Chapter 124

Chapter 124

There is no such thing as coincidence in this world.

Lee Ryang, the Second Incense Master of Haomun and a disciple of the Haomun Master who handled vast amounts of information, sincerely believed this. Everything in the world was composed of inevitability.

Even things that appeared to be coincidences at first glance, when examined closely, were often intricately intertwined and inevitably led to their outcomes. For one who dealt with information, nothing was more important than understanding “why things came to be.”

This was the truth Lee Ryang had believed in until now, and it was the truth he would continue to believe in going forward.

From that perspective.

Lee Ryang could surmise that the fact that requests had completely dried up at this very moment—when Uicheonmun Master Baek Riyun had begun cooperating with Haomun in earnest—was by no means a coincidence.

“Is this all the requests that came in for our faction?”

“……Yes, that’s correct.”

One month after Baek Riyun’s return, in the office of Haun Merchant Company.

Lee Ryang sighed as he watched Ga Yeom bow with an apologetic expression. The few documents laid out before him.

After examining each one closely, Lee Ryang sighed again and pressed his brow.

“Only five… there are only this many proper requests……?”

“I apologize.”

“No. This isn’t something for you to apologize for, Ga Yeom. This isn’t something you could have controlled.”

“Still, this is a situation we anticipated. Don’t dwell on it any further.”

“Yes.”

Lee Ryang closed his eyes as he watched Ga Yeom press her lips together and stand silently behind him. It was quite a troublesome situation.

Haomun was enormous.

Among the Seven Gates and Two Families of the unorthodox faction that corresponded to the orthodox faction’s Nine Sects and One Gang, Haomun had a somewhat unique character. Specifically, they dealt with and manipulated information.

If one looked purely at the amount of information gathered, Haomun—which included most of the lower classes—was far more extensive than the Beggar’s Gang, which consisted of beggars. Wasn’t Haomun the kind of place that could, if they wanted, dig up everything down to the color of the undergarments the Murim Alliance Leader would wear tomorrow?

Naturally, where information gathered, interests converged. Moreover, Haomun had virtually no entry requirements.

That’s why, for generations, the Haomun Masters had multiple disciples compete rather than simply naming one disciple as their successor. They did this to see how many allies each could secure externally and how much they could dominate the situation.

Yes. Just like now.

“Senior Brother has already made his move.”

Lee Ryang’s senior brother, First Incense Master of Haomun and the Grand Prince Zhang San, was both deeply ambitious and meticulous.

Even though he held a relatively superior position, one could glimpse Zhang San’s thoroughness in how he never lowered his guard against Lee Ryang or his other junior brothers.

Particularly since Lee Ryang, who had gained the trust of most of the lower-ranking Haomun members, had taken a completely opposite path from the Grand Prince who had chosen to secure the high-ranking Haomun members.

There was no reason not to be wary. This incident was likely part of that.

“I didn’t think we could avoid detection, but the opponent’s movements are faster than I expected.”

“It’s not strange. Ga Yeom. The Sect Master has already been exposed far too much. In Akyang and at Sangsan as well.”

The Hundred Demons Night Parade in Akyang, the Academy Exchange Tournament at Sangsan.

It was Uicheonmun and Baek Riyun who had instantly drawn the world’s attention. The Grand Prince must have investigated what kind of person Baek Riyun was and reached the conclusion that he was someone with potential, with more yet unrevealed than what had been shown.

However, it was presumed that Baek Riyun had already established a cooperative relationship with Lee Ryang himself.

“He’s not the type to just sit and watch, is he?”

If the Grand Prince wanted to restrain Lee Ryang at this point, he could only take two actions: steal it away, or destroy it.

‘It seems Senior Brother has chosen the latter.’

Lee Ryang, who had slowly opened his closed eyes, picked up the documents again. And watching this, Ga Yeom asked again.

“What should we do? If we wait for the requests to be renewed…….”

“Even if they’re renewed, only similar requests will flood in anyway. If Senior Brother is determined to block requests, we don’t have any immediate means to counter it.”

“Then…….”

“We have no choice but to pay a bit more attention, don’t we?”

Escort request for smuggling transport. Rejected.

Combat support between the Evil Path sect Golsumun and Gangga Manor, also rejected.

