CHAPTER 40

Of course, finding an elixir like Shaolin's Grand Pill (Daehwandan) in modern times would be nearly impossible.

'Maybe I could get something through the Dimensional League shop… but even then, it wouldn't be cheap.'

And it was clear that Soo-hyeok didn't have the funds for that level of purchase.

Still, Earth wasn't completely barren. It might not have true elixirs, but there were quasi-elixirs—substances that provided comparable, if lower-grade, effects. Even if they were weak, their combined use could amount to something significant.

Soo-hyeok had already experienced this back in the hospital, absorbing a glucose IV drip and sensing a noticeable change.

There's a saying: "Even dust can form a mountain."

And such "dust" was scattered all throughout Earth's medical field.

Two weeks remained.

'I'll lean on these supplements until then.'

It felt almost like the mindset of an addict, but as long as the method produced results, he didn't care.

His first experiment? Vitamins, the basic essential nutrients for human health.

He downed handfuls of vitamin B, C, and D pills from the pharmacy and washed them down with water, then immediately began cycling his Heaven-Earth Unification Technique.

Just as expected:

'It's minor compared to glucose absorption… but my internal energy did increase.'

It was minuscule—not even the worth of a fingernail—but it was still a gain.

And unlike true elixirs, these vitamins didn't suffer as much from diminishing returns with repeated use.

'The effect is so weak to begin with that there's barely any drop-off.'

Of course, that didn't mean he could gorge himself endlessly on vitamins. There were still limits.

'I'll need to go get IVs at a hospital.'

IV nutrient therapy—that would be a game-changer.

With that in mind, Soo-hyeok leapt up and headed to the hospital.

It may have looked petty or laughable… but who cared?

"Dust makes a mountain."

This was his best option right now.

***

He received direct nutritional and fatigue-recovery IVs at the hospital.

And the effect?

Far beyond what vitamins had provided.

'Feels like I just added a year's worth of internal energy.'

In a single day.

In truth, it was an astounding result.

But from Soo-hyeok's perspective—who had already accumulated over 20 years of internal energy—it still felt lacking.

'So what? Am I going to do this every day?'

Of course, the hospital had no reason to refuse if he was healthy.

And the cost? About 100,000 won per session—very reasonable, considering the gains.

The real problem?

Even if he did this daily for two weeks, he'd only gain an extra three years' worth of internal energy at most.

As stated earlier, elixirs diminish in effectiveness the more you take them. Just because you gained a year's worth today doesn't mean you'll gain the same tomorrow.

'Dust makes a mountain, sure… but I don't have enough time to pile the dust.'

It was something he had known deep down but avoided acknowledging.

He couldn't help but regret not starting this earlier, from the very moment he began training.

But regrets were useless now.

'Don't forget it.'

Painful memories help prevent repeated mistakes.

Soo-hyeok admitted his own short-sightedness this time—but he didn't dwell on it.

Regret only serves to anchor future action—not to sink the present.

So instead, he turned his focus toward finding new solutions.

'What's the most efficient way to absorb qi here on Earth?'

He thought, at first, of absorbing mana stones.

They were literal containers of energy.

If he could extract that qi using his technique, it might be the fastest way to increase his internal energy.

But…

'That'd be a poisoned chalice.'

The qi inside mana stones was too heavily polluted.

While Heaven-Earth Unification Technique could purify some of that impurity, over time, the buildup would inevitably corrupt his entire energy system.

Yes, his internal energy would grow rapidly—but if he failed to manage the pollution, he'd be consumed by "tainted qi ", much like falling into deviation or awakening a demonic nature.

That tainted energy could also block his path to higher cultivation realms, especially when trying to transcend his previous limits on the Hwan Continent.

No matter how strong his will was, introducing unnecessary obstacles wasn't wise.

Soo-hyeok understood that absorbing tainted mana stone energy would essentially make him no different from a demonic cultivator.

'It's not worth the risk.'

He calmed his urgency.

One misstep could ruin the grand picture.

Then, something caught his eye—something he had overlooked before.

An artifact from another dimension.

"Potions?"

Just from the name, he could guess the effect.

In some other worlds, potions were common.

From low-grade ones made with monster blood and bone, to high-grade types crafted from divine essences—the range was vast.

The one that caught Soo-hyeok's attention now?

A mana potion.

Unlike regular healing potions, mana potions temporarily restore internal energy.

They weren't hard to make, and didn't vary much in quality. They just provided consistent, minor energy recovery.

'I should see for myself.'

After some time researching online, Soo-hyeok stood up and got dressed without hesitation.

His destination: Yongsan.

Once the hub of South Korea's digital commerce, the district had since become a new kind of commercial zone.

Yongsan Station.

