CHAPTER 200: CHAPTER 197- AWFUL FIRST IMPRESSION

"The financial reports for the top Sects and Clans, and spreading that rumor isn’t a big deal. But it’s opening a Loaning Business that’s the issue. Are you planning on actually loaning Aether Stones out? If so, do you have the capital to start the business? Because with the city on lockdown, I won’t be able to obtain any."

Yang-Jae said with furrowed brows.

"I have a few hundred mid-grade Aether Stones."

Cheong-San said.

"Me too."

"I do as well."

"Well, I have a few high-grade ones with me."

Byeong-Ho, Cheong-Su, and Mar-Dule all said.

Dae Han shook his head. He was completely broke.

Sol waved his hands.

"No, no, it’s okay. I have Aether Stones after my piggy-I mean, after the Great Clans and the Holy Sects gifted them to me."

"How much did they give you? It can’t be a small sum."

"I think I have around two hundred million."

"Mid-grade Aether Stones?"

Yoon-Jae was slightly surprised, but Sol suddenly shook his head.

"No, I think about 1/3 of them are mid-grade Aether Stones, while the rest are all high-grade ones."

"W-What?!"

Yoon-Jae couldn’t help but blurt out in shock. Mar-Dule and the others also stared at Sol with dumbfounded expressions.

"Is that a lot?"

Sol asked as he scratched his cheek.

Yoon-Jae came out of his daze and replied.

"That’s a lot, Sol. With that amount of money, you could fund a medium-sized Sect or Clan for a few months up to a year."

"Really?"

Sol’s eyes widened as if this was news to him.

For reference, a mid-sized Sect or Clan refers to the Sects and Clans that are powerful but aren’t as powerful as the Six Holy Sects and the Five Great Clans. They are like the Sects and Clans in Pearl City.

Yoon-Jae looked at Sol with a weird expression.

"How can you have no concept of money, but you’ve gotten so much from those Holy Sects and Great Clans?"

Sol blushed as he said.

"I-I just asked for a random amount. I didn’t know this was considered a lot."

Yoon-Jae immediately wanted to burst out laughing. He could imagine the faces of those people from the Holy Sects and the Great Clans when they came to Sol and requested that he not copy their disciples’ Martial Skills.

Sol must have looked like a thug after asking for a ridiculous amount of Aether Stones, all while he had on a straight face.

The others all chuckled as well upon realizing Sol had unknowingly extorted the Holy Sects and Great Clans.

"So is this amount enough?"

Sol asked, and Yoon-Jae nodded.

"It’s more than enough. Now tell us this plan of yours."

Sol smiled excitedly. It seemed he had gotten out of his depressed mood somewhat.

....

...

..

Two Weeks Later...

The Park Clan was one of, if not the biggest, Clans inside Pearl City. Their forces and influence were great. They had numerous businesses that dominated several profitable markets in Pearl City. This was, of course, with the exception of the Six Holy Sects and the Five Great Clans.

Nonetheless, for Powers like them that originated in Pearl City, they were among the top echelon.

When the news of the Six Holy Sects and the Five Great Clans’ businesses went up in flames, Powers like the Park Family saw it as a window of opportunity to grab as much of the market that was freed up. However, those investments all turned to shit as the Dimension was reported to have been sealed off by an unknown force.

It’s been two weeks, but the Academy hasn’t fixed the issue. If they never fix it, what was the use of staying in Pearl City?

Without the Hundred Plants and Herbs dimension, there was no stream of cultivation resources coming into the city. Soon, cultivators who once fought over land in the city will be moving out. But not just them, independent shop owners will move to other cities to sell their goods.

If the Academy hadn’t sealed off the city, Pearl City might have become a ghost city by now.

In the Park Clan, numerous servants could be seen packing up anything that could be considered worth something.

The precious Aether Stones that tiled the floor, which was so the Aether Energy concentration in the Clan would be at its highest possible point, were being ripped up.

The chairs and tables that were made from rare materials and were worth a couple of mid-grade Aether Stones were gone.

Everything was being packed up by servants in the Clan.

The Park Clan Patriarch, Park Yong, watched the servants as they did their jobs. Even though he was the one who ordered them to, he could not help but feel angry.

Why did he have to leave Pearl City? They’ve been here for an uncountable number of years. Their roots started here.

Every previous Patriarch of the Park Clan sacrificed everything so they could have the reputation and power they have today. But now, all of that was going to be thrown away.

Although it couldn’t be helped, Park Yong felt as if he was personally responsible for ripping the Park Clan from its roots.

At this moment, his Park Clan was in a precarious situation where they might cease to exist.

Park Yong sighed deeply.

"Why did this have to happen in my generation? This pressure is suffocating."

As Park Yong bemoaned his fate, an old man suddenly entered the room.

"Clan Leader, someone is here to meet you."

"Is it that old fart Sang-Hun?"

"No, Clan Leader, it isn’t Clan Leader Yu, it’s a young man called Solovin."

"Solovin? What a strange name. Who is he?"

"Well, Clan Leader, I asked around and I heard he’s the youth who recently entered the Martial Alliance Academy but was able to fight on par with Byeong-Ho of the Huashan Sect."

Park Yong’s eyes lit up when he heard that.

"That genius is here at my Clan?"

"He’s waiting in one of the Guest Pavilions, Clan Leader."

"Take me to him quickly!"

Park Yong said as he hurried out of his room. Not long after, he was led to the pavilion, where this supposed Monster-level genius was waiting inside.

Upon reaching the doorway and sending the old man away, Park Yong was about to push the door open. However, he paused to fix his hair and straighten his clothes.

It was a little over the top, but Sol’s reputation and rumors about him being the Third Grand Elder’s second disciple preceded him. Though just being a disciple of the Academy would have made Park Yong careful of his actions and words anyway.

After fixing himself, Park Yong wore a wide grin as he pushed the door.

"Disciple Solovin! What did my humble Clan do to warrant your vis-"

Park Yong’s words got stuck in his throat as he laid eyes on this genius whom everyone couldn’t shut up about recently.

He didn’t quite meet his expectations.

This boy’s hair was slicked back with so much gel that it was blinding to look directly at his head when the sun reflected on it.

His face was sickly pale white, like he hadn’t seen the sun in years. Or perhaps due to his never leaving his house. Ah, wait, could it be drugs as well?

His clothes, however, were immaculately fitting onto his decently proportioned body. Park Yong wondered how much those clothes cost.

His eyes also swept over this young man’s fingers to shockingly see that they were covered in storage rings. And high-grade ones at that!

Also, that suffocating stench of body fragrance.

’My god, did this brat bathe in it for him to stink like this?’

Park Yong almost felt ashamed of himself for fixing his attire just now. He was placing way too much importance on meeting this Playboy.

That’s right, Sol’s appearance was quite striking, but Park Yong could recognize the type of person he was from a mile away.

Pale skin, like he hadn’t seen the light of day?

He was too busy in his room and brothels, fooling around with women. It could also be a result of consuming too many drugs!

Well dressed and drowning in body fragrance?

He was placing way too much importance on his looks, so much so that it had become an obsession!

As for those storage rings?

It was obvious he was too attached to material goods. And worst of all, he was too eager to show them off!

However, Park Yong had to give it to this youth; he was way too good-looking. But he still wanted to shake his head.

’Shouldn’t a boy his age be thinking about cultivation? He’s around that age where most youths look for a partner, but that could always wait. What a waste, were the rumors just rumors after all?’

This was the first impression Park Yong got of Sol, and it wasn’t good.