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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Wjin
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Where small merchants once displayed their wares, otherworldly races now stood.
While seemingly ordinary at first glance, stepping into the street revealed a scene unlike any on Earth. This was “Otherworldly Street,” a marketplace for merchants from other dimensions.
“It’s as impressive as I’d heard.”
Lee Seong-joon strolled down the street, admiring the displayed weapons. Crafted with unique materials and techniques from other dimensions, their quality was exceptional. The weapons crafted by the dwarves, renowned as master artisans, were particularly outstanding.
Forged with high-purity materials, they radiated a sharp aura, and their weight balance was exquisitely precise thanks to the dwarves’ skilled craftsmanship. However, their prices were equally breathtaking.
“…300 million won for a single sword.”
And that was on the cheaper side. Artifacts with elemental attributes or special abilities cost billions, with some exceeding hundreds of billions.
Several swords caught Lee Seong-joon’s eye, but he didn’t buy any.
‘I mustn’t forget my original purpose.’
He’d come to Otherworldly Street to purchase elixirs. There was no reason to buy other weapons when he had his fists, the most convenient and powerful weapons.
He walked further into the street, towards the shops selling elixirs.
As he entered the area lined with elixir shops…
“We’re selling precious elixirs containing century-old snow ginseng at affordable prices! Come take a look!”
“Special beastkin strength enhancement elixirs for sale! Come check them out!”
Unlike the dwarf weapon shops, merchants here were actively soliciting customers. Lee Seong-joon found the difference strange, but he soon understood the reason.
‘…They lack confidence in their products.’
The saying “empty vessels make the most noise” held true. Most of the displayed elixirs were barely worthy of the name.
‘The purity is too low.’
Maybe 0.0002%. Their Qi density was so low they might as well have just added fragrance. Surprisingly, these were considered among the better ones. Some weren’t even elixirs at all.
Various impurities had been added, likely in a misguided attempt to enhance their effects. While consuming them once or twice might not be harmful, continuous consumption would have adverse effects.
In the worst case, the impurities could accumulate as turbid Qi within the body, disrupting one’s internal energy flow. Even if there were no immediate side effects, the turbid Qi would likely hinder future progress in cultivation.
‘They’re worse than useless.’
He’d had high hopes after seeing the dwarven weapons, but the elixirs were a disappointment.
‘…I’ve wasted my time.’
Lee Seong-joon sighed inwardly and turned to leave. As he walked away briskly…
‘…?!’
A faint ringing echoed in his ears. It was unusual for a martial artist of his level to experience such a phenomenon. Ringing in the ears usually indicated a head injury, exposure to sonic attacks, or being under the influence of a spell. But there was no external cause. His eyes narrowed.
‘What is this?’
He turned back, retracing his steps.
Beep!
The ringing echoed again. And this time, his sharp senses detected a flow of intertwined Qi. His gaze shifted towards an alleyway next to a display stand. A long, dark passage, its interior seemingly distorted.
‘A barrier.’
He hadn’t noticed it while casually walking by, but with his senses heightened, it was obvious. A powerful barrier concealed this alleyway. Even though he was aware of the barrier, its outline remained blurry. It was exceptionally well-concealed; he would have missed it if not for the ringing.
‘A barrier of this level in a place like this?’
Lee Seong-joon chuckled, his curiosity piqued.
‘…What could be inside?’
Various hypotheses crossed his mind, but he quickly dismissed them. There was no need to speculate.
‘There’s no ominous feeling or hostile intent.’
This barrier focused solely on concealment. How did he know? During the Great Righteous War, even after defeating the leader of the Martial Alliance and securing victory for the Blood Cult, the war continued for over a year.
The reason: the barriers and formations deployed by the Zhuge Clan. Their elusive nature had constantly hindered his progress. So, he’d studied barriers and formations extensively. While he lacked the talent for spellcasting, his relentless efforts allowed him to discern a barrier’s function and purpose just by looking at it.
Therefore, he could say with certainty: there was no immediate threat inside the barrier.
‘…Escape won’t be a problem either.’
While he couldn’t guarantee he could break through the barrier without experiencing it firsthand, he was confident he could escape using his knowledge and abilities. Having made up his mind, Lee Seong-joon stepped forward without hesitation.
As he entered the alleyway…
Whee!
With a loud ringing in his ears, the scene within the barrier revealed itself. A dark alleyway, seemingly ordinary. But appearances could be deceiving. Despite being only about 500 meters long, a distance an ordinary man could cover in under five minutes, he couldn’t see the end.
“…”
Lee Seong-joon narrowed his eyes and scratched a mark on the wall. He took another step forward. About five minutes later…
“As I thought…”
He encountered the mark he’d made.
‘It disrupts one’s senses, making them walk in circles…’
It was a clever barrier; he wouldn’t have noticed without leaving a mark. But unfortunately for the barrier, it was child’s play for Lee Seong-joon, a master of the Blood Demon martial arts. With a relaxed smile, he extended his arm and let a drop of red blood Qi fall to the ground.
Drip.
As the tiny drop of blood Qi was absorbed into the ground, Lee Seong-joon’s eyes turned a captivating crimson.
‘Evil Remnant Blood Eternal Expansion.’
Unlike the destructive and powerful Blood Demon techniques, Evil Remnant Blood Eternal Expansion specialized in tracking and detection. Its effectiveness was unparalleled.
Not even renowned masters from the Thousand Continents, or the King of Assassins, Zhu Tianwu, known as the best in stealth and assassination, could escape its detection. Or rather, escape was impossible. It tracked and detected blood, the very essence of life.
Swish!
The blood Qi spread across the ground, detecting the presence of nearby life forms. Two in particular. Unlike the crowded street, two distinct life forms were isolated within the alleyway.
‘Found them.’
Knowing their exact location, there was no need to wander aimlessly. He walked towards the two life forms. After walking about 800 meters…
Beep!
A deafening ringing pierced his ears, and the scene before him distorted grotesquely. A deep darkness, unimaginable in broad daylight. It felt as though he would be swallowed whole just by taking a step.
As he cautiously moved forward, his senses sharpened…
“Welcome, great warrior!”
A booming voice echoed through the alleyway.
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Unlike the other otherworldly merchants on the street, busily soliciting customers, the elf, Parenhope, and the beastkin, Mokuru, weren’t greeting anyone. Or rather, there was no one to greet.
Zazan, a renowned barrier master, had cast the Great Concealment Barrier around their shop. Ordinary people, and even seasoned hunters, those considered strong by Earth’s standards, couldn’t perceive the hidden alleyway.
So, all Parenhope and Mokuru could do was sit in front of their shop and complain.
“Sigh… I was crazy to listen to that muscle-brained bear.”
“And you praised it as a good idea. As expected of a sly elf, you’re two-faced.”
“It was a good idea to filter out the riffraff who can’t even absorb the energy of our elixirs. But you should have known your limits. Summoning Zazan to cast the Great Concealment Barrier was overkill.”
“Why? I think it’s perfect. Only warriors who can overcome such an obstacle are worthy of consuming my elixirs.”
“Ugh… there’s no reasoning with a muscle-brained bear like you.”
Just as Parenhope sighed in resignation, a bell chimed, signaling an intruder within the barrier.
Ring!
“Finally! A worthy warrior has arrived!”
Mokuru jumped up excitedly, while Parenhope shook his head.
“…Warrior, my foot. It’s probably just some lost pedestrian.”
He wasn’t trying to dampen the mood. This was a common occurrence. Passersby would wander in after getting lost, and this newcomer would likely return to the main street soon. He was certain of it.
But Parenhope’s prediction was quickly proven wrong.
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