Past the electronics market—standing for decades—past the maze of small vendors, and further still…

There, rising above the boulevard, stood a colossal building: five basement levels, fifteen floors above ground, and sprawling across thousands of square meters.

The building, named "Cosmo Sales," had become a spectacle that was once unimaginable on Earth. It was a massive retail complex dedicated entirely to merchandise from other dimensions.

Soo-hyeok's recently purchased ATV had also come from the first floor of Cosmo Sales.

'Still flashy on the first floor, as always.'

Stepping inside, Soo-hyeok admired the various cars and motorcycles on display, showcased almost like at a motor show.

As mentioned, Cosmo Sales was a wholesale market for goods imported from other worlds. Though their exteriors might resemble Earth's designs, their materials and technologies were thoroughly infused with alien origins. Especially in the case of machines, many were crafted by dwarves—renowned as the finest artisans across dimensions—which only added to their credibility.

Naturally, so did the price. The kind of price that would make you think of your parents and sigh.

Soo-hyeok's ATV, which wasn't even a full-sized car but a four-wheeled bike, had cost him 800 million won.

A proper vehicle—with a magically expanded trunk, enchantments to withstand explosives and spells—would start at over 3 billion won.

So, for the current Soo-hyeok, the items on display were more eye candy than realistic purchases.

But he didn't think he'd never own one.

Awakened hunters earned exponentially more as their rank increased.

There would surely come a day when money was no longer a concern.

'Until then, I'll keep pushing forward.'

Inspiration fuels progress.

Soo-hyeok took mental notes of the eye-wateringly expensive price tags and made his way up the escalator to the third floor: the general goods section.

True to its name, the general goods floor sold miscellaneous items.

Visually, it resembled Seoul's Dongdaemun Market—a chaotic jumble of exotic merchandise, from the tanned leather of otherworldly creatures to rare specialties and bizarrely shaped stones.

"Take a look, just once!"

"Young man, I'll give you a good deal!"

"Even if you're just browsing, feel free!"

The vendors—certified by the Awakened Association and legally allowed to travel between dimensions—called out to Soo-hyeok, beckoning him to their stalls.

They might have been selling alien goods, but humans were still the ones selling them. And sales tactics were universal.

Among these calls, one peculiar figure caught Soo-hyeok's eye.

As mentioned, Cosmo Sales was run by humans. It was rare to see other species here. The reason, people said, was because Earth's environment was too harsh for most non-human races.

And yet, nestled in the corner of a quiet stall sat a creature with cat-like ears perked up, a tail lazily flicking, and a face resembling that of a humanoid feline. Covered in fur and seated upright like a person, the catwoman was impossible to overlook.

'A member of the Feline Tribe?'

Though not human, her body structure was similar. With her prominent chest, it was clear she was female. Her proud demeanor and the way she glanced around lazily—without even opening her mouth—gave her a sense of aloofness.

Unlike the other merchants, there was no aggressive sales pitch from her.

If anything, she seemed indifferent or bored.

Perhaps her exotic race alone was enough to draw attention, but oddly, neither the other vendors nor the passing shoppers seemed to care much. Maybe it was because of her remote location, but even that felt like a stretch—she was far too eye-catching to be ignored.

Intrigued, Soo-hyeok approached her stall.

She was leaning against a cluttered stand, one arm resting lazily, letting out a soft yawn when her gaze shifted to him.

"Hmm?"

"…Ah, so you're hiding your presence."

Soo-hyeok murmured, mildly impressed.

From a distance, he hadn't noticed. But now, up close, it became clear.

She had been deliberately concealing her presence—calmly, silently. In fact, standing so close made her appear even more indistinct, almost like a blurry silhouette behind an invisible curtain.

If Soo-hyeok hadn't caught a glimpse of her earlier—and if he hadn't been especially attuned—he might've missed her entirely.

It was an impressive stealth skill.

"Interesting. Coincidence? Luck? Destiny?"

Her voice—slightly high-pitched, perhaps because she was female or of the feline race—still carried a languid tone.

Her slender eyes, her expression, and even her way of speaking added to that lethargic impression.

"Just skill," Soo-hyeok replied casually.

After all, the fact he'd sensed her from afar was a result of his own sharp instincts.

"Doesn't matter either way."

With narrowed eyes and a brief smile, the catwoman turned and strolled into her small stall—about six pyeong in size (roughly 200 square feet).

"Come on in. What you're looking for is here."

"Huh?"

"You're looking for potions, right?"

She sifted through a pile of boxes, and Soo-hyeok's eyes widened.

He hadn't said a word about what he was looking for.

"…Ah, found it."

Rummaging through a crate, she pulled out a clear bottle filled with rippling blue liquid. Rising smoothly, she turned and looked straight at him.

[T/L: Read extra chapters on my ko-fi page "Pokemon1920" : https://ko-fi.com/pokemon1920 ]