Chapter 4
Chapter 4
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 4
Chapter Title: Black Dragon Hall
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#004 Black Dragon Hall
“Haha, I’m a bit busy today…”
“None of your excuses. Follow me.”
The old man—or, to be precise, the Great Pure Adept, the Grand Elder of the Diancang Sect and master of the current Black Dragon Hall Master—cut me off and started walking ahead.
“Ah! I’m really busy, I tell you.”
*Thwack!*
“Ouch!”
“Do you know what day yesterday was?”
“How am I supposed to…?”
Wait, yesterday?
A sudden question popped into my head, and as I counted the days, I couldn’t help but be startled.
“It was the anniversary of your senior brother’s passing. And yet, you didn’t even show your face.”
A wave of guilt washed over me.
‘Why did they have to count the days using the lunar calendar?’
If it were the solar calendar, I wouldn’t have forgotten.
Especially in a world without smartphones.
“I’m sorry.”
“As long as you know, you rascal. At least pay your respects to his memorial tablet before you go.”
“Yes.”
As I followed the old man, old memories began to surface.
‘Will you follow me?’
‘What happens if I go?’
‘That depends on what you make of it. You could become a hero of the martial world, or you could rot away as a mere Outer Hall warrior.’
‘Do you provide good meals?’
‘You’ll get three square meals a day, so don’t you worry.’
‘Then I’ll follow you.’
The one who had brought me, a boy wandering the streets on the brink of starvation, to the Nine Dragons Fortress was this old man’s senior brother.
Thanks to him, I was almost forced to become a Taoist adept the moment I arrived.
‘If I become a Taoist adept, I can’t get married!’
It was a good thing I had some knowledge about Taoists from reading martial arts novels in my past life. If not, I would have unknowingly gone down the path of a celibate adept.
‘The mere thought is horrifying.’
To live as a bachelor in this life, on top of my last one.
If I hadn't risked my life to resist back then, I would have, with a hundred percent certainty, thrown myself into the Yangtze River by now.
“Greetings to the Grand Elder.”
“Greetings to the Grand Elder.”
“Greetings to the Grand Elder.”
As we entered the Black Dragon Hall, its members bowed to the Great Pure Adept.
It was only natural.
The Black Dragon Hall was the successor to the Diancang Sect, and the Great Pure Adept was the master of the current Hall Master.
For reference, the identities of the nine halls of the Nine Dragons Fortress are as follows:
Green Dragon Hall (Sichuan Tang Clan)
Blue Dragon Hall (Qingcheng Sect)
White Dragon Hall (Baek Family Manor)
Gold Dragon Hall (Myriad Gold Bank)
Silver Dragon Hall (Silver Fortress Escort Agency)
Gray Dragon Hall (Heavenly Sword Gate)
Red Dragon Hall (Red King's Gate)
Black Dragon Hall (Diancang Sect)
And the Outer Hall, spread across the country.
This list is ordered by the influence each hall holds within the Nine Dragons Fortress, and the surprising part is that the Black Dragon Hall is second to last.
Considering the lowest rank is the Outer Hall, the universally recognized grunts of the martial world, it’s practically in last place.
Although their presence in martial arts novels is almost nonexistent, they are still a great sect belonging to the Nine Great Sects. This seemed too harsh.
There was a reason for it.
Unlike the Blue Dragon Hall (Qingcheng Sect), which had quickly transitioned to a secular system, the Black Dragon Hall still maintained its Taoist system.
As a result, they couldn't engage in active economic activities, and their ability to mobilize cash was abysmal.
‘Their only source of income is donations from their disciples. That’s just not going to work.’
This is why one should study business administration.
If the Black Dragon Hall had such a person, their situation might have been a little better.
Of course, in my past life, I enrolled in computer science because I heard it was good for getting a job.
As we were walking toward the building where the memorial tablets were enshrined…
“Big brother!”
*Clatter, clatter.*
A group of disheveled-looking children came running toward me.
Seeing them drenched in sweat, it seemed they had run over in the middle of their training.
“You’ll get hurt, you rascals!”
Since I knew most of them, I greeted the children warmly.
‘Cute little rascals.’
I took out some coins from my pouch and distributed them, and the children beamed with wide smiles.
“Thank you!”
“Yes, yes, you must repay this kindness when you grow up.”
As I patted the children’s heads and offered them words of blessing, I spotted the Great Pure Adept smiling at me from a distance.