Frontline support request against the Demonic Cult. Likewise rejected.

“Hmm.”

Lee Ryang, who had rejected three in a row, picked up one document and narrowed his eyes.

“A martial training request from Gojin Merchant Company? This one seems quite plausible. It’s a request that specifically named us.”

“The head of Gojin Merchant Company, who is friendly with us, personally designated us. The request content is perfect for the Sect Master, and shouldn’t it be trustworthy?”

“Of course, that would be true in normal times.”

Riiip!

Lee Ryang, wearing a bitter smile, tore the paper horizontally.

“Not now. It’s probably a trap.”

“A trap, you say…….”

“The head of Gojin Merchant Company cherishes his son, the heir, extremely. Yet for the past few months, I haven’t heard anything about Gojin Merchant Company’s heir. Whether he sank into the ground or rose into the sky.”

“Isn’t it suspicious? That in this situation, they’re sending us a request that’s perfect for us.”

One couldn’t be certain that it was necessarily so. However, strategy always had to consider the worst-case scenario.

“Don’t easily trust those who have something to prioritize over their promises. It’s an important principle.”

Lee Ryang, who had set the torn paper’s edge to a nearby candle to burn it, grasped the last document.

“Let’s see. I’ve heard of Hyeolung Manor, and Gaecheon Gyoryongpa…… where is this?”

“It’s a small local unorthodox faction located in Anhwa County. Though it’s more like a small sect that hasn’t officially established its school, rather than being called a proper sect.”

“It’s a request to prevent Hyeolung Manor from dominating the region. Details?”

“Yes.”

At Lee Ryang’s question, Ga Yeom took a short breath and continued.

“As a local unorthodox faction, they seem to have quite deep ties with the residents. If Hyeolung Manor enters Anhwa County, protection fees will increase, and there will be no place for Gyoryongpa to stand, so they’re asking for help.”

“Hmm…….”

Ga Yeom cautiously spoke as she watched Lee Ryang, who had fallen into deep thought after hearing her explanation. It was a difficult request no matter how she thought about it.

“Even though Hyeolung Manor is a small unorthodox faction of fewer than a hundred people, isn’t it a bit… much for Uicheonmun with only four total members to handle?”

It was dangerous work with little compensation. To give Uicheonmun the impression of being competent, this was a choice to avoid. However.

“It won’t be as dangerous as you think. Anhwa County isn’t prime land, so Hyeolung Manor won’t commit their full strength.”

“Then……?”

“However, I’m a bit concerned about these conditions. The compensation is too low.”

Who was the type of person Baek Riyun valued highly?

Someone who chewed and swallowed prey that entered their mouth well, or someone who caught prey themselves?

“Hmm.”

Having finished organizing his thoughts, Lee Ryang presented his answer.

“Let’s make some adjustments.”

“What kind of adjustments do you mean?”

“Instead of paying the request fee immediately, we’ll receive a portion of the protection fees that Gyoryongpa collects quarterly. They must be desperate too, right?”

“Then…….”

“Yes.”

Uicheonmun was a small sect. Its foundation was solid, but that was about it.

Until now, that had been acceptable. Because the martial world valued masters highly. Because there were plenty of people who evaluated them highly even with few members.

However, they couldn’t remain a small sect forever.

“I intend to propose to the Sect Master that we accept Gyoryongpa as a branch sect.”

Naturally, even the elite few had ways to survive.

“Uicheonmun isn’t desperate for money right now, is it?”

If it was Baek Riyun, who wasn’t obsessed with money, he would surely understand his true intentions.

Lee Ryang, who smiled slightly, stood up holding the documents and moved his steps.

Beyond the main gate, toward where Uicheonmun was located.

Uicheonmun office.

“We have no money.”

“I said we have no money. Are you listening?”

“Haa.”

I lowered my head as I watched Baek Risan come before me and pound on the desk. I had nothing to say even with ten mouths.

What is most important to a martial artist?

If they were from the Orthodox Path, they might say righteousness and chivalry, but usually it’s martial arts. One’s own martial arts, or their disciple’s martial arts—those things are most important to a martial artist.

