The Negotiation Outcome

After the Dang Family returned home, war clouds began to gather over the land of Sichuan in less than half a day.

Minjeongwon agents walked the streets, casually sowing anxiety into everyday conversation.

"I hear Qingcheng and the Dang Family are about to have a real go at each other?"

"Well, what father in the world just sits still when his kid nearly got killed? The fact that they've held back this long is impressive enough. They trusted the Martial Alliance to sort it out properly."

"But that Martial Alliance took Qingcheng's side? Told the Dang Family to yield?"

"They've lost their minds."

"Word is the new sect leader of Qingcheng used to be a Martial Alliance dispatch elder. Came swaggering in on the Alliance's back and tried to bully the Dang Family."

"What? What kind of barbarian bastard does that?"

"Wasn't he born and raised in Sichuan too? Just because he drank some outside water he thinks he can drag those Central Plains mongrels into Sichuan business?"

"What did the Dang Family even do wrong that Qingcheng's picking a fight the second they open their mouths?"

"The ones who farted are the ones throwing the tantrum!"

"Let's be real—what has Qingcheng ever actually done for Sichuan land? Did they lay roads like the Dang Family? Build fountains? Cure diseases? Make good goods? Create jobs?"

"All those bastards know how to do is chant scriptures and swing swords… tsk tsk…!"

Anyone versed in modern information warfare would have noticed how unnaturally fast and one-sided the rumors were spreading—but no one did.

No one knew the Sichuan Dang Family ran the Minjeongwon. Even the Minjeongwon agents themselves had no idea they were doing anything of the sort. They were simply passing along stories they had heard from people they were friendly with.

It took less than a day for the rumors to cross Qingcheng's mountain gate.

The elders erupted.

They stormed to Baekhyeon Jin-in and protested.

"Sect Leader! What in heaven's name is this talk of war? War with the Sichuan Dang Family?!"

"…It is only bluster. They know the disparity in our forces as well as we do."

"Do you have any idea what the atmosphere is like at the foot of the mountain right now?! This is no time for composure, Sect Leader!"

"They say the Dang Family's servants are helping residents evacuate so they won't get caught up in it. The Provincial Administration even received official notices asking every yamen not to interfere because it is a matter between martial houses!"

"Are you just going to sit there and watch, Sect Leader?!"

The elders of Songhak Jin-in's faction, who had opposed Baekhyeon's appointment, raised their voices as if this were their chance. Even the neutral elders who had supported Baekhyeon under Baekseon's persuasion began to waver.

What they wanted was the security of Qingcheng Sect and their own positions—not a full-scale war with the Sichuan Dang Family.

And in an internal matter of a sect like this, even the Martial Alliance's own mediator could do nothing.

"Heh heh~ Well now."

Hyeondeok Daesa let out a dry chuckle of pure disbelief.

"They kept going on about the Dang Family's poison heart, the Dang Family's poison heart… and then something like this…."

That was when it arrived.

A meal delivery was brought to the quarters where he was staying.

"Excuse me. Baekga-jaengsik's Jiaolong Restaurant, Qingcheng Mountain Lower Branch. Is Master Hyeondeok the customer here?"

"…Hm?"

At the sound of his name, Hyeondeok opened the window and looked out. A man pointed to the iron delivery box strapped to his back.

"Food delivery. Vegetable dumplings."

"This humble monk did not order any food… Wait—you deliver all the way up here from the foot of the mountain?"

"Yes. You say you didn't order? Hmm…."

The man furrowed his brow at the order slip, then nodded.

"The orderer is Young Master Dang Hui-yeom of the Sichuan Dang Family. Since the payment was made in advance, I'll just leave the food."

"The Young Master of the Dang Family?"

Hyeondeok Daesa's eyes lit up.

"Come inside."

"Yes, sir~."

He called the delivery man into the room and took the plate of dumplings.

"Then enjoy your meal~!"

"You've worked hard."

Once the delivery man had left, Hyeondeok Daesa looked down at the plate and teacup left behind.

"Surely he didn't send actual food…."

When he lifted the lid of the teacup, instead of tea, a piece of paper folded many times over rested inside.

Hyeondeok Daesa unfolded it.

"Haha… hahahaha!"

Hyeondeok Daesa could not hold back a booming laugh.

