The Wizard Who Endured the World of Murim - Chapter 20

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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 20
‘I need to acquire a lower-tier elixir by any means necessary.’
To cross from the third circle to the fourth, I had to overcome one formidable barrier.
Breaking through it would require considerable effort.
The ideal approach would be to seek aid from the spirits.
‘But the Spirit Realm has remained silent.’
Strangely, I received no response from the Spirit Realm.
So I had no choice but to pursue acquiring a lower-tier elixir.
Initially, I worried such a thing might not exist here.
But after inquiring through the Qinghua Trading Company, I discovered this world did possess items comparable to lower-tier elixirs.
‘The only problem is the price is absolutely insane.’
The Subtle Tremor Pill.
This wasn’t merely something that increased inner power—it supposedly doubled the size of one’s dantian itself.
The effects were precisely what I sought.
The problem, naturally, was the price.
Ten thousand gold coins in currency.
Converting that to silver, it amounted to a staggering one hundred thousand silver pieces—an absolutely mad sum.
‘And they said even with money, you can’t buy it.’
I couldn’t help but laugh bitterly.
Such a small village naturally had no stock, and even in larger cities, there was no guarantee the item would be available.
‘But why does no one here know about the Spirit Realm? This is deeply strange.’
Magic existed, yet people knew nothing of the Spirit Realm.
I made inquiries in every direction.
Clearly, the people of this world had no concept of the Spirit Realm whatsoever.
‘Yet it definitely exists.’
Regardless, it was frustrating.
I took careful inventory of my funds.
Eleven gold coins.
Forty-two silver coins.
Five hundred twenty copper coins.
I was certainly wealthy by any measure.
But the items I desired were so expensive.
The money I held felt like mere pocket change.
‘Still, an opportunity will come eventually.’
Over the past month, I had completed ten commissions.
As a result, I gained modest renown and
met the minimum requirements for advancement within the Ronin Guild.
“Here is your iron badge, associate.”
“Thank you.”
The receptionist at the Old Nanginhoe Branch Building.
Mak Chung, an intermediate-rank Wanderer’s Guild member.
With a peculiar expression, he handed Ilhyang an iron-forged guild badge and spoke.
“Normally, advancement to the iron badge happens quite rapidly. But Ilhyang, you’ve been exceptionally swift.”
Well, it couldn’t be otherwise.
I hadn’t merely accepted commissions—
I’d actively sought out various assignments and deliberately inflated the commission fees recorded in the Wanderer’s Guild ledgers.
My reason for willingly paying these fees to advance through the ranks was simple.
‘Higher ranks grant access to premium information.’
The Wanderer’s Guild didn’t deal in goods, but they trafficked in information.
For someone like me seeking premium intelligence about the Elixir’s whereabouts or other vital elixirs—
advancement was an absolute necessity.
“This rank badge applies universally across other regions, correct?”
“Of course.”
Regardless, I needed to expand my access to premium information incrementally.
Now that I’d obtained the iron badge I’d targeted here, the time had come to depart.
Giyang County lay too far from the central cities, and the village’s modest size meant commissions were scarce in both quality and quantity.
In short, there was no money to be made.
‘I need to head to a major city.’
In the end, it all came down to money.
Purchasing information required funds.
Acquiring elixirs required funds.
And studying this world’s magic and mysteries required even more funds.
This was precisely why most mages obsessed over wealth.
‘Still, having reached the third circle, I suppose I can focus on consolidating my foundation now.’
The fourth circle was far too distant.
The shortcuts and expedients that had served me thus far wouldn’t work anymore.
Without elixirs or spirits—
it would undoubtedly take an extraordinarily long time.
I’d have to painstakingly accumulate infinitesimal progress while building my foundation to reach the fourth circle.
‘A literal pyramid of time.’
At minimum, ten years.
Even geniuses couldn’t escape this temporal requirement.
This calculation was only possible because I’d already walked this path once before.
“Are you planning to depart?”
“Yes.”
Mak Chung, having evidently sensed my intention to leave the moment I received the iron badge, asked first and then made an offer.
