Became a God-Level M Chapter 220 : An Agreement Between Merchants

Chapter 220: A rchant's Promise

Jin Seong-un spoke as he briefly observed Seomun Ak’s breakthrough.

“Master Seomun, congratulations.”

As always, his tone was calm, yet it carried a sense of genuine sincerity. Seomun Ak narrowed his eyes and looked at Jin Seong-un.

“……You didn’t co out leisurely on purpose, did you?”

That’s how it seed. Jin Seong-un looked far too clean and composed.

Seomun Ak had been on the verge of a breakthrough recently, teetering on the edge. Jin Seong-un knew that well.

So, it wasn’t unreasonable to suspect that Jin had waited deliberately until Seomun was pushed to the extre.

Jin Seong-un shrugged and said,

“He wasn’t an easy opponent. I heard he was the eldest son of the Heavenly Poison Alliance Leader, but I don’t know if it was true or a lie told to survive. Either way, it’s good news that our inn now has a Peak-level waiter.”

“……”

Everyone fell silent and looked at Jin Seong-un.

Hadn’t he just casually dropped so critical information?

If it was the Heavenly Poison Alliance, then that was the ruling power of the Sichuan underworld.

Even in the wider Central Plains, their influence was imnse—so even said they rivaled the Tang Clan.

And yet, he had just killed their heir and remained so unruffled that everyone was left speechless.

Regardless, Jin Seong-un continued speaking.

“Let’s wrap this up quickly and get back to business.”

They were fighting against the Seven Demon Heavens of the Demonic Cult, and behind them was the Myriad Gold Manor. And yet, Jin Seong-un was still the innkeeper of Seong-un Inn.

As he said so, Jin Seong-un lightly tapped the ground with his foot.

Everyone’s eyes followed his movent but ultimately lost sight of him.

Splash!

The Vice Captain of the Hanma Unit, who had been pumling the later-generation prodigies, suddenly sprayed a burst of blood. His head shot into the sky before tumbling to the ground.

While everyone stared in shock, Seomun Ak’s expression turned grave.

‘……This lunatic.’

He had known for a while that Jin Seong-un’s martial prowess defied common sense. But now that he had entered the realm of Peak-level masters, it was even more palpable.

Things that had previously been invisible now ca into view. Just how fast he was, how sharp—each movent was so compressed and efficient that it was hard to believe.

Seomun Ak’s heart pounded.

An average martial artist might have collapsed in despair at such an overwhelming gap in talent.

But Seomun Ak was a man who knew no despair.

To be exact, his self-esteem was so high that he regarded every wall in the world as if it were a path laid out to guide him.

In other words, Seomun Ak didn’t see Jin Seong-un as a wall, but as a guide. He was genuinely moved by how much farther the path stretched before him.

“Fist……!”

He began to shout the na Fist Dragon Seomun Ak and charge, but halted mid-sentence. He had tried to activate his Qi Projection, but couldn’t concentrate.

Regardless, Seomun Ak charged at the demonic practitioner who had lost his commander and was blinking in confusion.

A red aura shimred faintly on his fist.

It wasn’t Qi Projection, but Martial Fist Qi.

He felt both frustration and determination to overco this.

Boom!

Seomun Ak’s fist collided head-on with the demonic practitioner’s cold blade. The latter was sent flying, but Seomun Ak had no intention of stopping.

As he charged again to punch the opponent—

Suddenly, Jin Seong-un appeared behind him and gently placed a hand on his back.

— Focus on range, not density.

Along with the telepathic ssage, Jin infused Seomun Ak’s body with Won’s Moon Qi. Being one of the purest forms of Qi in the world, it lted into his body without resistance.

Seomun Ak instinctively used the suddenly surging internal energy as if it were his own and followed Jin’s advice.

He had always believed Qi Projection was the compression of Martial Fist Qi. But now, he tried expanding the range instead of the density.

A massive aura ford over his otherwise crude fist. At the sa ti, another telepathic ssage followed.

— It’s not about condensing. Fill it from within.