"Where in the world did this child of a goblin spring from? No, what even is this…?"

There was nothing more to read. The letter struck straight at the heart of the master's own dilemma.

From the Martial Alliance's perspective, so long as the Alliance's authority was preserved and benefits and concessions were extracted from both the Dang Family and Qingcheng, it did not particularly matter whose hand ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠they took.

There was simply no reason they absolutely had to side with Qingcheng.

"The Dang Family… Seonji Aryong… Dang Hui-yeom."

Hyeondeok Daesa slipped the letter into his robes, chuckling under his breath.

"In the Sichuan I protected, an impossible dragon's cub was growing."

Exactly three days later—

with a razor-edged war atmosphere hanging over everything, and the situation having gone right to the brink of total war—

rumor spread across all of Sichuan that, thanks to Hyeondeok Daesa's earnest persuasion and petitions, both sects had changed their minds and would meet once more at the negotiating table.

The master's renown for even softening a father's murderous resolve to avenge his own child spread far and wide, allowing Hyeondeok Daesa to gild his own face in gold.

And the Sichuan Dang Family, which had been roaring "War, absolutely war!", could sheath their blades with dignity by saying they were "holding back out of respect for Master Hyeondeok."

And so Qingcheng and the Sichuan Dang Family took their seats at the negotiating table once again.

"I am Dang Un-sang, Family Head of the Great Sichuan Dang Family. Sect Leader, my sincere congratulations on your appointment."

"…I am Baekhyeon of Qingcheng. It is an honor to meet you, Family Head."

Baekhyeon Jin-in returned the greeting with an awkward smile. But the smiles painted on both men's faces lasted only that long.

Sensing the delicate current between them, Hyeondeok Daesa broke in with a hearty laugh.

"This humble one is originally a man of shallow learning and meager talent, with no great confidence that he can properly fulfill so heavy a duty as mediation. I would be most grateful if the two of you would lend me much assistance."

Even the kindest of men, it seemed, still had the bite of old ginger. The Thousand-Handed Living Buddha's words could roughly be interpreted as: A person of my stature has come, so don't do anything foolish—let's settle this nicely for everyone's sake, shall we?

Dang Un-sang smiled. Of course, as the head of a great house, he was not so easily handled either.

"When the grudge is not even blood kin, what conflict in this world cannot be resolved? This man is unlearned and knows little of etiquette, but if the Thousand-Handed Living Buddha will guide us, there should be no problem."

In other words: Those bastards nearly killed my son. I don't give a damn about etiquette—if you don't mediate this properly, then I'll become a thug myself.

Baekhyeon Jin-in, newly made sect leader of Qingcheng, laughed with a Taoist's easy "heh heh" and said,

"Must two great houses become mortal enemies over a trifling misunderstanding? Fortunately Heaven has aided us—the Young Master of the Dang Family is unharmed, and the Thousand-Handed Living Buddha has come in person. If we can set aside old feelings through conversation together, the path to harmony will open once more, as the ground hardens after rain."

This, too, could be roughly translated as: Hey, your son is fine, isn't he? We've got a top-tier mediator here, so don't think about squeezing us too hard—let's negotiate reasonably.

Looking at Baekhyeon Jin-in and the Thousand-Handed Living Buddha both smiling so amiably, Dang Un-sang recalled the conversation he had shared with Hui-yeom before the meeting began.

"You've already aligned stories with Hyeondeok Daesa?"

"Yes, Father. No matter how much we seize the upper hand in negotiations by forcing the issue with talk of war—so long as the Martial Alliance takes their side, it will be difficult to draw out a good result. In other words, we have to pull the Martial Alliance over to our side no matter what."

"Then…."

"Hyeondeok Daesa will not openly take Qingcheng's side. In that case, with both the moral high ground and the Jeokha Sword Ghost in our hands, we will be able to lead the negotiations from an overwhelmingly advantageous position."

They had thought that simply throwing a tantrum about war would force Qingcheng into a submissive posture at the table. Instead the boy had already finished setting the board—by pulling the Thousand-Handed Living Buddha, who had been leaning toward Qingcheng behind the scenes, over to their side.

This is the chance that child created. As his father, I cannot waste it.

