Chapter 3
Chapter 3
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 3
Chapter Title: Murong Clan (2)
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"Cough! Cough!"
Murong Sujing, who had been hacking up a storm for a while, pressed a neatly folded handkerchief to her mouth.
"Cough! Hack!"
After catching her breath a few times, she looked down at the handkerchief.
The bloodstains on it looked like red ink splattered across white snow.
She stared at it quietly for a moment, then folded it neatly, wiped the corners of her mouth a few more times, and set it back in its place.
Murong Sujing took a sip of the now-cold medicinal tea before turning her eyes back to the documents.
How much time passed like that?
"Patriarch, it's Chief Steward Seok."
"Come in."
The door to the patriarch's chamber opened, and Seok Ung entered.
"Sorry to interrupt your work. I have a report..."
"Before that, there's a correction to be made."
"Pardon? Ah!"
Seok Ung bowed his head once more.
"My apologies, Acting Patriarch."
Murong Sujing nodded with a stern expression.
"I've told you several times, but I'm only acting on behalf of the main family's patriarch. Please don't forget that."
"I'll keep it in mind."
He said the words, but Murong Sujing knew better. She was well aware of how clever and wise Seok Ung was.
He was deliberately calling her "Patriarch" to signal that she was more than capable of taking on the role for real.
Of course, she had no intention of doing so.
"What is it?"
A faint shadow crossed Seok Ung's face.
"The Great Dragon Iron House has sent word that they're severing ties with the main family."
"I see."
Despite the shocking news, Murong Sujing didn't flinch.
Her pale face, marred by obvious illness, and her slender frame looked like a willow branch swaying in the gentlest breeze. Yet there was an undeniable authority about her that no one dared challenge—a product of her unflinching composure.
"Per the contract's breach clause, the Great Dragon Iron House will send five hundred taels of silver as compensation."
"Did they say when?"
"They didn't specify, but the contract states within forty-five days of breach, so it should arrive by then."
As he spoke, Seok Ung recalled the face of the Great Dragon Iron House's former master.
The man had grinned like a fool, saying there was no way their deal would ever end and suggesting they just put down "about a month or so." Seok Ung hadn't even cracked a smile—he'd insisted on forty-five days right then and there. Vague clauses like that always came back to bite you later.
Luckily—or not—the Great Dragon Iron House would pay the penalty within forty-five days.
"Forty-five days..."
"Is something bothering you?"
"Cutting ties with us out of the blue means they've lined up another deal somewhere. They need a solid backer too, after all."
"Any guesses on who?"
"The Ten Sword Sect or the Hong Sword Clan, most likely."
The Ten Sword Sect and Hong Sword Clan were top martial forces near Hubei and Wuhan's outskirts.
Like the Murong Clan, the Hong Sword Clan was a martial house, while the Ten Sword Sect operated like a sect but was essentially family-run.
"Both already deal with multiple iron houses. Do they really need to squeeze in the Great Dragon Iron House too?"
As he spoke, Seok Ung gazed steadily at Murong Sujing, as if eager to hear her take.
And she didn't disappoint.
"Most dealings in the martial world happen below the surface, don't they? Our ties with them were always fragile, but the timing feels off."
"Indeed."
"They're surely aligning with something worth more than five hundred taels of silver."
Seok Ung gave a small smile.
He held her insight in high regard. She lacked field experience in the jianghu, but her natural intellect and intuition made her more than fit to lead the clan.
"Then we'll need to scout a new iron house."
"Yes, but..."
"No suitable ones available?"
"Not at the moment."
"The main family doesn't have many warriors anyway, so we can hold out for a bit. We'll start looking now."
Even talk that bordered on self-deprecation came out steady in her voice.
Seok Ung felt a pang of regret deep down.
'If only the previous patriarch were still alive.'
Murong Sujing was exceptional talent.
Had the previous patriarch not passed so soon, she might have flourished, unleashing her full potential without restraint.
'No use lamenting the past...'
A touch of bitterness settled on Seok Ung's face.
'I've gotten old, haven't I?'
Back in his youth—when the Murong Clan had risen again in Liaoning Province—he hadn't dwelled on the past. The present and future mattered more.
But with age, or perhaps the circumstances... he kept imagining "what ifs."
"Any other reports?"
"Ah, well..."
Seeing the embarrassment flicker across Seok Ung's face, Murong Sujing knew this was the real reason he'd come.
"The Hubei Young Experts Martial Tournament has been moved up by over three months from the original date."
For the first time, her expression shifted—just a slight furrowing of her brows.
"Why?"
"This summer's floods hit the common folk hard. The orthodox sects poured in manpower and funds for relief, you know?"
"What does that have to do with advancing the tournament?"
"...To boost morale among the people of Hubei."
It was an absurd excuse.
At a glance, it seemed the martial world ruled the land, but the imperial palace and officials held real sway.
Besides, true martial artists made up less than ten percent of the continent's people. All the talk of inner energy and superhumans aside, the real owners of this vast land were the ordinary folk.
Boost morale? It was just a flimsy pretext the organizers had slapped together.
