Chapter 116
Chapter 116
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 116
Chapter Title: Mount Hua Souvenirs
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Seated in a resplendent chair, Cheonhwi surveyed the opulent interior of the room.
Exquisite artworks that screamed wealth at first glance.
And the ink paintings and calligraphy hanging prominently lent the space an air of refined antiquity.
Some of them looked familiar.
Especially the ink painting right in the center.
And the artifacts around it.
'Those were from the Heavenly Demon Divine Cult.'
As he eyed the ink painting and crafts reminiscent of tribute items offered in the past.
Kiiiek―
The door opened, and a middle-aged man entered.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
The middle-aged man who had stormed out through the main gate earlier now placed a teapot, cups, and a plate on the table where Cheonhwi sat.
He naturally poured the water.
Chorrr―
As the hot water filled it, a fragrant, sweet aroma wafted from the teapot, stimulating his senses and calming his mind.
Cheonhwi naturally savored the scent.
He wasn't one to fancy tea much, but even the aroma alone told him the leaves inside were top-grade.
"Nice fragrance."
"Haha, glad you like it."
The smiling middle-aged man covered the teapot and sat across from him.
"Pleased to meet you."
The middle-aged man greeted the young man during the brief wait for the tea to steep.
"I am the Fifth Manager of the Cheonha Merchant Guild."
"Cheonhwi."
"So you're Young Master Cheonhwi."
The Fifth Manager smiled at Cheonhwi.
And Cheonhwi's eyes darkened as he regarded the man's smile.
'What the hell is that smile?'
It rubbed him the wrong way.
Not just polite pleasure—something far more complex was mixed in.
"Ah, the tea should be ready now."
The Fifth Manager wiped the smile from his face, lifted the teapot, and poured.
"This is Junshan Silver Needle. One sip settles the mind and body—it's what I drink often myself."
The Fifth Manager carefully placed the full teacup in front of Cheonhwi.
"Hm, is that so?"
Cheonhwi took a casual sip without much expectation—then his eyes widened.
"Huh?"
He had never once thought tea was any good.
Tea ranked below booze for him.
That was his view.
But this tea was different.
'This is actually delicious.'
Not just the aroma—the taste was pristine.
A subtle sweetness teased the tongue before smoothly sliding down his throat.
"This tastes good."
"Haha, glad it suits you."
The Fifth Manager, pleased by Cheonhwi's reaction, slowly tilted his own cup.
They savored their tea for a moment.
Clink―
After finishing, the Fifth Manager called an old servant from outside to clear the plates.
And only then.
Did the real conversation begin.
"May I see the Cheonha Badge?"
"Here."
Still basking in the tea's aftertaste, Cheonhwi pulled the golden badge from his bosom and handed it over.
"Thank you for indulging me."
The Fifth Manager took it carefully and examined it with sharp eyes.
His hands were cautious, his gaze intensely serious.
'Is that thing really that important?'
Cheonhwi tilted his head watching the meticulous inspection.
'The Bipeung Guild Leader just said I could use it at any guild...'
Nothing else noteworthy.
Just show it at any merchant guild, and they'd give some money.
But this reaction made it seem like more than that.
'If it were some ordinary badge, would he check it so thoroughly?'
This was the Fifth Manager of the Cheonha Merchant Guild, which had held the top spot for a century.
"Hm, this pattern here... and..."
The Fifth Manager muttered as he scrutinized every tiny crevice, then nodded firmly.
"Phew. Verified."
Exhaling deeply, he handed the badge back reverently.
"It's genuine."
Cheonhwi took it and asked,
"So now..."
"Let's get to the transaction."
"Pardon...?"
The Fifth Manager faltered at Cheonhwi's abrupt interjection.
"Did you not come to use the Cheonha Badge?"
Use it?
Cheonhwi narrowed his eyes.
'So it isn't ordinary after all.'
The reaction confirmed the Cheonha Badge was no trinket.
And indeed, as Cheonhwi suspected, it wasn't ordinary.