“If you’re considering heading to Cheonjoong Sungdo, there’s a suitable commission available. It’s a subcontracted request from Jinseong Transport Company, and they’re recruiting Wanderers of iron-badge rank or higher.”
“I’ll take it.”
I answered without hesitation.
A subcontracted commission.
This was technically a protection contract.
But it differed somewhat from ordinary commissions.
When an escort agency received a transport contract from a client,
they would separately hire ronin as a form of insurance.
This was to prepare for any unforeseen circumstances that might arise.
The ronin were hired to serve as expendable shields, thrown into the fray should a crisis emerge.
With good fortune, one could earn substantial coin while doing nothing but lounging about.
With ill fortune, one might find themselves facing enemies beyond their capacity to overcome.
Yet the ronin in this trade eagerly welcomed such subcontracted work.
After all, regardless of what mission one accepted, the threat to life was always present.
So they naturally preferred jobs like these, where at least the compensation was generous.
Ilhyang readily signed the contract that Mak Chung extended.
Then, turning toward Mak Chung, I offered a respectful fist salute.
“Thank you so much for everything, Mak Chung.”
“Ha, not at all. It’s been a pleasure working with such a trustworthy ronin.”
Mak Chung returned the salute with a composed smile.
In truth, I knew well that Mak Chung had shown me considerable consideration.
Since he couldn’t see my true essence, I appeared to him as nothing more than a child of barely ten years old.
The fact that he had entrusted me with various commissions despite this
meant that even if it were merely Mak Chung’s whim, it had proven quite beneficial to me.
“I will surely repay your kindness someday.”
“Ha, I shall wait for it with pleasure.”
Mak Chung took it lightly.
But it was a promise made by a Grand Mage himself.
Surely it would return as a tremendous reward in due time.
Thus another day passed.
I set foot in the Great Training Hall of the Jinseong Escort Agency, where I had accepted the commission.
“Ah? So you’re the Ilhyang of the Small Guild who’s been making a name for himself as the Flame Fist Warrior? Pleased to meet you. I’m Jochang, one of the senior escorts on this transport mission.”
“I’m Ilhyang.”
“Ha, to think I’d meet the legendary Flame Fist Warrior. My expectations are high indeed.”
The Flame Fist Warrior.
It was a moniker earned because each time I accepted a commission, I would dispatch bandits with fists wreathed in flame.
A small child with diminutive fists wielding fireballs the size of melons was such an eerie and menacing sight
that most bandits would flee at the mere sight of it.
The ronin who worked alongside me believed me to be a master from some distinguished clan.
‘After all, none of them could distinguish between magic and martial arts.’
Though they harbored a misunderstanding,
I suffered no loss from it, so I simply let it be.
“Those are your fellow travelers for the journey to the Holy Capital. Let’s go meet them.”
It seemed they had invited roughly ten external masters in addition to the escort agency’s own personnel.
Looking at the overall scale, this escort mission was larger than I had anticipated.
In fact, this mission was one of those rare, massive operations that the Jinseong Escort Agency undertook only once every few decades.
It was an operation that had drawn in all the core forces, including the agency’s director himself.
When Ilhyang moved toward the Ronin Guild members who would accompany him on the mission, guided by Senior Jo Chang,
a sharp-featured spearmaster who had been waiting in front of the carriage immediately voiced his complaint upon our arrival.
“Ha! What’s this? Even a kid like that is participating in the escort mission? The Jinseong Escort Agency has really fallen in standards, hasn’t it?”
“Yang Cheon-jo, sir, your words are too harsh. Ilhyang clearly possesses an Iron-rank Ronin Guild medallion.”
“Puhaha, and I’m Bronze-rank, you see?”
Ilhyang watched the spearmaster wave his Ronin Guild medallion from his pocket and let out a quiet chuckle.
This was a reaction I had somewhat anticipated.
‘Since this is our first meeting, establishing the hierarchy is necessary.’
To be honest,
I was actually pleased by this provocation.
Whenever joining a new group,
it was necessary to clearly demonstrate the difference in our standings at least once.
So I gently pushed aside Senior Jo Chang, whose face had grown stern, and stepped forward.
A faint smile playing on my lips.

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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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