"The hosting sect is the Wudang Sect, right?"
"Yes."
"Something must have happened on their end."
"Can't say for sure."
After a moment's thought, Murong Sujing nodded.
"Understood. So the tournament's in a month, then."
"Yes, in Wuhan."
"Got it."
Seok Ung asked cautiously.
"Might the Patriarch..."
"We'll discuss that later."
"Of course."
"You've worked hard handling outside affairs."
Seok Ung flashed his usual reliable smile.
"No need for such words."
Murong Sujing regarded him for a moment.
Though past his mid-forties and nearing fifty, Seok Ung's eyes were clear and profound. His hair was streaked with white, and deep wrinkles lined his face, but his neat appearance could pass for a scholar from a prestigious house anywhere.
Without Seok Ung, the clan might have shuttered its doors long ago.
She wanted to bow her head in gratitude every day... but it wasn't that simple.
"I'll take my leave, then."
"Yes. Oh, wait."
Murong Sujing asked casually.
"What about Bi?"
"Young Master Bi hasn't returned yet."
"I see."
A flicker of worry crossed her otherwise impassive face.
But only for a moment.
"You've worked hard. Join me for dinner later if you have time."
"Sounds good."
With that, Seok Ung left the patriarch's chamber.
Alone now, as she sorted documents, Murong Sujing let out a sigh.
"This won't be easy."
* * * "So, let me get this straight..."
Murong Cheon's voice was hollow with shock, almost sinister.
"It turns out I'm actually from the House Hoyeon... so they changed my name to Hoyeon Cheon?"
He was so bewildered he could barely speak.
Jang Gu, stealing glances at him, murmured in a shrinking voice.
"Less a name change and more... reclaiming his proper name, right?"
Murong Cheon was too stunned by the ridiculous nonsense to even get angry.
'Who the hell are these House Hoyeon people?!'
Back when he was Martial Alliance Leader, he'd seen every scrap of intel from across the land, but he'd never heard of any House Hoyeon.
'New blood? But a newbie martial house forcing a name change on the former Alliance Leader?'
Something was off—way off.
Staring blankly into space, Murong Cheon snapped his fingers as a thought struck him.
'Am I trapped in some formation? Or a whole other world?'
He'd heard of ancient legendary formations that plunged victims into hyper-real illusions. They were so convincing even peak masters couldn't tell the difference.
Was that it? He frowned.
'...Nah, no way.'
It didn't make sense. To fall into something like that, you'd have to be alive first.
And he'd died clean and clear.
'Plus, I'm no pushover for formations.'
This frail body lacked it, but back then, with the family's secret art, he'd been virtually immune to most formations and sorceries.
Hell, he'd beaten Demon Immortal Neng Heng partly thanks to it. Even without full mastery—too busy for that—it had shattered Neng Heng's demonic arts left and right. No mere formation could touch him.
So... was this really a similar yet different world?
Lost in thought for a moment, Murong Cheon asked coldly.
"This House Hoyeon—did they set up in Liaoning?"
Jang Gu hiccuped in reply.
"Y-yes. They're the current overlords of Liaoning Province, as far as I know."
Grind.
His teeth ground together involuntarily.
"What the hell? So the main family got booted by these House Hoyeon bastards? Huh?"
"I-I'm not sure about that much."
"You bastard, what do you know?!"
A curse nearly slipped out, but he took a deep breath instead.
Even without the secret art, reining in his temper was tough. Nature was nature, it seemed.
...Honestly, anyone would rage if they time-skipped twenty years and found their clan in this state.
Thud!
Murong Cheon kicked over the wooden box and stood, beckoning Jang Gu with a flick of his hand.
"Up."
"Yes, sir!"
Jang Gu shot to his feet. Every movement felt like it might snap his bones, but it paled against the primal terror this scrawny young master inspired.
"You know where the main family is?"
"You mean the Murong house?"
"Making me repeat myself, you punk."
"Gah! Sorry! I know!"
"Good."
In the end, the only way was to go see for himself.
Murong Cheon steadied his mind.
'Yeah, maybe my brother-in-law's still around.'
His one true family in a childhood of abuse as a bastard son. The man had nearly lost his rightful inheritance because of him—pure-hearted to a fault.
'Twenty years... more than enough time to still be alive.'
Anxious as he was, he'd think positive for now.
"Lead the way. Now."
"Right! Uh... what about Jang Sam?"
"How should I know, you lunatic? What, want me to knock you out too?"
"No! Follow me!"
And so the two headed out into the streets toward the Murong Clan.
Passersby recoiled at their ragged appearance, but neither paid any mind.
As he trailed Jang Gu, a sudden curiosity made Murong Cheon gasp out a question between pants.
"By the way... you're Jang Gu, right?"
"Yes."
"Alright, Jang Gu. How much did I borrow from you guys?"
"A hundred taels."
"...?"
"..."
"A hundred taels?"
"Yes."
Murong Cheon dragged Jang Gu into a nearby alley and beat him mercilessly.
The trip to the Murong Clan was delayed somewhat.