In merchant circles, it was hailed as a one-of-a-kind divine relic for challenging the heir position in the Cheonha Merchant Guild.
'Curious what it is, but...'
Though ignorant of its true nature, Cheonhwi held his questions.
Instead, he recalled his purpose.
"I came to sell some goods."
"...Goods?"
The Fifth Manager's eyes rounded.
Only one kind of person entered the Cheonha Merchant Guild with that badge.
Someone vying for the managerial position by using it.
But not this young man.
No— he didn't even know what the badge was.
The tension drained away.
'Got worked up for nothing.'
He'd worried about a new rival.
The Fifth Manager himself had become one using that very badge in the past.
And not just him.
All seven managers of the Cheonha Merchant Guild had risen that way.
And they fiercely competed for the guild leader's seat.
'As long as he's not a rival.'
Cheonhwi, watching the pensive manager, spoke to speed things up.
"What's wrong?"
The Fifth Manager waved it off.
"Nothing at all."
Nothing my ass.
Cheonhwi knew there was something but played along.
"Fine then. Let's do the deal."
"What sort of deal exactly...?"
The Fifth Manager asked cautiously.
His eyes shifted.
The wariness faded, replaced by keen sharpness.
"Selling some stuff."
"The items you're selling."
He pointed to the massive bundle beside Cheonhwi.
"That, I presume."
"Right."
The Fifth Manager clicked his tongue at the bundle.
'I thought he'd used the badge just to carry that sack.'
In truth, the fine silk had caught his eye more than Cheonhwi upon entry.
It was premium silk worth at least two gold nyang.
Cherished like gold even in great houses.
Yet this youth had stuffed it full, tied it tight, and dumped it on the floor.
'No ordinary fellow.'
As he was about to ask what was inside.
"Here, take a look."
Cheonhwi grabbed the silk first and hoisted it up.
"...!"
The Fifth Manager's face stiffened faintly.
It was easily twice his size.
Lifting it effortlessly meant...
'A m-martial artist!'
Swallowing his shock inwardly.
"This is it all."
Cheonhwi flipped the silk.
"Wha? Wha? Wha...?"
The Fifth Manager's eyes bulged in astonishment.
Shhhrrk! Clink! Clink!
Gold nyang poured out first, followed by jewels.
And that was just the start.
"This is lapis lazuli? Gasp! And this..."
Like a waterfall, each item tumbling out was extraordinary.
Gold nyang, silver nyang, gold nyang bills, silver nyang bills.
Not just coin—rare gems and ornaments spilled endlessly.
"Wh-what in the world..."
The Fifth Manager's jaw dropped.
Moments later, a veritable mountain of jewels, gold, and silver covered the table.
No—even that vast table couldn't hold it all; treasures spilled to the floor, rolling about.
"All done now?"
Cheonhwi shook out the silk and finally looked at the table.
"Huh?"
He'd stuffed it mindlessly, unaware of the volume.
But seeing it now.
"Hm? More than I thought."
Far too much for a mid-tier sect leader.
And rightly so.
Half came from the one who ordered Little Mercy Lord's death.
"Y-you call this 'done'..."
The clueless Fifth Manager blurted in bewilderment.
This treasure hoard was no joke.
The quantity alone, but mostly top-quality.
Sold right, it'd fund a lifetime of leisure.
"Selling it all?"
"Yes."
"...Quite the amount. Can't process today."
Cheonhwi nodded.
Expected that.
Even he could tell it'd take time to handle that pile.
"Got it."
Cash now would be nice, but he didn't need it urgently.
'Food and bed money for now is enough.'
Meanwhile, the Fifth Manager swallowed hard.
Greed sprouted.
'With this much...'
His eyes gleamed with ambition.
Enough to enact his long-planned scheme.
Not just Fifth Manager—Fourth, even higher!
Then.
"Alright. See you tomorrow then."
As Cheonhwi rose to leave.
"Young Master!"
The Fifth Manager grabbed him.
"More left?"
"No, it's..."
Pausing, he stared straight at Cheonhwi and ventured carefully.