He didn’t quite understand.

Nor was it easy to follow.

He had already pushed the Qi to its limit in terms of size—how was he supposed to fill it again from within…?

‘Huh?’

In that instant, Seomun Ak felt the outer layer of the Qi thin out, and then sensed another ergence of Qi from deep within.

It was like a new bud breaking through an old tree bark.

A clear Qi Projection manifested on Seomun Ak’s fist.

Crash!

The Qi Projection tore not only through the demonic practitioner in front of him, but also those behind.

A shiver ran through Seomun Ak’s entire body. His heart beat so wildly it felt like it would explode.

This wasn’t a desperate Qi burst pulled out by instinct in a crisis, but a properly understood and executed technique. In other words, as long as he had the internal energy, he could now use Qi Projection at will.

He only needed to fill the still-insufficient inner arts to reach the realm of true Peak-level masters.

And that, ti would solve.

Seomun Ak turned his head to look at Jin Seong-un.

Jin gave him a thumbs up.

As the mock-battle training continued, a mont of revenge finally arrived for the later-generation prodigies who had been getting thrashed all this ti.

The tide of the battle had clearly turned.

The numbers of the Hanma Unit had also been greatly reduced.

After all, the later-generation prodigies were mostly Peak Masters themselves. With the nurical advantage gone, the fight was well within reach.

Tang So-yeon’s poison and dagger pierced the air, while Hwamyeong’s Plum Blossom Sword dyed the snowy field with crimson petals.

Moyong Hyeon and Baek Sang’s swords continuously cut down the demonic cultists, and Shaolin’s Seung-ryong struck down demons like a reincarnation of the Four Heavenly Kings of Buddhism.

One axis of the battlefield had collapsed.

Seeing this, Seo Yu-gyeom and the Hanma Captain both grew restless.

The Hanma Captain felt anxious, realizing that the shadow of death was looming over his head, while Seo Yu-gyeom felt a sting of jealousy at Seomun Ak’s growth.

The aura of both n reflected their inner turmoil.

The mont Jin Seong-un—not Mu-wol—erged from the secret chamber, there was no longer any reason to prolong the fight.

Seo Yu-gyeom and the Hanma Captain charged at each other.

The Hanma Captain staked his life on this one strike.

Seo Yu-gyeom, unwilling to go that far, spoke.

“As expected…”

There was no need for a lengthy speech.

Throughout the fight, Seo Yu-gyeom had kept flapping his mouth, which made the Hanma Captain’s brow twitch uncontrollably. It was the mont all that verbal effort paid off.

The Heaven-Slaying Star of Deathshroud didn’t miss this.

Seo Yu-gyeom’s speed more than doubled for a brief instant. It was only a mont, but that didn’t matter.

Divine Slaughter, Shadowless.

A secret technique of Deathshroud’s Vice Leader Ghost of Divine Slaughter unfolded from the fingertips of his disciple, Seo Yu-gyeom.

Splat—!

The Hanma Captain’s body was sliced in half vertically.

It was a rather flashy display for an assassin’s strike, but the fact that the Hanma Captain didn’t even realize he was dead made it a fitting blow from an assassin.

Seo Yu-gyeom shook the blood off his Heaven-Slaying Dagger and took a mont to catch his breath.

A puff of white breath scattered in the cold wind.

Seo Yu-gyeom’s gaze turned to Seomun Ak.

Seomun Ak stared right back at him.

‘What’re you looking at? Wanna die?’

‘Wanna see what a real Peak Master looks like?’

The two exchanged silent curses with their lips.

Jin Seong-un shook his head and looked away. Only Elder White Cloud Sword remained now.

Despite having overwheld Hyeon-un throughout the battle, White Ghost had failed to break through the mysteries of the Taiji Sword.

He briefly surveyed the battlefield and realized he had no chance of winning.

Even if he managed to kill White Cloud Sword, he couldn’t handle everyone else.

So, he proposed:

“This is a aningless fight now. If you let

go here, I’ll leave quietly. But if you want to see this to the end, I’ll stake my life and take at least three of them with

to the afterlife.”

