Chapter 5: Hao Clan (1)
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 5: Hao Clan (1)
In the days when the Sword Venerable was still known as the “Wind Sword.”
The Lord of the Tang Clan had traveled to Sichuan to deal with an emerging True Gate of Demons. Seizing the opportunity, the Black Dragon and his army launched a surprise attack on the Tang Clan’s stronghold.
The Black Dragon was a martial artist who had surpassed the peak realm, and his army consisted of hundreds of first-rate martial artists. Their plan was to devour the defenseless Tang Clan and conquer all of Sichuan before their Lord could return. By all accounts, they had more than enough time to succeed.
Had fortune not intervened, the Tang Clan might have been wiped out that very day.
But fate had a different plan. The Black Dragon had failed to account for one variable: the presence of the Wind Sword.
What followed was a scene few would believe without witnessing it themselves.
The Wind Sword faced the Black Dragon Army alone. Before the day was done, he had slain the Black Dragon and every last one of his hundreds of followers.
To distant onlookers, his swordplay was as beautiful and graceful as a crescent moon, yet it left only death and carnage in its wake.
When the long battle finally ended, only the Wind Sword remained standing amidst the vanquished.
In gratitude, the Tang Clan commissioned a sword for him, crafted by the greatest blacksmiths in the world. A sword named Moonlight, which Wi Hyogun would carry even after he became the Sword Venerable.
And yet…
“It’s just a broom.”
Instead of that legendary blade, the Sword Venerable now wielded a broom.
…Is this really alright?
* * *
The afternoon sun was warm and soothing.
I sat on the floor, basking in its light. To any observer, I might have seemed deep in meditation.
In truth, I was watching the back of a man diligently sweeping the grounds.
He was an old man with gray hair and a hunched back, moving slowly but with vigorous purpose. It was hard to believe, but this elderly servant was the Sword Venerable himself.
“…I still can’t believe I’m seeing the Sword Venerable cleaning my courtyard with a broom…”
Was this really okay?
Two days had passed since the Sword Venerable and his granddaughter, Wi Seol-Ah, had entered my household as servants. I felt like I’d lost half my mind in that time.
I had asked the Steward—the man who managed both the clan's administrative and military affairs—why this had happened.
It was the Lord’s command, was all he said. Honestly, I’d half-expected that answer.
It wasn’t as if I could barge into my father’s quarters and complain. Or, wait—maybe causing a scene would have been the better option?
I was torn by conflicting thoughts, but time flowed onward, indifferent to my worries. Part of me thought throwing a tantrum to have them expelled would be better for my future, but I didn’t have nearly enough spare lives to dare make trouble for the Sword Venerable. So, I reluctantly let the matter rest.
My attention shifted from the Sword Venerable to another problem.
“Seol-Ah, it’s dangerous to carry all that by yourself! Let me help you!”
“No! Seol-Ah can do it alone!”
“Uh, hey! Seol-Ah! Look in front of you…!”
“Huh? Kyaa!”
“…”
I averted my eyes from the scene.
While Wi Seol-Ah was doted on by the other servants like a beloved younger sister, the truth was…
She was catastrophically bad at chores.
How could someone with such prodigious martial potential be so utterly clumsy with physical work? She had just tripped and spilled an entire basket of laundry. The other servants rushed to comfort the now-tearful girl, but their kindness couldn’t un-soil the clothes now strewn across the dirt.
The only silver lining was that this happened before the laundry had been washed.
As I sighed and began to stand up, Wi Seol-Ah noticed me and came running over.
“Shouldn’t you get back to work?” I asked.
“Grandpa told me to always follow the Young Master!”
“…Who told you that?”
“My grandpa!”
“…I see.”
Why would he tell her that…?
I suspected it was their way of assigning me a personal attendant. But in my eyes, it was just an excuse.
The real reason the other servants were so nice to Wi Seol-Ah was because she happily took on the chores they hated most. It was also true that her presence had lightened the heavy atmosphere among the servants.
Still, as a scion of a wealthy family, was it really acceptable to choose my personal servant so carelessly? The Steward must have had a hand in this.
