The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 107

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Surviving in the Martial Realm as a Mage: Episode 107
[To meet the General Merchant, one must venture to the Deep Three Continents.]
The Deep Three Continents.
A place where humans and demons tore into each other with savage ferocity.
Humans coveted the inner cores of demons.
Demons craved the original essence of humans.
And already, the Deep Three Continents themselves overflowed with tremendous resources.
Extraordinarily rare spirit herbs and mineral deposits continued to emerge without end.
The Deep Three Continents were still expanding even now, and as a result, unexplored territories abounded.
Because of this, from early-stage Won-yeong Order Practitioners who slipped in secretly, gambling their fates with the heavens as they hunted for expensive spirit herbs,
to Immortals and Demon Cultivators of the Transcendent Harmony realm who harbored deep grudges against demons or Immortals and made it their profession to kill them,
the Deep Three Continents could be considered a war zone in every corner.
[Even those who have reached the Harmonious Path realm do not escape that place.]
Jincheon Yong Odohyeon.
He alone dwelt where the only 7th Realm Spirit Vein existed.
He had not ventured beyond the Gui Yi Continent, called the deepest within the Deep Three Continents.
That place was truly the world of the Harmonious Path realm cultivators.
The Gui Yi Continent was the domain of the Transcendent Harmony realm—a region that even 6th Realm demons and Transcendent Harmony practitioners hesitated to enter.
Because of this, unlike the two continents below it, the Dao Yuan Realm and the Cang Qiong Realm, it was a land of serene stillness day after day.
“The Gui Yi Continent, then….”
Odohyeon had said I must go there to meet the General Merchant.
The General Merchant was currently wandering through the territories of Harmonious Path monsters in that very place.
“I’ve never heard of the General Merchant before.”
From the name alone, they seemed like an existence similar to Manmulsang.
And the evaluation from this world’s Dragon King, Jincheon Yong Odohyeon, was much the same.
[Manmulsang trades in tangible items, but the General Merchant is an entity that trades in intangible items.]
When I asked what intangible items were,
interestingly, they turned out to be similar to what Manmulsang took as the price of trade.
“A year of time. The memories within that time. Or enlightenment. Or perhaps the studies one has cultivated during that period, sold as knowledge….”
Looking at this, whether it was Manmulsang or the General Merchant,
they were certainly entities that existed outside the rules.
Ilhyang sat lost in thought, fully equipped with the artifacts completed yesterday.
The Black Dragon Gang in this Demon Immortal Realm.
Or more specifically, the Black Dragon Hall Guiryeol Valley Branch.
This place had now firmly entered a period of stability.
The demons in the surrounding area had grown fearful and no longer approached. The 4th Realm Spirit Vein was operating stably.
Not only that, but recently when that 4th Realm Demon Cultivator, Hwangto Hwandon, had attacked, I killed him and absorbed the 4th Realm Spirit Vein he had been controlling.
“My territory has expanded.”
In conclusion, the Black Dragon Hall Guiryeol Valley Branch was now experiencing unprecedented prosperity.
The disciples of the Black Dragon Gang saw Ilhyang as the dead yellow wild boar.
Hwangto Hwandon had recklessly ventured into Jinsan Yeomto, the territory he once controlled, and began cultivating the land from scratch.
He excavated various spirit herbs from that lava-spewing region and transplanted rare specimens from other areas, solidifying the Black Dragon Gang’s dominion.
“This land can never be taken from us, Lord Bang Won!”
“Indeed! So many rare spirit herbs that only grow in the Hot Flame Zone…!”
“We’re rich now!”
Could they truly call themselves wealthy when these weren’t even herbs meant for sale?
Ilhyang was about to point this out when he caught sight of the fervent madness blazing in the eyes of the Black Dragon Gang members and held his tongue.
“It’s a positive direction, at least.”
What I had done was merely a modest contribution.
I had declared the territory around the 4th Realm Spirit Vein, firmly establishing to the surrounding neighbors that this land had an owner, and simultaneously layered multiple defensive formations—that was all.
The existing demon cultivators within that domain were dealt with by the Black Dragon Gang members themselves.
“They say human greed knows no bounds.”
What surprised me was that the Black Dragon Gang members had actually subdued a 3rd Realm demon cultivator.
A 3rd Realm demon boar had been occupying the Jinsan Yeomto region.
These greedy masses who had ascended from the Lower Realm deployed every artifact and talisman at their disposal to safely subdue the creature.
“They didn’t kill it—they merely subdued it.”
The Black Dragon Gang members, having declared their intention to tame this 3rd Realm demon boar, were even attempting various methods to do so.
Curiosity and experimentation are virtues, after all.
I found myself wondering just how far their madness would take them.
“But the real problem is me. Venturing into the Deep Three Continents with only artifacts seems perilous.”
If I were merely entering the Deep Three Continents, I was confident enough to go with just the artifacts I’d created.
Even if I unluckily encountered hostile practitioners of the Won-yeong Order there, I believed I could manage somehow.
“The real issue is Gui Yi Continent.”
Jincheon Yong Odohyeon.
That infuriating Dragon King was certainly no easy opponent.
When he offered an unconditional wish token.
I should have anticipated what level of difficulty the commission would entail.
“Not the Won-yeong Order, but a region infested with Hapdogi monsters.”
And I had to find some merchant called the General Merchant, whose location wasn’t even certain.
I would have to stake my life on this.
So relying on a single artifact was problematic.
Thus.
I withdrew a small sealed iron box from the Jeo-mul Platform hidden within my sleeve.
“Come out.”
[Senior!]
The Ghost Shadow Demon Lord’s spirit had been confined in the dark iron box for months, and upon finally seeing light, it immediately prostrated itself on the ground.
An absolute posture of submission.