"Would you consider entrusting this fortune to me?"
"Pardon?"
Cheonhwi eyed the sudden proposal.
Hand over this wealth to a stranger met today?
As Cheonhwi stared in disbelief, the Fifth Manager pressed urgently.
"Entrust it to me, and I'll double it in a year."
"How?"
"W-wait just a moment!"
With that, the manager bolted out the door.
* * *
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇ Shwaaak!
Soon-returning, the Fifth Manager swept the money and jewels aside, then spread a paper on the table.
'A map?'
As Cheonhwi eyed the terrain-packed map, the Fifth Manager spoke.
"First, I'd buy this land with your fortune."
"Land?"
"Yes. I've had my eye on a spot in Shaanxi for ages."
The manager pointed with his index finger.
Hm? That's...
Cheonhwi's eyes widened slightly.
Coincidentally—or not—the spot was right beneath Mount Hua: a small paddy now farmed by slash-and-burn folk.
'Interesting.'
Unexpected choice sparked interest.
"Why buy there?"
The Fifth Manager, noting the shift, explained gravely.
"One, it's near the mountain path to Mount Hua Sect. Two, kaolin folk make it cheap."
Hm, fair.
Remote mountainside, far from villages—dirt cheap.
But still baffling.
Cheap because no buyers—same logic.
"Buy empty land for what? Farming?"
"No. I plan an inn."
"An inn?"
Cheonhwi chuckled.
In the woods, not a village? Doomed.
"It'll flop."
"Seems so at first glance, but I believe it's the perfect spot."
Unlike Cheonhwi, the Fifth Manager brimmed with confidence.
And the source came via next question.
"Know much of the jianghu?"
Jianghu?
The abrupt term made Cheonhwi tilt his head before replying.
"Somewhat."
"Mount Hua Sect's rise lately outpaces any sect. Led by the peerless Divine Sword of Mount Hua, they recently reopened the gates for disciples."
Praise from an unexpected source made Cheonhwi's lips twitch.
"Ahem. Yeah."
The Fifth Manager eyed the suddenly cheerful youth oddly, then continued.
"Rising fame draws crowds. Recent merchant guilds and sects visiting Mount Hua prove it."
With that, he smoothly unfolded a sheet on the table.
Cheonhwi's eyes flashed.
Oh ho. This guy's legit.
Daily visitor logs to Mount Hua: dates, times, numbers.
"And look here closely."
The Fifth Manager traced the sheet.
"Visitors surge daily lately. But entry's restricted, special cases aside."
True, not just anyone enters.
Visitors up, but Taoist sects like Mount Hua are insular.
Fixed daily quotas in and out.
'Normies can't even get in.'
"Half these visitors turn back without seeing it. But!"
The Fifth Manager slammed the table.
Thud!
"Numbers don't drop—they rise."
Cheonhwi tilted his head.
"Why?"
"I checked: many come just to glimpse Mount Hua's majesty, even if denied entry."
Cheonhwi grinned unconsciously.
"Is that right?"
"Nearby inns are far—takes time. But an inn near Mount Hua? Early birds queuing or sightseers would flock there."
Made sense.
If Mount Hua's the goal, better sightsee and stay than commute.
But.
"Enough to profit? Still doesn't seem lucrative."
Money was the issue.
Inn earnings capped—rooms and tables finite.
Then, as if waiting, the Fifth Manager whispered conspiratorially.
"Truth is, lodging's not the main goal. It's business with the guests."
"Business?"
"Yes. First, partner with Mount Hua Sect: Taoists visit the inn once or twice daily. Guests flock to see them—boom."
Oh, that's solid.
Satisfying.
He knew mortals' gazes toward Mount Hua Taoists: awe, admiration.
They'd swarm.
'But how's that profit?'
The Fifth Manager added,
"And crucially—with Mount Hua's approval, sell special goods. Obvious Mount Hua merch..."
His eyes gleamed.
Driving it home.
The inn's true purpose!
"Tourist souvenirs."