I was both a martial artist and a sect master, so Uicheonmun’s martial arts were most important. My own martial arts were heading toward a completed form to some degree, but Uicheonmun’s martial arts weren’t, so I thought we shouldn’t skimp on money when organizing them.

Yes.

That was exactly the problem.

“The Four Books and Five Classics, the Three Powers Comprehensive Theory, the Eight Trigrams Analysis, Elementary Studies, the Lotus Sutra, the Seven Bamboo Tablets of the Cloudy Satchel…… you’ve covered all of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism.”

“Are you planning to make them pass the state examination or something? Why did you suddenly buy so many books? And not even martial arts manuals but foundational texts.”

“……I needed them.”

“Of course you needed them. But you should have shown some restraint! Does it make sense to spend all the money on buying books except for a week’s worth of food expenses?”

I quietly turned my gaze away from Baek Risan’s nagging eyes. There was nothing to say in this situation.

To not simply learn martial arts but develop martial arts on one’s own, one must pay great attention to things beyond martial studies.

I didn’t know what others might think, but at least that’s what I believed. The more one knew about the world, the deeper one’s martial arts became.

For example, Zhang Sanfeng True Man, the founder of Wudang, was so profound in his cultivation that even the Emperor personally requested to receive his teachings, and in the case of Bodhidharma, the founder of Shaolin, his insight was indescribably outstanding.

Like this, the more one knew, the deeper the martial arts they created became, and the probability of entering new realms increased.

That’s why I hoped that my disciples, who would create martial arts in the future, would possess outstanding insight.

[The Library is activated!]

……This time, that was just a bit.

Just a tiny bit excessive.

“Some money will come in soon. Won’t that be fine?”

“When is it coming in?”

“It’ll come in within a week, right?”

“Haa.”

Jingle!

Baek Risan, who sighed at my appearance of constantly avoiding eye contact, shook his head and placed a pouch on the table. The metallic sound from inside the pouch.

“This is……?”

“Travel money. I had some that I received from home. I’ll lend it to you.”

“Is, is that alright?”

“If not, do you have another way?”

“……If I go out and earn it myself.”

“Forget it? When will you go out and when will you earn it? I’ll lend it to you, so pay me back properly later. Even though I say I’m lending it, it’s not much, so use it sparingly.”

“……Thank you.”

At Baek Risan’s words, I pressed my lips together and grasped the pouch in my hand. Was it just my imagination that the pouch felt warm?

Could blood ties truly be this deep?

“More than that, is there any progress?”

“Mm?”

“Progress, I mean. You spent that much money, so there should be some results.”

“Ah, you meant that.”

At Baek Risan’s question, I straightened my hunched shoulders and smiled broadly. Then Baek Risan made a tired expression.

“Seeing that expression, it looks like there was some gain…….”

“Rather than needing to explain, wouldn’t it be better to directly observe their training?”

“Observe directly, me? Can you show it so freely to an outsider?”

“It’s hard to call you an outsider. You’re both my younger brother and in a position of receiving teachings from me.”

“Well, I suppose that’s true……? But……?”

Baek Risan, who had been stammering and avoiding eye contact for a moment, shook his head vigorously.

“Alright. If it’s okay…… I’m curious, so I’ll observe directly. They’re training now, right?”

“Yes. I was just about to head that way anyway, so let’s go together.”

It should be time for them to be training at the Grand Training Hall now.

As soon as I finished speaking, I stood up from my seat and moved toward the training hall. Shortly after, Baek Risan followed behind me, opening his mouth.

“Who has the highest growth rate? Is it still Seonwoo Gang?”

“Gang has improved quite a bit, but not yet. Abandoning unorthodox martial arts and learning new martial arts from scratch isn’t easy.”

“Then Seohwa? She definitely has the Extreme Yin Body and talent, so she’d improve quickly…….”

“It’s not Seohwa either.”

“Not Seohwa either?”

“We’ve arrived.”

At my words, Baek Risan, who had been blinking, briefly turned his gaze away and closed his mouth. And then the question that immediately followed.

“……What the hell is that?”

I smiled slightly at Baek Risan’s widened eyes, as if he had witnessed an unbelievable sight.

“Krrgh……!”

At the center of the training hall.

Wangpal was pushing back Seonwoo Gang.