Dang Un-sang was brimming with drive. Baekhyeon Daoist, by contrast, had none.

What negotiation is there with bastards who just lie down and scream 'war' if they don't get their way? You need people who can talk to negotiate.

Meanwhile Hyeondeok Daesa, who ought to have been taking his side, had been laughing for the past few days like a man with wind in his lungs, as if something had happened.

Damn it. Even so, I rolled around the Martial Alliance for thirty years. I will not be handled so easily.

Baekhyeon Jin-in clenched his teeth.

The negotiation adjustments continued for nearly two shichen—four hours.

What Qingcheng demanded was the person of their disciple, and a public declaration throughout Sichuan's martial world that "Qingcheng Sect did not attack the Young Master of the Sichuan Dang Family."

In exchange they would yield a certain amount of interests—that was Qingcheng's basic negotiation stance. In short: take the moral high ground, give up the practical gains.

The Sichuan Dang Family's direction was the exact opposite: an official apology from Qingcheng for targeting the Young Master's life, plus compensation for damages. Which meant: We did nothing wrong, so we will take both the name and the substance.

Qingcheng could not accept that. It would deal a severe blow to their reputation as an orthodox great house.

When Qingcheng held firm that it was impossible, the Dang Family cried "War—never again, war!"

Are you really going to do it? After coming all the way to this table? Aren't you actually scared too?

When Qingcheng answered like that, the Dang Family smiled and replied,

We're thinking of revealing ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the Jeokha Sword Ghost to the entire world. How does that sound? Under interrogation he turned out to have done all sorts of filthy things behind the scenes—if this rumor spreads, I wonder if Qingcheng might end up as the ninth of the Eight Great Sects. And let me say it again: we hold the Jeokha Sword Ghost's person.

The Jeokha Sword Ghost was the blind spot.

He was an all-too-clear piece of physical evidence. Even before this incident, the mere revelation of his existence could have dealt Qingcheng a fatal blow.

Even without going to war, just spreading the rumor that Qingcheng tried to assassinate the Young Master across the realm, and making the Jeokha Sword Ghost's existence widely known so the whole world learns how filthy Qingcheng has been acting in secret—I'd feel a bit better. Ah, if you don't want to give the coal mine, then don't. We already have the fifty-year mining rights and Bisun Peak, don't we? Worthless land anyway—we were going to let you save face by taking that much, but if this is how you're going to be? Then to hell with negotiation—we flip the table!

At that, Baekhyeon Jin-in looked at Hyeondeok Daesa with a pleading expression. But—

Heh heh, well… if it is war, I will stop it with both hands and both feet. But this is not war—they simply wish to announce the truth. For me to stop that… heh heh…. And the circumstances that Qingcheng tried to assassinate the Dang Family's Young Master are rather clear, are they not?

The man they had so painstakingly coaxed into coming was now casually taking the other side. Baekhyeon Jin-in was ready to go mad and leap into the air.

But what could he do?

Both the moral high ground and the physical evidence were with the other side, and even the Martial Alliance had shifted its body toward the Dang Family.

And so, after long and tedious negotiations, a conclusion was reached.

"Here. The land deed proving the permanent cession of Bisun Peak that you wanted."

Dang Un-sang was able to return looking a little tired, yet as proudly as a victorious general.

Hui-yeom's eyes sparkled.

"You've worked hard, Father. And the rest?"

"I extracted Qingcheng's apology as well, and beyond Bisun Peak I also secured the cession of Yanggu Peak."

"Magnificent skill! You are incredible."

"Rather than that… Bisun Peak is such worthless land that if we had only taken that and left, they would have grown suspicious. And you said the coal would be mined out in fifty years anyway, didn't you? So I had them cede other land instead—under the pretext that we need it to harvest poisonous herbs that grow only on cliffs."

"Father's negotiating ability would make even Su Gui of the Northern Song weep with envy!"

Su Gui—who could be called the Song dynasty's version of Seo Hui—had, when the Khitan-founded Liao continuously invaded the Northern Song, obtained eighteen years of peace through diplomatic talks and bought the Song time to prepare against Liao's assaults. Though the Song was eventually destroyed by the Liao afterward, delaying that destruction by a full eighteen years was still his achievement, was it not?

At his clever son's extravagant praise, Dang Un-sang laughed bashfully.

