Chapter 39
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 39
Chapter Title: How to Deal with a Merchant Guild. Five
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Upon hearing the news from Shuangliu, the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild in Hubei jointly dispatched a messenger eagle.
* * *
While Mujin waited in Shuangliu for the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild’s response, a new current was stirring in Seochang.
“It’s been a while, everyone.”
“Amitabha. Indeed, it has. Has it already been five years?”
“I truly never expected to meet you two here.”
Upon seeing the Poison Emperor, one of the four strongest masters not just in Sichuan but in the entire Central Plains, Great Monk Hyeon-u of the Shaolin Temple and Abbess Jinhwa of the Emei Sect quickly exchanged glances.
‘Are these Buddhists planning to team up against me?’
The Poison Emperor, who had only come to ensure no pests bothered the Yeomhwa Family after receiving Mujin’s letter, felt an unexpected sense of crisis.
Why would elders from Shaolin and Emei visit a small martial family that was only just beginning to see the light of day?
He himself had worn a path to their door, having already marked Mujin as a potential son-in-law, but the Shaolin Temple and the Emei Sect had no connection to the Yeomhwa Family.
The Poison Emperor’s thoughts grew complicated as he watched the two masters arrive almost simultaneously and take a seat in the pavilion across from his guest quarters.
While they were all sizing each other up, it was the Poison Emperor who struck first.
“I have a close relationship with Young Master Hwa, so my presence is understandable. But what brings the two of you here?”
At the words of the Poison Emperor, a master from a previous generation and the most senior figure present, Great Monk Hyeon-u of Shaolin was the first to answer.
“The Yeomhwa Family has deep ties with our Shaolin Temple, does it not?”
“The Yeomhwa Family and Shaolin?”
The Poison Emperor tilted his head, having never heard such a thing in his life.
“It was our esteemed grand-uncle, the Great Monk Hyegwang, who first recognized that Young Master Hwa’s martial talent was a gift from the heavens.”
“...”
The Poison Emperor stared silently at the shameless Great Monk Hyeon-u, who was trying to spin a passing compliment into some profound connection.
“Can that even be considered a bond worthy of...”
“Is it not said that even brushing sleeves is a bond forged over countless eons?”
“...”
There was no winning an argument when a monk used Buddhist law to insist.
The Poison Emperor shifted his gaze to Abbess Jinhwa.
“And you...”
Before the Poison Emperor could finish, Abbess Jinhwa offered a gentle smile.
‘Since when could that old hag make such a smile?’
Abbess Jinhwa was known for her frosty gaze and chilling demeanor, which had earned her the moniker “Cold-Blooded Sword.”
“We surely have a much closer connection to Young Master Hwa than either of you, do we not? Young Master Hwa himself saved the disciples of the Emei Sect when they were in peril. Having received such a great kindness from him, it is only natural that we come to offer our gratitude.”
Her words finally reminded the Poison Emperor of a rumor he had heard recently.
It had been overshadowed by the news that the Hidden Dragon of Sichuan had defeated the Red Moon Sword, but the reason the Hidden Dragon had drawn his sword in the first place was to punish the Red Moon Sword for preying on Emei disciples.
Of course, this rumor was greatly distorted, omitting the part where he had intended to ‘just pass by but was forced to intervene,’ but the rumor was what it was.
‘Hidden Dragon. It seems the unorthodox factions aren't the only ones I'll have to fend off.’
The Poison Emperor took a sip of his tea, his mind on high alert.
One wrong move, and he could lose his prospective in-laws to the two great Buddhist sects.
“So, how do you intend to repay this debt of gratitude?”
“After much thought, I concluded that the only way to repay such a great kindness is to offer something precious from our sect. Thus, I have come to personally bestow the secret arts of the Emei Sect upon the Yeomhwa Family.”
‘Just as I thought.’
The corner of the Poison Emperor's eye twitched.
“What a coincidence. I too was wandering the secular world, unable to find a disciple within my own sect, when I heard of the Yeomhwa Family’s excellent second son and made my way here.”
