RTL 08

Chapter 8…. I’ll Make It Myself

Nam Yeongwol accepted the contract with practiced ease.

But when Cheon Gil did not pull out the next one, a faint look of doubt appeared on her face.

At that moment, Cheon Gil and Cheon Sanhang simultaneously turned their gazes to Cheon-ui.

Following their lead, Nam Yeongwol also unconsciously looked at him.

A brief silence passed before Cheon-ui quietly opened his mouth.

“Is bartering also possible?”

“By goods… you mean you wish to pay with items?”

Nam Yeongwol’s eyebrows rose slightly.

At the unexpected proposal, a spark of interest soon colored her eyes.

She studied Cheon-ui for a moment, then after some thought, nodded.

“Of course it’s possible. However, the value of the item must be directly verified by our appraiser.”

“I understand.”

Cheon-ui nodded calmly and stretched out his hand.

“Bring me paper and a brush.”

“Paper… and a brush?”

Nam Yeongwol frowned faintly.

She tilted her head at the strange request, but nevertheless, someone brought the items from a nearby table.

Cheon-ui spread the paper on the desk and picked up the brush.

And then, without hesitation, he began to write in swift strokes.

The auction house staff watching the scene glanced at each other, puzzled.

Before even the time it took to drink two cups of tea had passed, Cheon-ui set the brush down and folded the paper.

“Here.”

He handed the sheet to Nam Yeongwol.

She received it with wide, surprised eyes.

“Young Lord, what is the meaning of this?”

Cheon-ui replied with a calm expression.

“You said payment by goods was acceptable. In that case, I’ll make it myself.”

“You’ll… make it yourself?”

Nam Yeongwol’s eyes widened.

Cheon-ui looked straight at her with steady eyes.

“Is there a problem?”

Nam Yeongwol curved her lips in a small smile.

“Our auction house does accept barter. But of course, the item must carry suff-i-cient value.”

She deliberately split the word, her tone emphasizing the weight of it.

Cheon-ui remained unshaken.

“The value is for the appraiser to judge. I am confident I can create something worthy.”

“Well, that’s not quite what I meant, but…”

She shrugged with a smile.

But in that smile lingered both suspicion and interest.

Nor was she alone.

Cheon Sanhang and Cheon Gil also stared at Cheon-ui in shock.

‘He’ll make it himself?’

He was claiming he could produce, right now, something worth hundreds of thousands of gold coins.

Though neither spoke, inside they were torn between anxiety and disbelief.

Cheon Gil quietly swallowed a sigh.

‘At least the auction house hasn’t openly shown offense… anywhere else, this would already have been a grave insult.’

Cheon Sanhang kept silent, watching his son.

He wanted to believe.

But as things stood, it seemed as if his son were simply playing childish games.

In the end, several of the Cheon clan’s business rights would have to be pledged as collateral to the Namfeng Auction House.

Cheon Sanhang sighed deeply inside.

He was about to speak when Cheon-ui’s voice cut in.

“Please prepare the items listed here. Let it be treated as though I purchased them from your house, but whether they have value will be determined once I have crafted something with them.”

“You…”

Cheon Sanhang furrowed his brow at his son.

But Cheon-ui only smiled faintly and gave a small nod.

“Father. Trust me.”

“…”

A silence hung for a moment.

Cheon Sanhang found no words, but faced with his son’s unwavering gaze, finally nodded.

“Very well. Do as you will.”

After all, several of the clan’s industries were already on the verge of being mortgaged to Namfeng Auction House.

Perhaps letting Cheon-ui have his way one more time was not the worst choice.

Cheon Gil shook his head quietly.

With the clan head’s consent, he could no longer oppose it.

“In that case…”

Since neither Cheon Sanhang nor Cheon Gil tried to stop him, Nam Yeongwol only shrugged with a smile.

The auction house would not lose anything—after all, the cost of the materials would be borne by the Cheon clan.

And as expected of the largest trading house in Mokgun Fortress, Namfeng’s response was swift.

Within a short while, Nam Yeongwol had procured all the items Cheon-ui had written down, even supplying a complete set of alchemical tools.

That had been specifically noted at the end of Cheon-ui’s list.

Looking over the tools, Nam Yeongwol asked with a faint smile,

“Shall we leave you alone for a while?”

Cheon-ui nodded.

“Yes… please step outside.”

Cheon Sanhang took Cheon Gil and left the room.

Nam Yeongwol also followed, frowning slightly.

As she walked out, she muttered inwardly,

‘What on earth is he planning to make? Let’s see.’

Once the three were gone, Cheon-ui stood before the tools.

The reason for sending them away was simple.

If anyone later asked how he had made the item, or who had taught him, he would have no answer.

Unless he revealed the truth about his reincarnation, he could not explain.

Fwoosh—

Flames sparked among the tools.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, Cheon-ui muttered lowly,

“…This is tougher than I thought.”

