Scholar Demon Venerable

Cheongun deflected the opponent's sword with the back of his hand without even drawing his sword.

Pajijijik.

Cheongun's lightning energy flowed through the sword.

The warrior trembled as if he had been struck by lightning.

Cheongun shot a palm at the chest of the trembling warrior.

Thwack!

Kwa-dang.

The warrior who had attacked with a good momentum could not even unfold a single move and fell.

Black smoke flowed out from the slightly scorched warrior's body.

Even though the warrior in the lead had been defeated without being able to use his strength, no one stepped forward.

Because the martial arts of the fallen person were the highest among the warriors.

Cheongun left the hesitating warriors behind and turned his gaze to the cart at the very end.

Several people were riding in the cart, which had a roof and curtains.

They were the masters in the inner courtyard of the Yongfeng Manor.

[Be careful. The prayer of the woman over there is unusual.]

Even without the Blood Emperor's words, Cheongun was already looking at the woman whose age he could not tell.

Cheongun said to the cart.

"How about you stop coming out? There's also the sincerity of the person who waited."

As soon as Cheongun's words were finished, three warriors got out of the cart. At the very end, a woman whose age was difficult to guess, whether she was a young lady or had passed middle age, got out.

The woman, who felt that Cheongun was looking at her, said with a smile on her lips.

"Unlike what I heard, you're not a monster."

"I don't know what you heard, but as you can see, I'm an ordinary person with two arms and two legs."

The woman walked step by step, looking at Cheongun with a strange gaze. The warriors who had gotten out with her walked with her as if to guard her.

The woman, who had reached Cheongun's vicinity, turned her head and shot a palm at the warrior who was standing awkwardly and said a venomous word.

"You worm-like things."

Thwack!

The head of one warrior was smashed.

But no one screamed. They just prostrated themselves and trembled.

The woman turned her head again and smiled brightly.

"Brother, I'm sorry. The lower-class people can't do their job."

Even at her cruel hand, Cheongun did not even bat an eyelid. He just looked at the woman indifferently and asked.

"Who are you?"

"Hohoho, I'm your older sister. Isn't my younger brother the Thunder God Dragon who is doing well these days?"

"Thunder God Dragon? I don't know what you're talking about. And older sister? I look older."

"Hohoho. Then shall I call you older brother?"

The woman laughed as if something was funny. But the expressions of the ones who had followed the caravan and the warriors who were standing as if to guard were hardened.

It was clear that they were afraid of her.

"Whatever the title is, what is your name? I heard that there is a white-haired beauty in the Yongfeng Manor. By any chance, are you not that woman?"

Cheongun guessed the woman's identity.

The woman in front was clearly the White Killing Demoness Han Lan among the plum, orchid, chrysanthemum, and bamboo. His cautious prediction that she might be dead because her appearance was not seen had been wrong.

So he did not call her the White Killing Demoness and called her the white-haired beauty instead.

As if the sound was pleasant to hear, Han Lan laughed and twisted her body.

"Hohohot. I thought my older brother only had good ears, but you also speak so charmingly."

Even at the woman's appearance, who was showing all sorts of coquetry, Cheongun did not care.

But the Blood Emperor frowned and got angry. It was an expression that said he couldn't watch it anymore.

[Smash that b*tch's mouth right now.]

Cheongun gently soothed such a Blood Emperor.

-Blood Emperor, that's a problem for later.

[A problem for later? You have a good stomach. To enjoy the coquetry of a shriveled old hag.]

-I understand. More importantly, please investigate the luggage loaded on the cart.

[Make it clear! Don't hold back and smash it! Got it?]

-Yes.

The Blood Emperor looked at Cheongun and the white-haired demoness alternately with a distrustful expression and then began to examine the carts one by one.

Han Lan swayed her hips and approached Cheongun.

Cheongun did not show any reaction and just watched. He had to buy time until the Blood Emperor had examined the goods loaded on the cart.

Han Lan, who had approached within a zhang, looked over Cheongun's body with a meaningful expression.

"Your body looks very hard."

She smiled and glanced at Cheongun's lower part with an expectant look.

Then she blinked her eyes a couple of times and licked her lips.

"I'm so excited today. Heung."

Cheongun said gently to such a Han Lan.

"Hmm, if I had known you had a younger brother, I would have held back, but I'm sorry."

"Heung. If it's a past matter, it's fine. I can handle that much."

If they continued to talk like this, he didn't know how far the conversation would go. So much so that even the ones who were trembling in fear pricked up their ears.

The Blood Emperor, who was examining the cart, must have heard, and he shouted.

[You bastard! Are you going to have a roll in the hay with a shriveled old hag on the main road?]

-How could that be? Have you examined everything?

Although it was a way to buy time, it was not a planned situation. He had just been waiting for the Blood Emperor to examine the cart and retreat while he was bickering with them.

Unexpectedly, the matter had been twisted because the White Killing Demoness had been sticky.

The White Killing Demoness was also in a conflict.

A distance of one zhang. It was so close that he could reach it with one step. If he attacked like this, it seemed he could shove his hand into the opponent's chest.

But strangely, he was excited. It was a feeling he had felt when he had met a strong person.

When he took out their hearts and held the throbbing hearts in his hand, a thrilling excitement was transmitted throughout his body. But even though he hadn't taken out the heart, his whole body was already ringing.

It was a joy he had not felt for a long time, and perhaps he was more excited because he had hit the jackpot on the street.

She wanted to feel that lingering feeling more, so she slowed down her hand.

But Cheongun said.