At the monk's words, which went a step further than the abbess's by declaring his intention to take a disciple, the Poison Emperor’s shoulders trembled slightly.
‘He’s openly trying to claim him as a disciple?! That’s Shaolin for you. The sheer nerve.’
“Is that so? As it happens, the family has a pair of Young Master Hwa’s younger twin siblings, a boy and a girl. This works out perfectly.”
Before Abbess Jinhwa could press the matter further, the Poison Emperor interjected.
“Ho ho. Is it right for outsiders to decide such a momentous matter when the master of the house is away? It seems the two of you, who claim to uphold the laws and righteousness of the Central Plains, have gotten a bit carried away.”
Sensing the sharp barb hidden in the Poison Emperor's polite words, Great Monk Hyeon-u and Abbess Jinhwa turned their heads toward him simultaneously.
The two of them waited for his next words, knowing he was just as much an outsider, yet clearly intending to interfere.
“I have frequented the Yeomhwa Family and am well-versed in their internal affairs. Young Master Hwa’s two younger siblings have already been initiated into the Yeomhwa Family’s secret arts. To offer them the arts of Shaolin and Emei... especially your disciple, Hyeon-u, would mean ending the male line of a family with only two sons. What an impertinent suggestion.”
Unlike Emei, Shaolin did not have a separate institution for lay disciples.
For Great Monk Hyeon-u, the head of Shaolin's Arhat Hall, to take a direct disciple, it would be difficult for that disciple to remain a layman.
“Ho ho. There is no rule that I must register a disciple in the Buddhist registry just because I am taking them under my wing. I am merely passing on my humble achievements to a child with whom I share a bond.”
!!
The Poison Emperor’s eyes widened.
‘This monk is willing to go this far...’
Seeing that Great Monk Hyeon-u had no intention of backing down despite his clear warning, the Poison Emperor hid his face behind his teacup, deep in thought.
He himself had seen that the martial talent of Mujin’s younger siblings was extraordinary.
Though he hadn’t properly checked their meridians and physiques, their temperament at the Young Dragon Ascension Tournament alone was enough to tell him they were no ordinary children.
He could not let such shining talents of Sichuan be given away to Shaolin.
‘Emei is one thing, but Shaolin is out of the question.’
Should those children one day make a name for themselves, it was only right that "Sichuan" should come before it.
“Ho ho. I don’t think insisting like this will solve anything. Shouldn’t we at least wait for the master of the house to return before we discuss this further?”
This time, Great Monk Hyeon-u and Abbess Jinhwa were at a loss for words.
It was true. With the Family Head absent and the only heir, Mujin, away, they couldn’t just decide to take the two children as their disciples.
“Then we must wait.”
“I’m sure you have many duties at Shaolin?”
“Hahaha. I have already passed on the duties of the Arhat Hall to my juniors. I have little to do even if I were to return.”
“...Is that so? I heard that Young Master Hwa’s trip will be quite long. It could take up to half a year...”
“This is my first time in Seochang, and I find the town to be quiet and serene, a good environment for cultivating the Buddhist heart. Would it not be meaningful to hold small sermons and spread the teachings of Buddhism here?”
The Poison Emperor could no longer stop the determined Great Monk Hyeon-u.
“You and I are of a similar mind. I, too, have a secular martial hall in Seochang. I shall wait for Young Master Hwa while teaching there.”
“...It seems I won’t be bored from now on.”
At the Poison Emperor’s words, the two Buddhist masters shot him a look, their sharp eyes gleaming.
“Indeed.”
“It seems we will be seeing each other often.”
A battle of wills between the Poison Emperor, Great Monk Hyeon-u, and Abbess Jinhwa.
As the three figures from the great powers engaged in a war of nerves, Chief Steward Do and Elder Jo were the only ones caught in the crossfire.
Despite being in the same space, the two of them couldn't assert their presence in the slightest, forced to simply read the expressions of the three masters.