Does my father, or even the Steward, know the true identity of ‘Wi Moon’—that he is the Sword Venerable? Or did they just pick servants at random because so many were quitting…?
The Steward was surely aware of everything that happened within the clan, so there had to be a reason. But it was probably the latter.
Wi Seol-Ah tried to straighten my robes, but I stopped her, insisting I could do it myself. Her clumsiness was a liability. Her eyes welled up with disappointed tears at the rejection, but I truly couldn’t rely on her yet.
No, is it even right to order her to do such things?
I might have had free time, but I still needed to hurry. My reason for leaving the house was pressing.
I managed to send Wi Seol-Ah back to the other servants by reminding her of her unfinished tasks. She looked crestfallen at not being allowed to accompany me outside.
I was at a loss with her. I couldn’t treat her like a normal servant, but showing her undue favoritism was also difficult.
As I was about to leave, my eyes met the Sword Venerable’s. He respectfully bowed his head to me. An intensely uncomfortable feeling washed over me, and I quickened my pace to exit the compound.
Outside, my escort, Muyeon, was waiting for me.
“The Steward informed me you wished to go into the city.”
“It won’t take long. I expect to return before sunset.”
“Understood, Young Master.”
He asked no further questions. It was clear he was a well-trained professional.
It’s just a pity he’s stuck being my escort.
After walking awhile, I reached the spot where I had first met Wi Seol-Ah. I felt it again—how pathetically weak my stamina was, to be winded after such a short walk. I wanted to rest, but I had to return before sunset.
I moved through the crowded main streets and into a network of narrow alleys. Muyeon warned me that the area was dangerous, but I pressed on.
“Found it.”
After some searching, I finally located the building I was looking for. It was old and dilapidated, but it was unmistakably the right place.
“I was worried this building wouldn’t exist at this point in time, but it seems my worry was for nothing.”
“Young Master… For what reason did you come here?”
“Why? Does this place look strange to you?”
“Frankly, yes… The atmosphere here is unpleasant, to say the least.”
“Your senses are sharp. That’s exactly right.”
-Creak.
When I pushed open the old door, the people inside turned to stare.
“Huh, a kid? Did someone mess with him without us knowing?”
“Don’t say disgusting things. He probably just got lost.”
“Then what about the guy with the sword behind him?”
In the dim interior, Muyeon’s hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword, reacting to the palpable aggression in the air. The inhabitants seemed unconcerned.
One of them addressed me directly. “Hey kid, what brings you to a dangerous neighborhood like this?”
It had been a while since I’d been spoken to with such disrespect, but honestly, it felt more familiar than the deference I received at home.
I replied with a slight smile. “Why, you ask? I’m here as a customer, of course.”
“Listen to this little brat. Maybe he’ll learn some respect if I cut out his tongue?” the man giggled.
Muyeon moved to draw his sword, but I stopped him.
“Young Master, he dares to—!”
“Hold on.”
After restraining Muyeon, I spoke again to the man with the ominous smile. “You knew who I was the moment I entered this area. Let’s drop the act. I’m short on time, and I came here fully informed, so let’s cut to the chase.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” he tried to bluff, but the act was already broken.
“You’re worried the Gu Clan has discovered this place and plans to destroy it. But we have no reason to, and we’d gain nothing from it.” I saw a trickle of cold sweat run down his temple. “Like I said, I don’t have much time. I came as a customer, so hurry up and call the branch manager. Unless you want me to actually consider destroying this place.”
The man’s pupils dilated at my bluff. It was a necessary risk; I had no real power to back the threat, but it was the only way to deal with people like this.
Muyeon whispered, confused. “…Young Master, what is going on…?”
“It’s nothing. I originally intended to go to the Beggar’s Sect, but there was a problem with that plan.”
Muyeon seems to know something. Does he recognize the place I mentioned? His perception was better than I’d thought.
I would have preferred to come alone, but in my current physical state, that was impossible. “Sorry for bringing you here, but it couldn’t be helped.”
The Beggar’s Sect was an organization that earned its place in the Ten Sect Alliance purely through its vast network of knowledge. It would have been simpler to go there.
But they avoided any action that could cause them trouble—unless I offered a fortune. The business I had in mind, however, would indeed cause problems for the Beggar’s Sect, forcing me to seek an alternative.