White Ghost pointed at the later-generation prodigies of the orthodox faction. Just eting his gaze made them feel a chill in their bones.

They found renewed respect for Elder White Cloud Sword, who had fought such a monster all this ti.

White Ghost continued,

“I still have one move left. If I’m resolved to die together and kill those brats, could you really stop ? Even I don’t know how it would end.”

His honest words only heightened the threat. It made the situation feel like a gambling table where the lives of comrades and juniors were the stakes.

After a brief consideration, Hyeon-un nodded.

“Go. I’m tired as well.”

“A wise choice. Lay your sword on the ground. I’ll back away slowly and leave once I’ve gained enough distance.”

Hyeon-un sneered.

“And why would I trust a demonic practitioner?”

“With three Peak Masters standing there, what would I gain from killing you? What’s more important in this world than one’s life?”

Hyeon-un seed to accept the logic and slowly placed his sword on the ground.

White Ghost cautiously stepped back a few paces—then subtly flicked his fingers.

Earth Wind slamd into the ground, scattering the piled snow in all directions.

And for a mont, White Ghost’s figure vanished.

Slash—!

With imnse speed, he surged at Hyeon-un. It looked like he was really aiming for mutual destruction, putting everything into one final strike.

White Ghost’s lips twisted into a grotesque grin, just like his alias. If he were going to die anyway, better to take down a Wudang elder than so greenhorns.

White Cloud Sword still stood straight, seemingly unresponsive. Before he could even reach for his sword, White Ghost would get there first.

Or so he thought.

Tap. Hyeon-un lightly flicked the sword hilt with the tip of his foot. The Taiji Sword shot forward like an arrow from a bowstring.

White Ghost was fast.

But the sword was faster.

Not even the Heaven Lord himself could have dodged this.

Thunk—!

With a chilling sound of flesh being pierced, the Taiji Sword ran through White Ghost’s neck.

Jin Seong-un realized that Hyeon-un’s technique wasn’t just powered by inner arts—it was remarkably similar to the Sword Levitation Technique of the Sword Immortal.

Though Hyeon-un couldn’t yet manifest a true Sword Levitation Technique, he had created montum by kicking the sword and then added a layer of refined technique to it.

White Ghost spewed blood foam from his mouth and collapsed.

Approaching, Hyeon-un retrieved his sword and spoke to the later-generation prodigies.

“Rember this well. Demonic scum like these are not ones to converse with.”

Tang So-yeon, Hwamyeong, Moyong Hyeon, Baek Sang, Seung-ryong, Neung Sogae, and Fist Dragon Seomun Ak—

All of them had witnessed the madness, cruelty, and cunning of the Demonic Cult in this battle and engraved it into their hearts.

There would now be a clear difference between those who had experienced this battle and those who had not.

They had entrusted each other with their lives. The bond born of that wouldn’t fade easily.

They had seen peers—or even those they looked down on—surpass their limits.

So felt impatience, others sincere joy. Both emotions would beco stepping stones for personal growth.

They were reminded once again that among their generation were true outliers. Even White Cloud Sword, called Myeongsuk, had staked his life in this battle.

As everyone was processing their emotions in their own way—

Moyong Hyeon, always quick and realistic, suddenly said,

“The eldest daughter of Myriad Gold Manor is missing.”

Everyone looked around in alarm. With the chaos of life-and-death combat, no one had been able to worry about Ha Cheong-a.

Jin Seong-un calmly said,

“No need to worry.”

Right after speaking, Jin Seong-un suddenly hurled a ceramic jar into the sky. It soared high and exploded with a loud bang.

It looked like a signal flare.

Monts later, cursing could be heard from one side.

“Agh, seriously. What riches did I expect to find by coming all the way out here and going through this misery…?”

Everyone turned their eyes in that direction.

Cha Seo-ryeong appeared with disheveled hair, her clothes covered in snow and dirt. If not for her striking looks, Neung Sogae might have mistaken her for a Beggars’ Union mber.

