Chapter 159 : Seolyoung, Gains

Chapter 159: Seolyoung, Gains

A golden radiance poured out so dazzlingly that it almost hurt to look at.

The phrase “golden light” wasn’t just a poetic embellishment.

It really was the light of gold itself.

Bars of gold were stacked tightly together, piled so high they reached the ceiling of the enormous vault. It was literally a mountain of gold.

Lee Jaseung and Baek Seolyoung stepped forward slowly.

When they saw the side of one stack, both of them froze in disbelief. The gold extended all the way to the far wall, endless and gleaming. The amount dwarfed even the riches they had seen in Ban Yeo’s secret cave.

Even a person without a shred of greed would have felt their heart race at the sight.

“How much would all this be?”

“Just figuring that out would take months.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration.

Lee Jaseung’s gaze darkened. He too had walked a path toward power, where wealth had come naturally as a byproduct. But never once had he cared about it.

By contrast, Jang Wonso had lived only for his own wealth and prestige. The result of that life was displayed right here, before their eyes.

It was proof of what awaited those who lived solely for material gain.

If one ripped and schemed as ruthlessly as Jang Wonso, perhaps they could amass even more than this.

That thought made Lee Jaseung’s interest vanish entirely.

What had Jang Wonso felt when he stood here and looked upon this gold? Had he been ecstatic?

Baek Seolyoung’s voice trembled.

“It’s scary.”

“What is?”

“Jang Wonso wasn’t satisfied despite all this, and he still joined hands with the Demonic Cult to eliminate the power behind him.”

Lee Jaseung nodded. Whether it was to protect this fortune or to gather even more, Jang Wonso had never been content.

What worried Lee Jaseung wasn’t his endless greed, but something much more tangible.

The powers behind him.

If Jang Wonso had managed to amass this much money, then the forces backing him must have gathered even more.

And that wealth would have become their strength.

A terrifying strength.

If they were forced to face that power directly, the cost in lives would be immense. He had to find a way to bring them down while keeping the Black Way Alliance’s losses to a minimum.

Baek Seolyoung murmured again in disbelief.

“Still, Jang Wonso was incredible. To entrust all this to someone else. If it were me, I wouldn’t have been able to stand it.”

Lee Jaseung firmly replied.

“Jang Wonso couldn’t have either.”

“What do you mean?”

“Those obsessed with wealth are by nature suspicious. There’s no way he entrusted all this to someone named Go Nodae.”

“Then are you saying Jang Wonso and Go Nodae knew each other?”

“I’m certain Go Nodae was just another name he used. The Vault of Go Nodae is an organization Jang Wonso created.”

Baek Seolyoung became shocked by the thought.

“Now that you mention it, the Vault of Go Nodae appeared after he became the Alliance Leader. My god.”

She exhaled slowly. She had never seen so much gold before, and the idea of creating a secret organization just to store one’s wealth was something she had never even imagined.

And then one thought struck her.

Could Jang Wonso have truly closed his eyes peacefully, leaving all this behind? At the moment of death, perhaps he had thought of this gold and felt bitter regret.

Lee Jaseung then spoke, pointing to the far side of the vault.

“Look over there.”

Gold wasn’t the only thing stored here. Rows of massive display cases filled the space, packed with treasures of every kind. These were the bribes he had received but never had the chance to spend or sell.

There were paintings and sculptures, jewels and ornaments. Pearls that glowed in the dark rolled across the floor like marbles.

And there were weapons too. Swords, spears, bows, throwing blades, and armor. All rare items worth tens or even hundreds of thousands of silver coins.

Lee Jaseung guided her to the sword racks. Dozens of blades were displayed there.

As if browsing a shop, he studied them carefully, then asked,

“See anything you want?”

She shook her head.

“When I think about how Jang Wonso obtained them, I don’t want any of it.”

“That’s a useless way to think. A weapon is just a weapon. Before worrying about who used it, or why, or how, you should think about what you can do with it. That’s how a martial artist should treat a weapon.”

In the martial world, life and death were decided by skill. That was true. But the next most important thing was still the weapon. Lee Jaseung himself had survived many times thanks to Asura.

He wanted her to wield a good sword as well.

In Ban Yeo’s secret cave, there had been treasured blades too. He had thought of giving her one, but believed that such swords should choose their owners, so he had let it be.

But today, she was here with him.

If that wasn’t fate, what was? He wanted her to find her own blade using this opportunity.