If the Beggar’s Sect was the premier source of information for the Orthodox Faction, then this was its equivalent for the Unorthodox Faction.
The Hao Clan.
I had come to the Hao Clan.
* * *
It didn’t take long for us to receive proper treatment after that.
The man led us to a cellar hidden behind the main building. Muyeon insisted, ‘I can’t let the Young Master go to such a dangerous place alone!’, but I ignored his protests. I didn’t have time to persuade him.
In the cellar, a young man with sharp, snake-like features was waiting for us.
“I am the branch manager, Dowoon-Chu.”
He was remarkably handsome, though in the Hao Clan, that was likely a disguise. “We did not expect someone of your status to visit us as a customer… You have our apologies for the earlier… discourtesy.”
“No apology is necessary. Will you accept my request?”
“Before we proceed, may I ask why a scion of the Gu Clan would choose us over other… establishments?”
“You keep asking strange questions. I told you, I came to ask a favor.”
“We are asking why you chose us instead of the Beggar’s Sect.”
Why had I come to the Unorthodox Faction instead of the Orthodox Beggar’s Sect?
“This is a request that only the Hao Clan can fulfill. Why do you keep asking when you already know the answer?” I replied, allowing a note of annoyance to enter my voice.
The snake-eyed man smiled. “My apologies if I’ve upset you. I had to be certain, given the… rumors circulating about you.”
His skepticism was understandable. I was barely fifteen years old, and I came from the Gu Clan.
“The only reason I, the branch manager, have come to meet you personally is out of respect for your family name.”
“Yes, I’m aware my name carries weight. I am asking, for the third time, if you will accept my request.”
“The Hao Clan never refuses a request, provided the price is appropriate,” Dowoon-Chu said, finally signaling he was ready to listen.
At last, I could state my business. “I am looking for a person. A boy, just over ten years of age.” I handed him a slip of paper with a description of the boy’s appearance and his last known location.
Dowoon-Chu looked puzzled. “Young Master, I must confess I don’t understand. If you are merely searching for a person, there was no need to come to the Hao Clan.”
“The area is quite remote, and I know little about it. Besides, the Beggar’s Sect is expensive.”
The Beggar’s Sect was renowned for its credibility, and its prices matched its reputation. The same request would have cost me double or more there.
However, one problem remained.
“Young Master, our services are not inexpensive, either.”
That didn’t mean the Hao Clan was cheap.
“I am aware. I came here confident I can pay.”
Dowoon-Chu studied the paper. “Finding the person may be straightforward given the unique description, but the distance from Shanxi and the vastness of the search area make this a difficult request.”
“So you’re telling me it will be expensive, correct?”
He named his price. Behind me, I heard Muyeon choke back a gasp. The amount was staggering. How much allowance would I have to save to afford it? The thought was frightening.
But it didn’t matter.
“The price will decrease if we fail to locate him, but currently, the fee is—”
“I’m sorry, but we will not be paying in cash.”
“…Excuse me?”
It was dangerous enough for a member of the Orthodox Faction to come to the Hao Clan and make a request. Associating with the Unorthodox Faction while bearing the Gu name was a serious matter.
Yet, I had come here confident they would keep my visit secret and accept my proposal.
“I possess a very valuable piece of information. I propose to pay with that.”
“…Young Master, have you forgotten where you are?”
Of course I hadn’t forgotten. This place rivaled the Beggar’s Sect in its hoard of secrets.
“I dare say with confidence that the breadth of our knowledge exceeds even that of the Beggar’s Sect,” Dowoon-Chu said. Unlike the Beggar’s Sect, which operated under restrictions, the Hao Clan had no such scruples, and his confidence stemmed from that key distinction. “Furthermore, any information you hold is likely already known to us. If you lack the means to pay, let us simply pretend this meeting never happ—”
“The Lord of the Hao Clan.”
My words cut him off.
His previously inscrutable expression shifted to one of sheer fear.
“The whereabouts of the Lord of the Hao Clan, who has disappeared. Aren’t you curious?”
The moment the sentence left my lips, multiple swords were pointed at me from the shadows.
* * *