And then, I realized something.
‘I’ve been had!’
That’s right. That old geezer had timed my arrival to unleash the zergling squad… no, the young disciples, just to get me to give them some pocket money.
I didn’t mind the money, but the thought of falling into a trap stung.
The Great Pure Adept spoke nonchalantly as if nothing had happened.
“These are the children who would have been your juniors had you entered the Diancang Sect.”
“Then why don’t you take care of them yourself, old man?”
“Where would a Taoist get money?”
“That’s why I’m telling you to engage in some economic activity! Are you just going to let those brilliant martial arts of yours go to waste?”
“Heh heh, the closer one gets to the secular world, the farther one moves from the Way.”
“That’s a story for when the granary is full. What good is the Way when you’re about to starve to death tomorrow?”
“Which is why I brought you here, isn’t it? Thanks to you, the young disciples get to taste some candy. Hehehe.”
“Hah! What is to become of the Black Dragon Hall…?”
After a brief exchange of jokes, we soon arrived at the ancestral hall.
I stood before a memorial tablet in the corner of the front row.
Hyeon Geom-ja, Yeo Song-bin.
The name of the man who had brought me, a boy with no connections, all the way to the Nine Dragons Fortress.
‘Grandfather…’
As he was the very first bond I formed in this world, I had always thought of him as my own grandfather.
‘Why won’t you become a Taoist adept! It’s such a good profession.’
‘Are you choosing my life like it’s a job class in a game? I will never become a Taoist, so do as you please, kill me or spare me!’
‘You, you insolent whelp!’
Though not all memories were pleasant.
Once.
Twice.
As I bowed twice, thinking of Yeo Song-bin, the Great Pure Adept approached, holding something.
“Ahem, ahem! Ahem-hem! A-ha-hem!”
“Oh, come on.”
It was a donation box.
***
My skipping out on work, which started in the morning, continued until night.
Besides, since it was the Great Pure Adept who brought me, there wouldn’t be any gossip.
‘I paid two silver taels, so I have to get my money’s worth.’
Since I had spent the money, I intended to at least get a free dinner and rest.
As I was lying in a guest room in a corner of the Black Dragon Hall, killing time…
“Hey.”
A familiar face entered.
It was the First Senior Brother of the Black Dragon Hall, Wi Ji-pung.
For reference, Wi Ji-pung is one of the young aces of the Nine Dragons Fortress, having reached the peak realm in his twenties.
“Well, well! Look who it is. If it isn’t the renowned Black Dragon Sword of the Nine Dragons Fortress, Lord Wi Ji-pung himself?!”
“Ahem, the traitor to our sect seems to know me well.”
“What a harsh thing to say! Someone might think you’re serious.”
“Our elder master went through the trouble of crossing the central plains to bring you here, yet you didn’t join. That makes you a traitor.”
“That’s why I just put two whole silver taels in the donation box.”
“Isn’t that only natural, since we performed the memorial rites for our elder master on your behalf?”
“To me, he was like a grandfather, but wasn’t he a great elder of the Diancang Sect? Not performing the rites would be a sin of abandoning one’s master.”
“You really don’t lose a single argument, do you?”
“Didn’t you know that no one can best me in a war of words?”
Though he did occasionally swing his fists when he thought he was going to lose.
“Puhahaha!”
Wi Ji-pung laughed heartily and poured some tea.
Having spent our childhoods together, we were on familiar terms.
‘If I had become a disciple of Diancang, the hierarchy would have made this difficult…’
It seems I’m a soul that craves freedom, like Dobby.
“So, how’s work?”
“A hundred times better than life at the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion.”
“True, you’d probably eat and shit well even if we dropped you in the Ten Demon Alliance.”
“Don’t you mean eat well and live well?”
“Same difference.”
Wi Ji-pung took a sip of tea and continued.
“Anyway, this is a big problem.”
“Pardon? What did I do?”
“I’m talking about what happened at the Hall Masters’ meeting.”
“How do you know about that, brother?”
“My master told me.”
“You’re right. It’s incredibly awkward that it happened in front of everyone.”
This was true.
The Outer Hall Master, Bukgung Baek, was like a foreign mercenary, so he didn’t count, and I was on good terms with the Black Dragon Hall Master, so that was fine.
But the masters of the other seven halls were a different story.
The current Lord is recruiting his disciple through something like a public audition.
