offer me a portion of the spirit traces you make."
"What is the ratio?"
"Thirty percent."
As Yoon Jin-woong stated it as a matter of fact, Son Yohan sneered inwardly.
Thirty percent? He plans to bleed me dry.
However, it wasn't a completely unreasonable proposal.
In fact, the pressure from Elder Byum was very heavy.
Perhaps it would be different in the future.
But for the current Son Yohan, Elder Byum was a wall far beyond his reach.
At that moment, Yoon Jin-woong played his final card.
"I have Elder Kwan backing me. He has reached the realm of peak foundation building perfection refinement."
Elder Kwan.
Aside from the sect master, he was the only refiner within the sect at the same level as Elder Byum.
If he joined Elder Kwan's faction, he would be much freer from Elder Byum's pressure.
In the end, Son Yohan made his decision.
"I look forward to working with you, Elder."
Instead of choosing the worst option, he would choose the lesser of two evils.
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