After Daniel left the shop, the Keeper's warm smile faded as he sensed a vibration disturbing the peace. It wasn't a physical tremor like an earthquake, but a subtle disturbance attempting to grasp at the shop, which acted as a barrier to a greater power.
This disturbance was like a ripple in the air, invisible but palpable. It was akin to the feeling of knowing something was amiss elsewhere. This... was something he loathed, for it meant someone sought to intrude upon this sanctuary.
The Keeper then walks into the shop storage and opens the door at the back most of the storage, revealing the vast golden starry road span endlessly toward the depth of darkness. The Keeper steps on the road and walks a few steps before he's standing there, waiting.
The space before the Keeper suddenly shimmered and distorted, cracking like shattered glass until a large, gaping hole opened, revealing blue skies, a green lawn, and the Han architecture in the background.
At this time a smile returned to The Keeper, it was a smile, but it held a different meaning than the smile he gave to Daniel.
A man in his late forties, with a long beard and mustache, stepped through the opening. He wore a Han royal dragon robe, marking his high status. He looked down at the Keeper as if regarding an insect, then surveyed the golden, starry space around him.
"Hahahaha! Never thought that mortal would lead me to this place! Finally! The power of creation will be mine!" the man laughed maniacally, delighted by this unexpected discovery.
This man was Zhou Yu Huang, also known as the Jade Emperor. He was the most powerful Xian, or cultivator, on the mainland, having lived for thousands of years, and many tales surrounded him. Some called him a Heavenly Emperor, but he was simply a highly gifted human who had walked the path of cultivation to become a god.
Before arriving here, he had sensed a spatial fluctuation within his domain. Korea was under his influence, even though it had its own god. But since the local deity was no match for Zhou Yu Huang, he could enter freely without concern.
To his surprise, this place held the secrets of true creation! It was a place both mages and gods dreamed of reaching. Mages sought its knowledge to enhance their abilities as it held knowledge of the past, present and future, while gods desired its power to gain true creation.
Zhou Yu Huang forced himself to calm down, then turned to the Keeper, who regarded him with indifference and a hint of annoyance while still maintaining the smile.
"You must be the current owner of this place. Kowtow to this Emperor, swear fealty, and lead me to the heart of this place," Zhou Yu Huang demanded, his eyes cold and arrogant.
"Sir, I am merely the Keeper, not the owner of this place," the Keeper replied.
"Then kowtow to me and take me to the owner, Keeper," Zhou Yu Huang insisted.
"Sir.... I'm afraid that's not possible..." The Keeper snapped his fingers, and the gaping hole vanished. Zhou Yu Huang immediately launched an attack.
A palm strike infused with divine power and honed cultivation hurtled towards the Keeper, who seemed uninterested in evading it.
Zhou Yu Huang sneered. This insignificant ant didn't even react to his attack. He would simply eliminate the pest before finding the true owner of this place, seizing their power of creation.
It wasn't a smile, but a mask, the mask a predator wears when facing prey, ensuring it doesn't flee before the trap is sprung.
Zhou Yu Huang saw the shadows beneath the Keeper, countless eyes, and a gaping maw filled with fangs and clawed tentacles, as if peering into the watery depths of an unknown abyss.
"What... what are you?" Zhou Yu Huang uttered, fear and horror etched into his eyes.
"That... is none of your business, sir," the Keeper replied politely before clenching his fist.
In the same instant, the colossal hand in the sky crushed down on Zhou Yu Huang, reducing him to a bloody pulp.
Zhou Yu Huang's blood and flesh dripped onto the starry road, where the Keeper's shadow expanded to consume the divine remnants.
The sounds of tearing and ravenous feasting filled the air before subsiding. Zhou Yu Huang's divine essence and spiritual energy then dispersed into the golden, starry abyss, nourishing the shop.
After dealing with Zhou Yu Huang, the Keeper meticulously examined his chest and clothing, ensuring they were pristine and presentable before returning to the shop.
Back inside, the Keeper walked behind the counter and checked the wall-mounted display, noting the increased point total of 124,471. He nodded in satisfaction. It wasn't every day a foolish individual broke into the shop, and this one had been quite the catch.
"Hmmm..." The Keeper pondered how to explain this windfall to Daniel. "Let's just say it's a commemorative gift from the shop," he decided.
Satisfied with his explanation, the Keeper continued tending to the shop. He brewed a cup of tea, opened a box set, and enjoyed his free time.
— Kim Family Estate - The Second Day of the Search —
In the morning, Daniel woke up to find Koyuki snuggled up to him under the blankets, as she had become increasingly clingy. Didn't she realize his self-control was weakest in the mornings?
Daniel calmed himself and sighed. If they weren't in someone else's home, he might have already succumbed to her charms. He stood up and flicked Koyuki's forehead, causing her to yelp in pain and pout at him.
"Wake up, sleepyhead. You only have three more days here before you return to your training. Don't you want to spend them doing something more productive than lying around?" Daniel asked with a gentle admonishment, then proceeded to get dressed and prepare for breakfast.
Daniel grabbed his tablet to check the news, but a notification from the shop caught his eye. He tapped on it and nearly had a heart attack. His point total, which he thought was depleted, had skyrocketed to over 120,000.
If he hadn't read the notification, he would have assumed someone had blown up the moon last night. But that was clearly not the case, as he saw the words "Commemorative Gift" in the message.
Daniel frowned slightly, his mind swirling with paranoid thoughts. But then he remembered his first encounter with the Keeper, who had occasionally shown surprising generosity. If it was indeed a gift, he would gladly accept it and stop overthinking.