For me to catch his eye in the midst of that…
…meant that a new competitor had appeared for the Hall Masters who were pushing their own children or disciples to become the Lord’s successor.
‘Though I’m probably candidate number 129…’
If this were the cutthroat world I came from, I wouldn’t have cared about such a number, but this was the martial world.
It was teeming with folks who would put a knife in your gut for the slightest offense.
That was precisely the point Wi Ji-pung was making.
“Do you have any idea why he did it?”
“I think it’s because of the martial art I received from the Lord on the day of the Heaven-Ascending Pavilion graduation ceremony.”
“Isn’t that a benefit everyone gets for graduating at the top? I got one too.”
“The one I received seems to be a martial art the Lord created himself.”
“…That’s just asking to be misunderstood.”
“Tell me about it.”
If he was going to give me something, I wish he’d given me an SSR-grade Heavenly Poison Heart Art. I don’t know why he had to create this mess by giving me some weird unrated item.
“It’s not something you can control, so you’ll have to lie low for a while.”
“Can’t you help me out a little?”
“Help you? How?”
“By publicly announcing that Jin Mujeon of the Outer Hall is close to the Black Dragon Hall, and that anyone who touches him will face retaliation.”
“Do you think our Grand Elder and my master would stir up such trouble? And even if we did, do you think the other halls would even care?”
“You have a point.”
“Still, don’t worry too much. Since our elder master personally brought you here, they won’t be able to make a direct move against you.”
I was taken aback by Wi Ji-pung’s words.
I thought he had just come to squeeze some money out of me, but he had rushed over to protect me.
‘If it’s the Great Pure Adept, that’s a different story.’
When it comes to pure martial prowess, he is a master with no equal under the heavens.
To receive his protection, a friendship fee of two silver taels was more than a bargain; it was practically a steal.
“Judging by your expression, you had no idea.”
“No, I didn’t know he cared for me so much.”
“Are we strangers?”
“We’re not exactly family either.”
“You crazy bastard. Go to sleep.”
Just as Wi Ji-pung was about to leave, I spoke softly to his back.
“A drink?”
That night, Wi Ji-pung and I drank until dawn, reminiscing about our childhood.
***
The next day.
I reported to the fortress gate as usual and began a day no different from any other.
With one exception.
“What is this?”
“Hehe, how about a bowl of rice wine after…”
“Ahem! Who do you take me for! I’ll let it slide this once, but be sure to prepare it next time!”
“Oh! My apologies!”
That exception was that I couldn’t accept any bribes.
Thanks to that, a merchant who had tried to cut in line gave me a dejected look before going back to his place, then turned to me with a puzzled expression.
When I blinked, signaling him, he seemed to finally understand and nodded.
Being a merchant, he was quick-witted enough to grasp what I was saying.
I could start accepting them again once things quieted down, but for now, the loss was unavoidable.
‘Agh, my heart aches.’
With the possibility of a hall watching my every move, if I were caught taking a bribe, I would not only be fired but also have the muscles and meridians in my limbs destroyed, my dantian shattered, and be thrown out of the fortress.
Reminding myself once again that this was the merciless martial world, I continued my by-the-book duties like a newly commissioned second lieutenant.
“Next!”
Half a day later, the sun began to set, and it was almost time to close the gates.
As the crowd thinned, a red-faced Yang Gang started to complain.
“Squad Leader! Isn’t this too much? If you don’t even let us take a few pennies, how are we supposed to make a living?”
“That’s right! The corrupt squad leader must step down!”
“Step down! Step down!”
The squad members instantly joined in, raising their right arms in time with the chant.
This sudden union activity came as a great shock to me.
‘Yu So-pyeong, you too!’
I trembled with a sense of betrayal, but fearing that this incident could give birth to a militant union, I did my best to calm my men.
“Alright, alright! Everyone, please calm down!”
“Step down! Step down!”
But, as if possessed, they wouldn’t listen to a word I said.
‘Damn it.’
In the end, I had no choice but to empty my own pouch to seek a grand compromise between labor and management.
“Drinks are on me after work!”
“Ahem, hmm, what kind?”
“Yel-yellow wine?”
“Step down! Step down!”
“White liquor!”
“You should know we’re only letting you off this easy because it’s us.”
The squad members, led by the instigator Yang Gang, dispersed.
I shouted at their retreating backs.
“The shift isn’t over yet, you bastards!”