"Hahaha, you rascal. Don't lift me up so high. More importantly—can you finally speak plainly now? How do you make Xuan Iron? And how do you even know the method for making it?"

"Yes, Father. The truth is that in the diary of Cheolmokjin—the biography of Genghis Khan—that I once read, there was a method for forging Xuan Iron. The metal craftsmen of Damascus in Syria, when they forge steel, use special materials in a special way. The metal produced this way bears dark blue-green wavy patterns and is said to cut through ordinary steel."

This was a statement mixed with several lies. Of course there had never been any record left by Genghis Khan to begin with, so the premise itself was false. But from the start, Xuan Iron was a metal of pure imagination—known only as "stronger and more flexible than steel, with a black luster." In circumstances like these, if you simply showed Central Plains people a sword forged from Damascus steel and called it a Xuan Iron blade, that was the end of it. Who, after all, could look at a metal that only existed in imagination and declare, "That is not Xuan Iron!"?

Dang Un-sang listened to the lengthy explanation. Midway through, his eyes grew complicated as if he no longer fully understood, then he finally nodded.

"Very well. I leave every matter related to this entirely to you. But the method of producing Xuan Iron must be treated as a matter of the highest secrecy—on the same level as our family's poisons, or the gunpowder you once mentioned."

"Of course. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠I will form a dedicated team primarily from the direct-line master craftsmen of Cheol-u-jeon."

"When can you begin making Xuan Iron?"

"Even if Cheolmokjin's diary contains a rough method, it is not precise. We will need a process of some trial and error. I am estimating two months at the generous end."

"Two months… Very well. Do it well."

While Hui-yeom and Dang Un-sang continued their discussion of Xuan Iron, Baekhyeon Jin-in returned to Qingcheng Sect with Ha Un, the Jeokha Sword Ghost, who had been handed over by the Sichuan Dang Family.

The elders of Qingcheng did not say things like "Why did you live and bring trouble upon Qingcheng?" to Ha Un. After all, Ha Un had sworn he had not opened his mouth about the things he had done—and more than that, the story he told them was far too shocking.

The martial prowess of Dang Su-jeong, who had brought him down. And the Dang Family's "newest hidden weapon" she had used—those held the elders' attention fast.

"No matter how much the Poison Phoenix is a rising talent making a name for herself, she is still only at the Peak level. For the Jeokha Sword Ghost to lose in a frontal clash…."

"…Dangroe. Is the Dang Family's hidden-weapon tradition truly being revived like this?"

"A rain of hidden weapons that pierces even the Sword Barrier raised by a Peak-level swordsman, and that destructive power that turns people left unprotected into minced meat over a wide area."

"In a frontal fight with the Dang Family we would have no choice but to endure catastrophic losses."

The Qingcheng elders spoke with dark faces.

"From now on the entire martial world will fix its eyes on the Dang Family. Let us do our utmost to protect our own interests."

They took what comfort they could from the fact that, unlike the unorthodox sects, the Dang Family was not a direct enemy. At least there would be no immediate life-or-death reckoning.

But "gentle contention" in the realm of business would continue, and in that arena a disaster even worse than Dangroe was already threatening them.

Fight and win in business against Seonji Aryong Dang Hui-yeom, who had remade Sichuan like this in a mere five years? By what means?

One elder, thinking of a task of similar difficulty, muttered without realizing it.

"…I'd rather face the Heavenly Demon. At least then we could form a sword formation and charge together…."

"That would actually have better odds of winning."

Another elder gave a hollow laugh.

"In the business arena, no matter how many of us gather and link up, we're nothing but dried croakers strung together…."

"Ugh…."

They were wise Taoists—but before the specialized field of business, and with Hui-yeom as the opponent, the elders' sighs only grew deeper on Qingcheng Mountain.

And a few days after the day the elders sighed—

in a teahouse a little removed from the streets of Seongdo, Hui-yeom and Dang Un-sang were meeting Hyeondeok Daesa.

"Now then… between us, there are still a few accounts left to settle, are there not?"

Watching Hyeondeok Daesa's benevolent smile, Hui-yeom's eyes gleamed.

"Yes. Let us discuss it in detail."

With Shaolin and the Martial Alliance before them, the real negotiation was only just beginning.