Chapter 123
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 123
Chapter Title: Grace Doubled, Rewards Tripled (2)
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Geum Sihyeon had made three demands in total.
Dang Woojun rubbed his temple and began pointing them out one by one, calmly.
"Cut ties with the Azure Heaven Fortress and trade exclusively with the Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress... Even if the Azure Heaven Society was deeply involved in this incident, that's no reason to make an emotional decision. Have you calculated the losses we'd suffer if all our established trade lines were severed at once?"
Dang Woojun's words were perfectly reasonable.
It wasn't just about switching primary trade fortresses. Severing relations with the Azure Heaven Fortress meant cutting off all connected merchant houses, escort agencies, logistics networks... everything at once.
But.
"I've calculated it thoroughly. That's why I'm making this proposal."
Geum Sihyeon leisurely pulled a thick stack of documents from his bosom and handed them to Dang Woojun.
As he flipped through page by page.
Dang Woojun was left speechless.
Not only the 'Jade Auction House'—whose ownership had already shifted from the Jade Face Young Lord to Geum Sihyeon, as Dang Woojun had grasped.
No one knew when he'd bought them out, but acquisition contracts lined up for countless small and mid-sized escort agencies around Sichuan, as well as ones originally under the Azure Heaven Fortress.
"...Were you planning to buy up the entire province?"
"If we hadn't built a smooth relationship with the Tang Family, I might have."
"Truly absurd wealth..."
Dang Woojun let out a groan.
He'd long sensed the Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress's unusual growth.
But to pour such vast sums into places that might not yield huge profits.
If he refused the deal here, the Tang Family could face economic crisis. Realizing this,
Dang Woojun had no more choices left.
"...Then let's move to the next. Let me review the Tang Family's unique arts research records... That's truly difficult. Even aside from me being from the Dark Hidden Branch, the Tang Family's martial arts lose their power if leaked outside the clan. You know this well, don't you?"
"True. So I'm not asking to see everything. Just one thing."
Geum Sihyeon paused briefly before continuing.
"Access to research materials linked to the Azure Heaven Society would suffice."
An unquenched flame still burned in his eyes.
Dang Woojun pinched his brow and sighed upon seeing it.
Of course, the relevant materials were all gathered, and even when he'd reviewed them himself, there were plenty that would cause massive uproar if revealed.
How could he disclose such things to an outsider?
"Hm. There is a way."
But.
What if not an outsider?
Dang Woojun straightened his posture and scanned Geum Sihyeon up and down briefly.
His mind swarmed with scheming foxes, exuding a sly aura.
Yet purely by looks, he was handsome enough to deserve the 'Jade Face' moniker outright.
If this deal succeeded, the Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress's prosperity would soar even higher, plenty good for the clan.
Especially now,
while his true prowess remained hidden behind the Jade Face Young Lord persona—the perfect chance to snag him low.
"I'll counter with a condition. Become the Tang Family's son-in-law. Then you're no outsider, and sharing records poses no issue."
True to a family head, Dang Woojun swiftly tallied the gains and tossed the proposal at Geum Sihyeon.
Though Dang Narin rejected people's approaches with her prickly personality flaw.
Still, from her cooperation in the prior 'Tang Leaf Shredding' plan, a man like Geum Sihyeon could surely win her over long-term.
However.
"Hmm... So, you're thinking of your daughter, Lady Narin, with those words?"
"Indeed."
"In that case, it's a bit tricky."
"...Why? She's decent enough, and though it's odd for me to say, her beauty is outstanding."
Geum Sihyeon scratched his head awkwardly, flashing an embarrassed smile.
"I want multiple wives, but as a live-in son-in-law, I couldn't."
"...Are you insane?"
"I hear that often."
Dang Woojun let out a deep sigh.
Truth be told, he had two wives himself, so he had no ground to criticize.
Even so, declaring it so brazenly was absurd beyond measure.
But.
From gathered intel,
his niece Myo Narang—who'd take the Dang surname alongside Brother Dang Woolyang's reinstatement—was quite close to this lecher.
"We'll skip that for now."
He could always send matchmakers to the Ten Thousand Gold Treasury Fortress later and force the ink dry. He brainwashed himself thus.