Baek Seolyoung’s eyes wandered over the swords on the wall. The more she thought about it, the more sense his words made.

“Then, I choose that one.”

From the moment she entered, one sword had caught her eye.

Lee Jaseung extended his hand, and the sword hanging on the wall floated gently through the air into his grasp.

“Why did you choose that one?”

“No reason. I just felt drawn to it.”

It was the simple truth. Among all the blades, that one had inexplicably caught her gaze.

Lee Jaseung drew the sword. It would have been proper to let its owner draw it first, but he had to make sure it wasn’t a cursed or demonic blade.

He examined it closely.

It was one of the finest swords in the vault.

But in the first place, Lee Jaseung didn’t think this sword was the one she needed.

It wasn’t the kind of sword meant for a woman’s hand. It was a great sword, large and weighty, made for men.

If he’d been the one to choose, he never would have picked it.

But she had chosen it herself.

Maybe that was what people called fate. That was why one should choose one’s own weapon.

Fortunately, there was no trace of demonic or evil energy from the blade. It was clearly forged for an Orthodox martial artist.

Lee Jaseung handed it to her.

“It’s a fine sword.”

Carefully, Baek Seolyoung took it.

“Oh, it’s heavier than it looks huh.”

Even so, she smiled brightly as she drew it, like a child with a gift.

Clang.

A clear, pure sound rang out.

Despite its weight, it felt like she was holding a true sword for the first time.

“I like it.”

She smiled brightly.

Lee Jaseung found himself in a good mood as well.

Yes. Grow stronger, just like that.

He began looking around again, opening drawers and cabinets. Baek Seolyoung asked him.

“What are you looking for?”

“Elixirs.”

Her eyes widened at the casual answer.

“How are you looking for elixirs like you’re searching for cold medicine?”

She meant it as a joke, but he turned it into reality. He opened a drawer beneath a display cabinet and actually pulled out an elixir as casually as if it were medicine.

“Found it over here.”

It was the Great Desert Divine Pill, a rare elixir from the outer regions, most likely a gift from someone.

“Here, swallow it.”

“Here?”

Lee Jaseung nodded.

“Don’t hoard it. Jang Wonso hoarded it and now it ends up in your hands.”

Compared to everything else here, there were few elixirs. He had probably converted them all into gold. Jang Wonso had always trusted money more than martial cultivation.

“What about you?”

“I’m fine.”

The Great Desert Divine Pill was a powerful elixir. The amount of inner Qi granted depended on the user’s level of cultivation. It could increase one’s Qi by anywhere from thirty years to ninety years worth.

The higher one’s cultivation, the less efficient it becomes. With Lee Jaseung’s level, even taking it might not add ten years of Qi. Even if he absorbed every bit of it, it would be a waste on him.

It was better for her to take it. He hoped she could absorb as much as possible.

“Aren’t I getting this kind of fortune too easily? ”

She said it hesitantly, and Lee Jaseung replied.

“It may feel easy, but was it easy getting here? It… wasn’t for me.”

Baek Seolyoung was shocked by his response.

Ah. It could indeed be interpreted that way.

He went on.

“I think relationships with people are the same way. If someone who’s always been kind doesn’t treat you well one day, it doesn’t mean they’ve changed. You shouldn’t judge something only by what’s in front of you, right?”

She smiled faintly.

“Why are you smiling?”

“Dunno know. It just feels like you’re you again.”

“Is this what I’m supposed to be like?”

She grinned playfully.

“You’re usually a hundred times more cold than this.”

Honestly, she wasn’t even sure what his true self was anymore. He’d once been so cold and cruel he’d brought her to tears, but now her tears came for entirely different reasons.

She sat cross-legged.

“Then I’ll gladly accept.”

After taking the Great Desert Divine Pill, Baek Seolyoung closed her eyes and began circulating her Qi.

Lately, her greatest concern aside from Lee Jaseung himself was becoming stronger.

An opportunity like this was something to be thankful for.

Just as he said, she wouldn’t let hesitation make her miss what was important.

When opportunity comes, you seize it with everything you have.

She sank into meditation.

Meanwhile, Lee Jaseung walked slowly through the vault. Anything that could be turned into money was here.

The bastard truly had plundered everything huh.

Lee Jaseung shook his head. He almost wanted to drag Ban Yeo here and smack him on the back of the head, saying, “If you’re going to steal, at least do it properly like this. You’re not even close.”

Then, in one corner, something caught his eye.

Oh? That is?