"I want to be with my younger brother more, but I have something urgent to do right now, so it's going to be difficult."

"Heung, where are you going?"

"Home. I'll go and find you later."

As soon as the words were finished, Cheongun's body scattered in the air like smoke.

Only then was the White Killing Demoness surprised and came to her senses. Although she had tried to catch the disappearing Cheongun's body, she could not catch the illusion of Cheongun that was scattering.

Her two eyes, which had been swaying with desire, changed to be colder than a ten-thousand-year-old ice.

She shouted at her innocent party.

"What are you looking at? Get ready to leave at once."

A cold wave of the north wind covered the party.

The party trembled once and prepared to move as she had ordered.

The White Killing Demoness trembled and muttered.

"Heung. When I meet you next time, I'll have to take out your heart. How joyful would it be if I held it in this hand? Heung."

Just the thought of it sent a shiver throughout his body. His breath became rough in the strange heat.

Whatever the White Killing Demoness did, the porters had already buried the dead warrior on the side of the road.

It was something they could do by preparing a coffin on the way back or by stopping by a village and asking them to move the corpse to the Yongfeng Manor.

As they disappeared, Cheongun showed his figure again.

Next to him, the Blood Emperor was standing with a deep frown.

[Why didn't you smash that b*tch's mouth?]

"If I had done that, would they have done the escort mission properly? They would have gone back right away."

[But you should have given her a blow. Did you like that hag's crazy act so much?]

"No way?"

[Hmph. I saw it all, so it's useless to make excuses now.]

"Haha, no. It was just because of work that I couldn't help it."

[It's strange. You like eunuchs, and you like old hags. Tsk, tsk.]

As if the Blood Emperor was very angry, he repeatedly teased Cheongun. Cheongun did not answer such a Blood Emperor anymore and turned his body and unfolded his lightness skill.

[You bastard, you have to answer before you go! So is it a eunuch? Or a hag?]

Only the Blood Emperor's scream-like sound echoed in the air.

* * *

Cheongun returned to the manor and was lost in deep thought.

The goods they had taken were not special. No, if it was special, it was a special item.

"You're saying the gold was spread on the bottom of the cart?"

[Yes. They spread it on the lower part of the cart and then piled silk or books on top of it. I roughly estimated it, and it seemed to be about ten thousand taels.]

Ten thousand taels of gold. It was two hundred thousand taels of silver.

It was a huge amount of money.

"What is the reason they are taking that much money? If it's to buy goods, it's too much money."

[Well. I'm also curious about that.]

In fact, it was not strange to transport money. Because you had to take money to buy goods.

It was just suspicious what kind of goods they were trying to buy with that much money.

According to the information, the Yongfeng Caravan had carried a small amount of luggage and had returned with that much goods.

Cheongun and the Blood Emperor, who did not know much about business, could not come up with an answer, although they were curious what kind of goods could be brought with ten thousand taels of gold.

In the end, Cheongun called Jo Gwang.

"Did you call?"

Seeing that the smell of ink was strong from his body, it was clear that he had been studying.

Cheongun offered him a seat and explained the reason he had called him.

Jo Gwang, who had heard the explanation, nodded his head and said.

"With that much money, there is nothing you can't buy. The problem is the volume of five carts... and there are several items that can be thought of."

"Really?"

"There are goods that are traded by the weight of gold. In particular, there is something called cinnabar, and it is a representative item that is traded with the same weight of gold. It is usually mixed with sesame oil and is used to draw talismans. But since it is not an actively traded item, it has the disadvantage of taking a long time to sell."

"Hmm, then it's probably not cinnabar. What are the other items?"

The Yongfeng Caravan was said to go on a long journey for two to three months. Since the time was too tight to sell within that time, it was not cinnabar.

Jo Gwang talked about several other items in succession.

"As for other items, you can mention precious medicinal herbs. For example, there is a medicinal herb like cordyceps, and this is also distributed with the same weight of gold. But although the demand for such high-class medicinal herbs is high, the amount that is traded is extremely insufficient. So it will be difficult to obtain a volume of five carts with a single item."

"It seems the most credible item is a high-class medicinal herb. Young Master Jo, are there no other items you can think of?"

Cheongun asked Jo Gwang again, just in case. Jo Gwang was lost in thought for a moment and then carefully opened his mouth.

"If it's related to the Zirong Palace, there is one item that is possible."

"Is there something that comes to mind?"

"It's opium."

"Opium?"

If you cut the unripe fruit of the poppy with a bamboo knife and dry the liquid that comes out, it becomes opium.

That opium is commonly called opium.

Although it is also used as a medicinal herb, many people use it for a strange purpose other than as a medicinal herb.

The problem was that wrong use.

If you get addicted to opium, you will eventually ruin your life and even your family.

"If you use opium for a long time, you will fall into a hallucination. Because of that, I heard it is very difficult to quit until you die."

"If it's difficult to quit, you have no choice but to buy it even if the price is high."

"That's right. That's why it's common for even rich people's families to be ruined. Moreover, since it's light, if you fill this box with it, it will be worth at least a thousand silver taels."

Jo Gwang pointed to a box that was one zhang in length and width next to him.

The Blood Emperor, who was listening to their conversation, said a word.

[Opium was also used in the cult. It was used to relieve the pain of warriors who had been seriously injured. Because its analgesic effect is good. But as that kid said, since its addictive nature is severe, it's a big problem if you continue to use it.]

Cheongun listened to the Blood Emperor's words and asked Jo Gwang again.

"But why is opium related to the Zirong Palace?"

(End of Chapter)