And.
The most incomprehensible final clause.
"Form an alliance with the Geumhyeon Sect... First, where's this Geumhyeon Sect? Never heard of it."
"Heh heh heh. Where else?"
"Geumhyeon Sect, Geumhyeon Sect... No way."
Dang Woojun's eyes widened as he stared at the madman before him.
"If born a man, calling myself the founding patriarch has a romantic ring, no? I'm the Geumhyeon Sect leader. No members yet, though."
Dang Woojun let out another deep sigh.
The negotiations were a success.
Well, he seemed a bit reluctant, but with most conditions accepted, it was face-saving at least.
...An aggressive investment, defying Father's opposition, dumping my entire fortune plus the shares I'd inherit.
Still.
With the Tang Family head's seal on a contract laced with sneaky poison clauses, leveraging my modern savvy,
recovering costs was now just a matter of time.
And.
Of course, secret recipes were shared, but I'd sealed off the production route for the Frenzy Pills—the Azure Heaven Society's tool for controlling martial artists.
A perfect screw-you in every sense.
Anyway.
"Heh heh heh..."
Now for the true reward.
This was it!
Young Lordnim
See you tonight!
Dinner's on me! I'll pay!
The classic trope of every youth romance.
The post-incident date event!
- Ahh, Young Lordnim. You have sauce on your mouth.
That razor-close moment from before flashed vividly in his mind.
Though it fell through because of Dalam—actually, the Black Hope Star—no, Senior Dang Woolyang interrupting.
Geum Sihyeon, soon 21.
Tonight, the time had finally come to become a true man.
Clutching his pounding heart, evening came.
He headed to the meeting spot in Chengdu's streets and waited leisurely.
Then, from afar, Lady Myo Narang's majestic figure waved cheerfully.
But.
It wasn't just one person.
Not a 1:1 date...!
"Young Lordnim! Hehe, surprised?"
"Ah, ahh, uh, h-hello...?"
Dragged along by Lady Myo Narang's hand was Dang Narin.
The vibe was so different they didn't match at first glance, but come to think of it, these two were sisters.
"I-I, uh, th-then I'll g-g-gooo... Hyah?!"
Dang Narin tried to bolt the moment Lady Myo Narang let her guard down.
But Lady Myo Narang's Golden Lock Technique coiled like a snake around her waist, subduing her.
"Ugh, uuugh..."
"Hee hee hee. Where you off to, Sis?"
"Whoa..."
An exclamation escaped unwittingly.
Overwhelming presence... four of them!
That violent sight held his eyes captive for a moment.
"Young Lordnim. Your gaze is naughty."
"Ah, ah! Sorry."
The instant Lady Myo Narang shot him a half-lidded look, he realized his grave discourtesy.
But.
Was this his fault?
I don't think so...
"Alright, let's go! I know a place with great food! Reserved it too!"
"Haha, looking forward to it."
Gazing at the sisters leading the way under Lady Myo Narang's charge,
he began simulating how to block hidden weapons and poison arts from the Tang Family head and Senior Dang Woolyang.
Right after checking the message from the Poison Demon.
Blood Lord. I've kept my promise.
The Blood Lord looked up at the sky.
"Success."
Whether he'd used the Blood Lord's arrangements or gotten other help, unknown.
But in the flow of heavenly ki, the star symbolizing Poison King Dang Seaak had rapidly dimmed.
Thus, the Tang Family could be ignored for a while.
The Poison Demon likely wouldn't return, but it didn't matter.
The Blood Lord had granted him the power to fulfill his vow.
And the Poison Demon had sufficiently aided the Blood Lord's plan to solidify.
Though unaware it was aid.
"Hmm, now who to throw next."
Pity the attempt to reignite the Orthodox-Demonic War via Hongryeon failed, but the Blood Lord had many cards left.
Among them.
Not directly helpful for goals, but one that could divert eyes depending on use. He picked it up.
Yeon Hongun.
Found the Jade Transformation Preservation location.
The reply came swiftly.
Uhyoooooo!
Tossing the Lust Demon into the Hundred Flowers Academy, symbol of the Orthodox martial world.
The place would buzz for a good while.