His current body, still at only the seventh level of Qi Refinement, was undeniably weak.

Even kindling a flame drained him more than expected.

If not for the alchemical set he had specifically requested, even starting the fire would have been difficult.

In his past life, he had reached the pinnacle as a grand alchemist of the Sacred Heaven Realm.

To be unable even to handle fire—it was a matter of pride.

Cheon-ui clenched his fist.

‘I must regain my strength as quickly as possible.’

His resolve sharpened once again.

Outside, Cheon Sanhang, Cheon Gil, and Nam Yeongwol waited quietly.

Cheon Gil glanced at the tightly closed door and said in a low voice,

“Clan Head… are you truly going to let the Young Lord fool around like this?”

Cheon Sanhang shook his head calmly.

“Too early to judge.”

He recalled yesterday—

That sharp gaze when defeating Wang Un, the intelligence that could not be hidden, and the killing intent buried deep within.

Something had indeed changed in Cheon-ui.

He couldn’t explain it, but he knew instinctively it was not a trivial shift.

“Perhaps this time as well… he’ll show us something unexpected.”

Cheon Gil asked, startled,

“Unexpected…?”

He secretly clicked his tongue.

To him, Cheon Sanhang seemed blinded by favoritism.

Cheon-ui had never even studied under an alchemist. To now suddenly concoct medicine was absurd.

But then again—Cheon-ui was his only son.

Though there was also his daughter, Cheon-wol, she was born with a crippled body that could never cultivate.

In the end, the future of the clan rested on Cheon-ui.

After a while, Nam Yeongwol frowned at the door.

“Young Lord isn’t making… gunpowder, is he?”

Namfeng Auction House had been specially designed to prevent eavesdropping or attacks from outside, with excellent fireproofing and soundproofing.

Even if there were small explosions inside, nothing could be heard from outside.

Cheon Sanhang shot her a glance.

“If any of your property is damaged, our clan will pay compensation!”

At that, Nam Yeongwol said no more.

But as more time passed, even Cheon Sanhang grew uneasy.

Her words had planted the thought of an explosion in his mind.

After all, alchemists often suffered such accidents.

He did not care about the auction house’s property.

What worried him was Cheon-ui’s safety.

He was debating whether to go in when—

Creak—the door opened.

Before they could react, a rich herbal fragrance drifted out.

The scent was no ordinary herb, but a blend of rare and precious ingredients.

Cheon-ui’s quiet voice followed.

“Go ahead, appraise it. See if it has the ‘sufficient value’ you asked for.”

He held a small jade bottle in his hand.

Inside lay a single, lustrous pill.

“T-This is…!”

Nam Yeongwol peered into the bottle, then turned to Cheon-ui with astonished eyes.

She knew at once.

This was no ordinary medicine.

“You truly… made this yourself?”

Cheon-ui answered leisurely.

“I was the only one in that room. Who else could have made it?”

Her tongue was tied.

The sharp herbal aroma lingering in the air was proof enough—there was no denying it had been made inside.

Cheon-ui prompted,

“Why are you just standing there? Call the appraiser.”

Snapping out of her daze, Nam Yeongwol exclaimed,

“Ah—yes! At once!”

She hurried off deeper into the auction house.

As she disappeared, Cheon Sanhang asked in a low voice,

“Cheon-ui… that pill just now… did you truly make it?”

Cheon Gil, too, looked at him in disbelief.

Though the appraisal result was not yet out, what they had witnessed already defied belief.

That Cheon-ui knew alchemy at all was beyond their comprehension.

Cheon-ui exhaled slowly and spoke.

“Yes. I made it.”

He no longer concealed it, and calmly continued,

“The truth is… I began studying alchemy about a year ago.”

It was an excuse so flimsy it was almost laughable.

“A year ago…?”

Both men stared blankly at him.

Cheon-ui nodded and elaborated.

“A year ago, I chanced upon an old man. His appearance was that of a true immortal sage. The moment I saw him, I knew he was extraordinary. He told me I had talent for alchemy and asked to take me as his disciple.”

“…”

Neither spoke. It was too absurd.

“Of course, I refused. Who would believe such words from a stranger? Anyone would call him a fraud. But he was persistent, and came secretly every night to teach me.”

Cheon-ui’s expression was solemn.

“My victory over Wang Un, and the pill I made today… all of it is thanks to that master’s teachings.”

Cheon Sanhang and Cheon Gil felt a wave of dizziness.

‘…Can this be true?’

The tale was outrageous.

And yet, remembering the battle with Wang Un, and now the pill before their eyes, they had no better explanation.

Cheon-ui noticed their doubtful looks but didn’t mind.

After all, it was only a cover story.

So long as he kept the tale of a mysterious master, any future feats could be explained.

He smiled inwardly with satisfaction.

‘Heh… Sometimes I amaze even myself with how well-prepared I am.