Sothing was being dragged along in Cha Seo-ryeong’s hand.

It was Ha Cheong-a, bound at the wrists and ankles. She looked like a giant tuna freshly hauled from the sea by a seasoned fisherman.

“……”

Everyone fell silent, blinking at the scene.

Cha Seo-ryeong hurled Ha Cheong-a toward Jin Seong-un and said,

“She used Demonic Arts. Seriously, I almost died fighting her! You said it wouldn’t be hard!”

“Thank you. I’ll repay the favor.”

“Oh, really?”

Cha Seo-ryeong imdiately relaxed and nodded without hesitation. It was Jin Seong-un, after all—no need to haggle over repaynt from him.

Ironically, Cha Seo-ryeong was the only one here who had properly witnessed Jin Seong-un’s martial prowess.

That was because Jin Seong-un’s greatest crisis had occurred at the Qinghai Iron Workshop, where she had accompanied him.

As Cha Seo-ryeong smiled in satisfaction, Jin Seong-un glanced at the squirming Ha Cheong-a on the ground and raised his Straight Saber.

“I will conclude this transaction.”

There had been children in the secret chamber, and martial artists of the Demonic Cult. It had been a life-or-death bargain—and Jin Seong-un had won.

As promised, he intended to take her life.

Jin Seong-un stepped toward Ha Cheong-a, who cried out desperately.

“I-I'm the eldest daughter of Myriad Gold Manor. If you kill , you’ll make an enemy of the entire world—!”

She couldn’t finish her sentence.

Looking into the eyes of Guest Dragon as he approached, she realized he harbored not even a flicker of hesitation.

He did not fear Myriad Gold Manor.

Everyone watched, half in disbelief. Killing Ha Cheong-a here and now carried serious risks.

But no one spoke up. This was a transaction between Jin Seong-un and Ha Cheong-a.

Just as Jin Seong-un arrived before her—

A great surge of energy suddenly swept through the surroundings.

Jin Seong-un paused and looked around.

Monts later, two separate forces appeared.

“Ah, Elder.”

It was the Poison Lord, who had heard of his niece Tang So-yeon’s peril and mobilized his forces imdiately.

Behind him stood the Mount Hua Sect, Wudang Sect, Shaolin, Beggars’ Union, Seomun Clan, and martial artists of the Murim Alliance under Sima Baek’s orders.

And from the opposite side ca another group.

Led by a young man, their presence was as sharp as blades—a martial force emanating deadly pressure.

There seed to be only around thirty of them, yet their prowess rivaled that of the Hanma Unit of Hanma Heaven.

Jin Seong-un recognized the man leading them.

“Ha Joo-myeong.”

The eldest son of Myriad Gold Manor.

He was already known to co-lead the trading company alongside his father, the Manor Master of Myriad Gold.

Ha Cheong-a’s face lit up with joy at the sight of him.

Ha Joo-myeong stared at both his younger sister and Jin Seong-un before speaking.

“Guest Dragon, did you kill our third sibling as well?”

Jin Seong-un nodded without hesitation.

There had already been certainty in Ha Joo-myeong’s question.

“I see.”

Ha Joo-myeong also nodded calmly.

Even though the man who had killed his own sibling stood before him, blade in hand, poised to kill another of his siblings, he didn’t so much as flinch.

Everyone expected Jin Seong-un to lower his weapon.

Not just the seasoned ones well-versed in the logic and ethics of the murim, but even the passionate later-generation prodigies thought so.

Killing Ha Cheong-a carried imnse risk. It would make an enemy of all the Central Plains’ gold veins.

And with the eldest son—next in line to beco Manor Master—watching, there was no need to even ntion the implications.

Just as everyone reached that conclusion—

Jin Seong-un swung his Straight Saber without a second thought.

Shlick—!

A single red line streaked across the snow-covered ground. Ha Cheong-a’s body collapsed limply, blood staining the floor beneath her.

Jin Seong-un spoke to Ha Joo-myeong in a flat tone.

“A promise between rchants.”