[Do you desire the secret realm of Guiyin Sect? Or perhaps the secret technique to activate the Thousand Ghost Soul Fusion Art? Or if it’s something else—if you wish to know where Guiyin Sect and I have hidden our assets….]
“Just be quiet for a moment.”
[Understood!]
Ilhyang silenced the Ghost Shadow Demon Lord’s eager mouth and spoke quietly.
“Would you like me to give you a physical body?”
The moment he heard those words, an intense longing blazed across the Ghost Shadow Demon Lord’s eyes.
[Your kindness, Senior, is as boundless as the great abyss itself!]
“But I can’t give you your original body. You understand why, don’t you?”
If he were to return to his original form, he would gain far too much freedom.
Naturally, he would become proportionally stronger, but then he could also rebel.
That would create numerous complications.
Ilhyang had suppressed the Ghost Shadow Demon Lord’s original spirit without injury and sealed it away until now.
Not for such purposes.
Only for absolute obedience.
To create a lich that would offer unwavering loyalty.
[I am Woo Ki-cheon. I shall obey only your words, Senior.]
“So your name was Woo Ki-cheon. Good. I find your attitude most pleasing.”
Ghost Shadow Demon Lord Woo Ki-cheon.
He genuinely harbored loyalty toward Ilhyang.
‘If it were me, I would have thrown him straight into the soul furnace! Yet he shows such compassion!’
At first, he had been consumed by self-reproach over falling victim to a surprise attack, and resentment toward Ilhyang for confining him in that small box.
But after months of contemplation.
He realized that this Water Cultivator Disciple named Ilhyang was truly virtuous.
The spiritual power contained within his original spirit was remarkably compressed and pure—an excellent resource that could be put to immediate use in countless ways.
Moreover, it was far easier to manipulate than weaker souls, so creating a puppet of tremendous power by placing the original spirit in a soul furnace and extracting its essence would have been simple.
If placed into a magical artifact, assuming aptitude in connection techniques, he could have immediately crafted a 5th Realm Spirit Treasure.
‘Yet instead, he offers me a corpse!’
Of course, I would become a jiangshi.
But existing neither dead nor alive forever, twisted and squeezed like sesame oil, wrung dry through torment as a thing that merely emits and absorbs energy—this was infinitely, incomparably better than that fate.
The Ghost Shadow Demon Lord was genuinely satisfied with his current situation.
Of course, Ilhyang knew nothing of these complicated circumstances.
Pleased by the unexpectedly positive response, he nodded contentedly and retrieved Sidokmagun’s corpse from the Jeo-mul Platform.
“It’s a new product crafted by infusing all manner of elixirs and medicinal substances. Once you inhabit it, you should possess at least the strength of a 5th Realm Hwashin Order cultivator. Does it suit you?”
Since Sidokmagun had originally been a lich, what Ilhyang had done was merely apply some pharmaceutical treatments and upgrade the security-related runes inscribed within the brain.
Apart from that, it remained in nearly its original state.
Of course, even that work alone had brought the mana circuits and reaction speed within the body to 5th Realm standards.
And if a suitable spirit were to inhabit it?
It would immediately surpass the 5th Realm and approach the 6th.
If fortune smiled greatly, even if only partially, it would unleash power approaching the 6th Realm.
In other words, by this reckoning, he would become a jiangshi of Flame Void Realm caliber, transcending the Hwashin Order.
By the standards of the Seven Continents, he would become a truly well-crafted lich.
[The appearance isn’t quite to my taste, but it will do!]
“…Huh?”
I hadn’t expected the Ghost Shadow Demon Lord to critique my appearance, so I was momentarily caught off guard.
But I quickly decided to actively accommodate his preferences.
It wasn’t particularly difficult work.
Besides, if this creature showed a cooperative attitude, things would go much smoother going forward.
Of course, if I indulged him, he might instead rebel or harbor disrespectful thoughts.
‘But I’ve already inscribed countermeasures into Sidokmagun’s brain using rune script.’
With a light heart, I adjusted Sidokmagun’s face here and there before asking a question.
“How does this face look now?”
[The eye size is satisfactory, but the nose seems a bit low, Senior.]
“…Like this?”
[That’s acceptable. I’m pleased with it.]
“So you’ll go with this as is?”
[Ah… wouldn’t it be possible to shave down the cheekbones a bit more?]
“…This is truly the last adjustment.”
After that brief preference calibration.
I carefully transferred the Ghost Shadow Demon Lord’s spirit essence into Sidokmagun’s body and settled it in place.
Shudder—
Since it wasn’t the original owner’s spirit essence, the flesh body offered some resistance.
But the Ghost Shadow Demon Lord was also a Won Young-gi practitioner, and his original cultivation level was mid-stage Won Young-gi at that.
He could easily suppress the body’s resistance and become its new master.
Looking at the results alone.
While it was quite troublesome, accommodating the Ghost Shadow Demon Lord’s desire for facial reconstruction turned out to be an absolutely brilliant decision.
The Jiangshi synthesis had struck jackpot.
A Jiangshi of 6th Realm Yeonheo-gi level had been created.
“Woo Ki-cheon pays respects to his master!”
“Just call me Senior.”
“Ha, understood, Senior.”
Sidokmagun had become a far more elegant and sharp-featured handsome man than his appearance in life.
The Ghost Shadow Demon Lord, seemingly delighted that his aesthetic preferences were perfectly reflected in the face, continuously held it up to the air from different angles, smiling with enthusiasm.
Watching him, I couldn’t help but develop sudden concerns.
‘Will this guy really be okay?’
Now that he’d become a lich, I needed to trust him and descend to the Gui Yi Continent, yet my subordinate was so preoccupied with appearance.
Worry washed over me anew.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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