‘Young Master, please come back quickly.’
The two men, unable to hold their heads high, shared the same thought.
* * *
“Hmm.”
An old man in a black Daoist robe let out a low groan, his brow furrowed.
“Sect Leader, the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild is a group that supported us since our difficult times.”
At the words of his dear junior brother, the Master of Haemun Hall, the wrinkles on the Kongtong Sect Leader’s face deepened.
“We have no justification to intervene. We risk repeating the tragedy of thirty years ago. We have a responsibility not to forget the lesson taught by the Divine Demon's Annihilation.”
The Divine Demon's Annihilation.
This was the term used by the Nine Great Sects to refer to the incident where their elites were wiped out after fighting the Divine Demon.
The youngest junior brother, the Master of Juhyeon Hall, spoke, his eyes shining with righteous spirit.
“If we draw our swords without justification, how are we any different from the heretics?”
He was right.
A righteous sect could not lend its strength to a fight without just cause simply because it had received help in the past.
“Are you saying Cheongbo-do is not our disciple? That boy has been crippled!”
The Master of Juhyeon Hall replied, undaunted by his senior brother’s words.
“It was a personal duel. Kongtong cannot step in to resolve every private grudge. We sent a first-generation disciple as a witness to that duel. That is as far as our duty extends. With what justification could we intervene further? It was a legitimate duel, was it not? If we use Cheongbo-do as a pretext to stand against the Yeomhwa Family, we would be spitting in the face of our own Kongtong Sect, which stood as a witness!”
Faced with their youngest junior brother’s impassioned speech, the Master of Haemun Hall and the Sect Leader were left speechless.
How could they refute words that were so utterly correct?
“The Yeomhwa Family is also a righteous sect. Hwa Mujin’s grandfather, the Flame Emperor, was a renowned righteous martial artist in Sichuan. We cannot recklessly draw our blades against such a man’s family, can we? Senior Brother! Sect Leader! We must decide carefully. This is a matter that could cause the honor of Kongtong to fall to the ground.”
“That may be true... but can we simply ignore the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild? How can we speak of righteousness if we turn our backs on those who helped us in our time of need?”
At the Sect Leader’s words, the two elders fell silent, lost in thought.
No matter which path they chose, it lacked justification and went against the spirit of righteousness.
“What if we do this instead?”
After a long period of contemplation, the Master of Juhyeon Hall spoke up.
“What is it?”
“Don’t beat around the bush, just say it.”
Urged by his two senior brothers, the Master of Juhyeon Hall replied.
“In any case, sending a master at the request of the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild would be drawing our swords in a fight without cause, which is problematic. Yet, we cannot simply ignore them, can we?”
“Why are you repeating what we already know?”
The Master of Haemun Hall spoke with frustration, but the Master of Juhyeon Hall simply smiled.
“The important thing is that we send someone, but we are not lending them our swords. Isn’t that right?”
The Sect Leader and the Master of Haemun Hall tilted their heads, not understanding.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Speak plainly.”
“I mean we send a master, a true master at that.”
The Master of Haemun Hall nodded but still looked confused as to how that was a solution.
“However, we are not dispatching a master to fight the Yeomhwa Family on behalf of the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild. We are dispatching one to mediate between the two parties.”
“Mediate?”
“Mediate...”
“In the end, this fight isn’t really between the Yeomhwa Family and the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild, is it? If we go back to the beginning, it was sparked by the merchant guild’s aggressive business expansion, and in the process, they misunderstood and attacked the Yeomhwa Family’s warriors. Surely, a peaceful resolution can be found.”
The two men nodded at the words of the Master of Juhyeon Hall.
“That makes sense.”
“But what if they refuse mediation?”
“Hmph! We must send a master that neither side can refuse! Who would dare refuse the mediation of our Kongtong Sect?!”
The Sect Leader continued to pose questions.
“What if the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild refuses?”
“If they ask for our help and then refuse mediation, we cannot be accused of abandoning righteousness if we withdraw our support. We will have done our part.”
“And if the Yeomhwa Family refuses?”
“Since when did the Yeomhwa Family become so powerful? In the end, isn't Young Master Hwa, who obtained some fortuitous encounter, the entirety of the family's strength? If we send a master whom even Young Master Hwa would acknowledge and explain the situation clearly, he will have no choice but to accept. No matter how much of a peak expert the Red Moon Sword is, he does not carry the same weight as an elder of Kongtong, does he?”
The Sect Leader nodded.
“True. Then who should we send to resolve this matter cleanly?”
As the Sect Leader began to ponder, the Master of Juhyeon Hall and the Master of Haemun Hall spoke in unison.
“It must be Senior Brother Jayul.”
“Send Jasa.”
The two of them named different people.
Jayul was the one who governed the Hall of Rites and was responsible for the laws of Kongtong, while Jasa was in charge of the Great Sword Hall, a symbolic master and the sword of Kongtong.
“...Indeed, sending Jayul would ensure an impartial and fair mediation. Very well. We shall send Jayul.”
And so, from Mount Kongtong, the Daoist Master Jayul of the Hall of Rites and his two disciples set off for Shuangliu in Sichuan.
* * *
-Swoosh!
-Thud!
Mujin’s sword hilt, having dodged the iron staff by a hair's breadth, dug into Cheol-muk’s solar plexus.
-Clang!
-Clack!
But Cheol-muk paid it no mind, swinging both his fists.
Sparks flew as his gauntlets and Mujin’s sword collided.
‘It seems a half-hearted blow doesn’t even faze him now.’
After visiting the brothel to meet the Vice-Chief of the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild, Mujin and his companions had spent all their days training in the open space behind the Pungyang Merchant Guild’s annex.
What had started as training to knock some sense into the two men who were losing their minds over the scent of women had turned into a dedicated regimen for all three.
As true martial artists, they devoted most of their day to training.
Cheol-muk, in particular, was developing a level of durability that was nothing short of miraculous.
The Four Demons of Mount Jung, though martial brothers, had each learned different internal arts.
Whatever Cheol-muk had learned, it seemed to make his body harder with each passing day.
‘I can feel it when I hit him, so it must be true.’
Previously, a single blow would have sent him stumbling back, but now he could take a hit to the solar plexus and still counterattack.
-Whoosh! Kang! Kakakang!
-Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
“Kugh!”
If his mind wandered for even a moment, No-sak’s iron staff would fly in to create an opening.
At first, his forms had been clumsy, but now he had become sharp enough to try and create openings where there were none.
‘This one’s gotten quite tough as well.’
He had hit him with considerable force, yet No-sak merely grunted and readjusted his grip on the iron staff. He had now properly ascended to the level of a first-rate warrior.
‘They’ll all reach the next realm soon enough.’
Of course, their rapid improvement was made possible by their experience of being beaten by Mujin all this time.
As a senior who had walked the path they were on, Mujin knew exactly how to raise their skills, and he had guided them straight along that path with his beatings.
Now, the fruits of those beatings were about to bloom.
Contrary to his pleased inner thoughts, Mujin’s words were merciless.
“Cheol-muk! If you keep trying to solve everything with brute force, you’ll lose your head to someone stronger. No-sak, you’re too focused on your opponent’s movements. Were you always such a devious fighter? Weren’t you more of a man before?”
Provoked by Mujin, the two men steadied their breathing and charged again.
He was especially harsh with No-sak, as his skills were currently on a steep rise.
A period of growth like this, where one improved daily, didn't come often, so he wanted to invest as much effort as possible into nurturing him now.
Having been beaten every day by Mujin’s unique footwork, No-sak had become relatively cautious. Mujin continued to provoke him, beating him down with both words and hands.
‘Be it iron or men, they grow stronger the more they are forged.’
As they spent their days training, nearly a fortnight passed. The man from the Cheonghwa Merchant Guild and the Daoist from Kongtong coincidentally arrived in Shuangliu on the same day.